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Demolishing new buildings appears to be a new cost-cutting strategy at the 

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU)

CFO Laura King told trustees this morning she had a "very aggressive strategy" for demolition to address the "surplus of space" that MnSCU has on various campuses.

Up till now, MnSCU has demolished buildings only as part of larger construction projects. But MnSCU officials say this new proposal would save millions of dollars in operation and maintenance costs normally wasted on the old buildings.

Brian Yolitz, MnSCU's associate vice chancellor for facilities, says MnSCU is drafting a list that so far contains up to a dozen buildings. Many of the buildings were built in the 1950s and '60s, are mothballed or underused.

Trustees have asked to receive a revised list at a meeting later this month.

Yolitz told me campuses have retained such buildings for years in the way a homeowner keeps an extra chunk of wood or broken tool in the garage:

The new strategy is included in MnSCU's proposed $228 million request to the state next year for construction and renovation projects.

Trustees are scheduled to vote whether to approve the request later this month.

Education News

On Campus Blog

Alex Friedrich

Author

Demolishing new buildings appears to be a new cost-cutting strategy at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system. CFO Laura King told trustees this morning she had a “very aggressive strategy” for demolition to address the “surplus of space” that MnSCU has on various campuses. Up till now, MnSCU has demolished buildings only as…

Why you soon won’t see as many old buildings on MnSCU campuses anymore

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