Gershman Graduate Center

University of North Dakota

The J. Lloyd Stone House, the oldest and arguably most unique building on the University of North Dakota campus, is now home to the University’s first Graduate & International Student Engagement Center — a dedicated space for graduate students to call their own in order to build community and assist the school with attracting and retaining up-and-coming talent. The greatest challenge for the design team was to turn a mothballed house into a modern center by updating code and life safety items without impacting the historic elements, including adding an elevator and additional restrooms, and lowering the basement to increase headroom. The restoration of the center was privately funded, and JLG worked closely with the donor to select finishes and reimagine the spaces to create a place for modern engagement with an old-school library feel.