The University of Michigan athletic department wants to build a 18,000-square-foot operations center near the intersection of Stadium Boulevard and State Street in Ann Arbor.

A new operations facility for U-M's athletic department will likely be located near the intersection of State and Stadium.

The proposed $6 million south campus building would house the department's maintenance shops and offices, laundry, shipping and receiving and equipment storage.

The new building would "centralize and increase operational efficiency for functions currently undersized and housed in various locations across the Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus," according to a memo to regents from athletic director Dave Brandon and U-M CFO Tim Slottow.

U-M, like most Big Ten athletic departments, washes laundry for its student athletes, as long as it is team gear or clothing sporting the block "M."

The new building would be located adjacent to the school's golf course and across from its field hockey facility. The construction won't have an impact on parking and is expected to provide an average of 13 construction jobs.

The building is the latest in a string of improvements to the athletic campus, which include everything from a $2.8 million marquee erected outside Michigan Stadium to $13.5 million in upgrades to field hockey facilities to $500 million in upgrades to U-M's football, hockey and basketball arenas.

The proposal will go before the Board of Regents during a public meeting Thursday at 3 p.m.

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for the Ann Arbor News. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@mlive.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.