A new $143.9 million project that includes a new music building, renovation and expansion of Phi Beta Kappa Hall and a complete renovation of Andrews Hall was presented to the College of William & Mary’s governing body Thursday.
The project — a less aggressive version of a 2009 proposal that called for $350 million project to demolish Phi Beta Kappa Hall and the Muscarelle Museum and replace them with a 300,000-square-foot building with a new arts complex — is to have three phases for multiple projects to create an Arts Quarter on campus. The first priority is a new music building, and a renovated Phi Beta Kappa Hall and Andrews Hall would follow.
Anna Martin, vice president of administration, told the Board of Visitors on Thursday the project was a top priority in the college’s six-year plan.
The new music building, 75,000 square feet of space, would be located next to Phi Beta Kappa Hall and — according to a news release — would include many amenities for W&M music community members, like a 450-seat concert hall, a 125-seat recital hall and soundproof practice rooms.
The building is estimated to cost $52.3 million. Martin said the project to create more space for the music department was the “number one priority.”
“They are the ones with the most needs,” Martin said.
Phi Beta Kappa Hall would be expanded as part of the project. If the project is approved, it would have new spaces for the theater, speech and dance programs, as well as a larger entrance that would include both a foyer and box office. When all is said and done, the college looks to spend $59.5 million on Phi Beta Kappa.
After Phi Beta Kappa and the new music building are complete — and if the project is approved by the state — the college would do a $32.1 million overhaul on Andrews Hall that now houses classrooms, art studios and a gallery. Included in that price is another small building that would be erected west of Phi Beta Kappa Hall as a new home for ceramics, sculpture and architecture space.
According Brian Whitson, a spokesperson for the college, W&M hopes to have planning money for the music building by July 2014. The General Assembly would have to approve state legislation for the funding request.
