Construction bids will take place during the third week of May, and then work on the hall should begin in June, said Carol Aquesta, design manager of the project. Officials have said the project should take about 18 to 24 months.
Construction will begin with the removal of all movable objects from the hall, followed by asbestos abatement, said Priscilla Bratcher, director of principal gifts for the Office of Development.
Next, the construction crew will set to work on the floor, planners said. Due to limited space between the roof and the ceiling of the hall -- where most buildings fit air ducts for air conditioning -- designers placed the ducts under the floor, making it necessary to repour its concrete foundation, Bratcher said.
The construction crew then will move on to demolish the entire stage area, expanding the stage house and public facilities.
The stage space will be doubled with updated stage equipment and lighting. Dressing rooms, elevators, a loading dock and rehearsal space also will be constructed.
Later in the project, new seats will be added to replace the seats that were installed in 1959. More leg room will accompany the new chairs, which will bring seating down from 1,626 to about 1,500 chairs, Bratcher said.
Many midsized concert halls at other universities have a range of 2,000 to 2,500 seats, Bratcher said. But she said she thinks a smaller hall is more beneficial for audience members. "We are thrilled because it provides a more intimate experience for the audience."
The project's budget doesn't include enough funding to renovate the balcony, Bratcher said. The total projected budget is $14.5 million. Fund sources include $800,000 from state funds, $8.7 million from state bonds and $5 million garnered through fund raising.
Officials said they are certain the renovations will attract more attention from the community, especially with the expansion of the performance season to 12 months.
