A pair of major building projects totaling $12 million — both designed to enhance the student experience at Alma — will dominate the campus landscape in 2010.
Alma’s student-athletes, exercise and health science students, coaches, fans and community members will benefit from the Hogan Center enhancements, while updates to the Eddy Music Center will provide much needed improvements to Alma’s growing music programs.
Both projects are being funded by a combination of gifts and the sale of tax-exempt bonds.
“While we are excited about these building projects, we continue to be focused on raising $5.5 million for the Hogan project and $1 million for the Eddy Music Center enhancements,” says Carol Hyble, vice president for advancement at Alma College. “We are counting on the assistance of our alumni, friends and community to reach our goals.”
The Renovated Hogan Center, with LEED-Certified Convocation Center
The $10.2 million Hogan Center renovation and addition is well under way. See the Hogan Webcam. The building project includes the construction of a 29,000-square-foot performance gymnasium and convocation center along with renovated locker rooms, athletic training space, natatorium, coaches’ offices and classrooms in the existing Hogan facility.
It will provide a new home court for the men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams as well as a primary venue for commencement, convocations, major speakers, concerts and other campus events.
The new addition also is designed to be Alma College’s first LEED-certified building, the nationally recognizable mark of sustainable construction. Read more.
The new arena will seat 2,430, with additional floor seating of 600 for non-athletics events. The new facility will be handicap accessible, with a ground-level entrance, new elevator, and a 6,600 square-foot lobby with new concessions stand and restroom facilities. The basketball court will feature theatre-style seating on the “home” side of the court.
Interior work in the existing Hogan facility began in March 2009, with the ground breaking for the new addition taking place in May. Work continues in 2010, with completion anticipated in August.
Music Building To Get Facelift
Construction begins in April for enhancements to the Eddy Music Center. With increasing numbers of students participating in ensembles, the Music Department has outgrown Eddy. Read more.
The Board of Trustees in October 2009 approved planning for extensive renovations to Eddy plus the construction of a 5,000-square-foot building addition. The College is working with the architectural firm TCI in the design of the project design. The anticipated nine-month project could be completed by Christmas 2010.
“The project reflects the growth of our music program, both vocal and instrumental,” says Alma College Provost Michael Selmon. “We need more space for teaching, practice and instrumental storage, as well as comfortable areas for people to meet and relax.”
Renovations to the existing 10,000-square-foot Eddy Music Center will include moving interior walls to transform small practice rooms into larger studios, adding offices, and removing instruments from the large rehearsal space so that ensembles can practice more comfortably.
The new addition, to be built between Eddy and the Swanson Academic Center, will contain several practice rooms, a new recording studio, faculty offices, instrumental storage space, and a highly visible front lobby with a rounded glass front facing northwest into McIntyre Mall. The proposed lobby will be large enough for hosting receptions and greeting campus visitors.
