The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts contracted Kalleward Group as both construction manager and general contractor to build the 30,000 square-foot addition as well as the complete restoration of the existing 45,000 square-foot building.

The addition portion of the project included the new vestibule and lobby area pictured above, as well as new administration offices, a new auditorium, and gift shops. The Institute then needed the complete restoration of a two-story art museum and the addition of classrooms for the expanding art school. One of the many challenges presented to Kalleward Group was accomodating the intricate mechanical systems required to maintain the proper environment for their multimillion-dollar art collection. Another challenge was the building's location in the downtown section of Kalamazoo; site size and space came at a premium. The staging of material and supplies was critical to the progress of the project.