Baker College’s Port Huron campus opened a second stand-alone student housing building at its Culinary Institute of Michigan

Baker College’s Port Huron campus opened a second stand-alone student housing building at its Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM) late September, in time to welcome students for 2016 fall quart

It offers nine apartments that accommodate either two or four persons. The apartments are nearly identical to those in the student housing that opened a year ago. This new housing for 34 students increases the capacity for on-campus living to 82 students.

“With demand growing for the college’s culinary programs, housing needed to expand, too,” said Bart Daig, Ph.D., Baker College System president and CEO. “Research shows that quality, on-campus housing increases student success and retention, and builds community. These large apartments are designed to meet the unique needs of students and support their success in the classroom.”

The CIM Port Huron and the two student housing buildings are located next to the Port Huron Convention Center, on the shore of the St. Clair River at the base of Lake Huron. The student housing buildings are named according to the views available of the Blue Water Area from each: the first is River View; the newest is Bridge View, referring to the Blue Water Bridge.

The furnished apartments are each approximately 900 square feet with an open floor plan, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a flat-panel TV and an upscale kitchen area with high-efficiency appliances, including a washer and dryer. The building is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The 30,000-square-foot Bridge View building also has a commons area. The interior decoration is identical to the River View building, with the primary color being a shade of blue similar to the color of the water of the St. Clair River. It accents the breathtaking views throughout the building.

Residents can use the additional amenities of the River View building – lounges, a study area and an entertainment area with billiards, table tennis and a fireplace. A live-in residence coordinator is responsible for both buildings.

Progressive AE was the architect and Orion Construction Inc. was the contractor. Both are located in Grand Rapids.

Orion President Roger Rehkopf said, “These quality apartments are an excellent complement to the world-class instructional facilities of the CIM Port Huron. We are proud to partner with Baker College as it continues to invest in the Port Huron community. We hope this housing provides a welcoming and supportive environment for the hard-working students who are pursuing their educational goals.”

Orion and Progressive AE also collaborated on the 40,000-square-foot River View student housing and the 23,000-square-foot CIM Port Huron, which opened in 2013. It is specifically designed for the study of culinary arts. Baker College culinary programs were offered beginning 2012 at Port Huron’s main campus, 3403 Lapeer Road.

The CIM Port Huron offers associate degrees in food and beverage management, baking and pastry, and culinary arts, and a certificate in baking and pastry. Baker College also provides culinary programs in Muskegon.

For more information, contact Dan Kenny in the admissions office at 810.985.7000, 888.262.2442 or daniel.kenny@baker.edu, or visit www.CulinaryInstituteMI.com.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Founded in 1911, Baker College grants doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees, as well as certificates in diverse academic fields including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. Baker College has on-ground campuses in Michigan and Pennsylvania, and offers online programs that can be completed 100 percent online without ever visiting a campus. In 2016, the Online Learning Consortium recognized Baker College Online with the OLC Quality Scorecard Exemplary Endorsement, the highest ranking for online higher education programs. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.