Campus Renovations Enhance Student Experience
Two major campus construction projects—the renovations and addition to the Eddy Music Center and the building of the Art Smith Arena adjacent to the Hogan Center—are completed. Both projects enhance the student experience at Alma.
Updates to the Eddy Music Center provide much-needed improvements to Alma’s growing music programs, while Alma’s student-athletes, exercise and health science students, coaches, fans and community members are benefiting from the Hogan Center enhancements and the opening of the Art Smith Arena.
Though construction is complete, fund raising for both projects continues, says Carol Hyble, vice president for advancement at Alma College.
“While we are excited about these building projects, we continue to be focused on raising $4.5 million for the Hogan project and $1.5 million for the Eddy Music Center enhancements,” says Carol Hyble, vice president for advancement at Alma College. “We are very appreciative of those who have supported these projects. We have completed 99 percent of our goal for Hogan and 40 percent of our goal for Eddy.”
Music Building Gets a Facelift
A visitor strolling through the newly renovated Eddy Music Center will find larger teaching studios, enhanced instrument storage space and a 4,200-square-foot addition that addresses the critical needs of Alma College’s growing music programs.
“The physical space in the original Eddy Music Center was no longer adequate to accommodate our music programs,” says Hyble. “More space was needed for teaching, practice and instrument storage as well as comfortable areas for people to meet and relax.”
The project involved extensive renovations to the existing 10,000-square-foot building that included moving interior walls to transform small practice rooms into larger studios, adding offices and creating large dedicated instrument storage space.
The new addition contains practice rooms, a recording studio, faculty offices, additional instrument storage space and a front lobby with a rounded glass front. The lobby is large enough to host receptions and greet campus visitors—gathering space that did not exist in the original building.
The Eddy building, opened in 1975, was the first campus building devoted exclusively to the teaching of music. Student participation in Alma’s major vocal and instrumental ensembles has more than doubled since then.
Renovated Hogan Center Features Art Smith Arena
Alma College’s new Art Smith Arena and renovated Hogan Center serves students and the greater community as the College’s primary venue for commencement, convocations, major events and athletics.
The $10.2-million project includes renovated locker rooms, athletic training space, natatorium, coaches’ offices and classrooms in the existing athletics building along with the addition of the 29,000-square-foot Art Smith Arena, which provides space for major College events as well as a new home court for the men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams.
“This is a fabulous arena with a beautiful lobby that serves as a showcase for the campus not only in our local community but regionally and nationally,” says Alma College President Jeff Abernathy. “This is an excellent community gathering place for speakers, concerts and other events. We continue to welcome those who attend games and College events as well as those who swim in the pool or play racquetball.”
The new arena, which seats 2,430, with additional floor seating of 600 available for non-athletics events, is Alma College's first LEED-certified building, the nationally recognizable mark of sustainable construction. Read more.
