SMMUSD hires contractor for new student services building

Plans to construct an upgraded building on the Samo campus are set to begin in the summer of 2026. The district has finalized their decision in hiring contracting firm Erickson-Hall Construction Co. The new building, named the Student Services Building, will replace the Business Building, creating a new space for student use.

When hiring the contracting firm, a primary concern was the location of the new building in the center of the Samo campus. It is pertinent that construction is as efficient as possible so that it does not interfere with students’ daily life on campus or complicate foot traffic. The construction workers and equipment will primarily enter from Michigan Gate, potentially blocking students’ direct access to the Language and English buildings. However, the team will take a recess at 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily to allow for students to enter and exit campus quickly.

The new Student Services Building will host a variety of student help services, including the mental health counselors’ offices, nurses’ offices and a center for providing student resources. Additionally, the new Black Box Theater will reside on the western end of the building across from Barnum Hall, hosting Samo Theater’s rehearsals and performances. Carey Upton, chief operations officer for SMMUSD, remarked on the renovations being made to the Samo campus, focusing on how the modernized facilities at Samo will better serve students.

“There's a new art gallery, there are classrooms—which includes the journalism classroom, there's the campus commons area, the Vike’s Inn, College and Career [Center] and a Student Support [Center],” Upton said. 

Although Samo students are enjoying a campus free of construction this year for the first time since 2009, the feeling is short-lived. Construction is set to begin in 2026 and conclude in August 2028.