Demolition of UND's Hyslop Sports Center slated for summer 2024
Feb. 27—GRAND FORKS — Plans to tear down UND's Hyslop Center are moving forward and tenants are being phased out in anticipation of a summer 2024 demolition.
The demolition of Hyslop will accommodate planned additions to the College of Engineering and Mines, and UND's national security corridor. These additions include more lab and classroom space for the college's students, which has seen enrollment grow to more than 2,100 students. Additionally, UND is planning to extensively renovate 93-year-old Merrifield Hall, home of the College of Arts and Sciences, beginning this fall.
Mike Pieper, associate VP of facilities at UND, said the university has been gradually phasing tenants out of the Hyslop Center in anticipation of its closure.
"The main move out of Hyslop started when the student wellness center was constructed, and a lot of those activities moved out," said Pieper. "The next major move is associated with the Memorial Village project under construction. The first floor of the Memorial Village will house UND athletic offices, as well as meeting spaces for student athletes."
Pieper said other tenants of Hyslop, such as the sports medicine department, will be housed in the Fritz Pollard Center, which will be undergoing expansions beginning this summer. Pieper said UND is searching for a new home for its kinesiology department, a tenant of Hyslop.
Due to the Hyslop's historic stature — constructed in 1951 — Pieper said UND will consult with the North Dakota Historical Society prior to demolition to determine how to properly honor its legacy.
"They will give us a determination on what they would like to see," said Pieper. "That formal process has not yet been initiated, but typically the course of action is how the building is documented historically prior to demolition."
Another essential protocol prior to demolition, according to Pieper, is environmental abatement of potentially hazardous materials. He said final demolition costs will largely depend on the level of abatement necessary.
"We go into the building, and assess it for hazards such as asbestos," said Pieper. "Once we've deemed it clear of any environmental hazards, then we specify and bid out demolition services. I'd be reluctant to put a cost on that yet, because we haven't dealt with a building of this size before."
