The new Hagg-Sauer Hall at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn., has received the Government Construction Project of the Year from the Minnesota Construction Association.
The university says that the 27,700 square-foot facility features three smart classrooms, four mid-size classrooms, a large classroom, an auditorium and second-floor study spaces that overlook Lake Bemidji.
The newly constructed facility replaces the former Hagg-Sauer Hall, an 82,478-square-foot facility built in 1970. The old building was formally retired in April 2019.
The hall had been named for long-time colleagues Dr. Harold T. Hagg and Dr. Philip R. Sauer. The pair served as Bemidji State University department chairs and were professors in history and English, respectively.
Talks about replacing the old Hagg-Sauer Hall began after the university determined that the facility needed millions of dollars in accessiblity, technological and structural upgrades.
Hagg-Sauer Hall’s location near Lake Bemidji also meant its basement and foundation sat perilously close to the lake’s water table. In all, by 2018 the cost of Hagg-Sauer’s backlogged maintenance projects had swelled to $9.5 million.
In 2014, Bemidji State University received $1 million dollars from the state legislature to help with renovation costs. An additional $22.5 million was allocated for the project in 2018 bonding bill.
The project was officially completed with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in November 2020 and welcomed students for the first time during the Spring 2021 semester.
