Since fall 2019, passers-by on Angell Street have watched the construction of the coming Lindemann Performing Arts Center. Similarly, a closed-off passage of Brook Street and two buildings that rapidly emerged between fall 2021 and this spring offer a reminder of two new Brook Street dorms, including the William and Ami Danoff Residence Hall.
Come this fall, both projects will be complete 鈥斅燼long with a long-planned renovation at Churchill House, home to the Department of Africana Studies, wrote Paul Dietel, assistant vice president of Facilities Management for planning, design and construction, in an email to The Herald. And with over 40 construction projects, many other renewals and renovations will be completed in the coming year.听聽聽
Brook Street and Lindemann enter final stages聽of construction
Both the dorms and the performing arts center remain on track for completion in the fall, Dietel wrote. The dorms are sealed from weather conditions, 鈥渨ith interior finishes proceeding at a rapid pace,鈥� though they still require additional exterior brick masonry and window installation, he added.听
As the residential space nears completion, the project鈥檚 ground floor retail space has been left unfinished for a future tenant to 鈥減erform their own construction 鈥榝it-out,鈥� 鈥� Dietel wrote. Retail tenant selection is under review, as well as the construction and opening timeline for the space鈥檚 eventual occupants, he added.听
In Lindemann, interior work 鈥� including 鈥減ainting, flooring, tile work, electrical, plumbing and overall finishes鈥� 鈥� is also in progress and expected to conclude in the next few months, after which 鈥渆xterior landscaping and final building facade details鈥� will be completed, Dietel wrote.听
The University expects major construction work on the performing arts center to wrap up by April, after which a certificate of occupancy will be obtained from the city to allow Brown personnel to enter for 鈥渢esting and tuning of performance spaces," he noted.
That testing will include trial runs of different configurations of the balconies, seating and stages, Dietel wrote. The 鈥渢uning period鈥� will run from March to September, wrote Avery Willis Hoffman, artistic director of the Brown Arts Institute, in an email to The Herald.听
Lindemann encompasses 鈥渁 complex set of moving parts,鈥� Hoffman wrote. Individuals responsible for operating the building will undergo thorough training from expert technicians, she added.听
According to Hoffman, the center鈥檚 main hall has five configurations, and each will be tested with input from artists, acoustics experts and specific groups that will use the configurations, such as the Brown University Orchestra.听
While the tuning process will not be open to the public, configurations will be tested with invited audiences, Hoffman wrote. In March, construction fencing around the building will be replaced with 鈥渟ignage explaining the parameters of the tuning period鈥� and inviting community members to be part of test audiences during the 鈥渓ater part of spring and summer.鈥�
鈥淲e have every hope of being ready and open for classes starting in September,鈥� Hoffman wrote.
Dietel also wrote that he anticipates that Olive Street and the adjacent sidewalk on Angell Street will reopen to pedestrian traffic as construction wraps up 鈥� 鈥渁s early as March or April.鈥澛犅�
鈥業t鈥檚 been a home鈥�: Africana Studies department awaits return to Churchill House
Since July 2022, renovations have been underway on Churchill House, home to the Department of Africana Studies. When the building reopens in fall 2023, it will include a roughly 3,000-square-foot addition, a new terrace and an accessible entrance on the building鈥檚 west side, according to the Department of Facilities Management .听
With 鈥減rogram and faculty growth鈥� in the Africana Studies department and the building 鈥渋n need of renewal,鈥� a study from fall 2020 and spring 2021 examined renovations and ways to 鈥渃elebrate the program鈥檚 visibility鈥� in the University community and beyond, Dietel wrote. Design work began in November 2021.听
Churchill House also is home to Rites and Reason Theatre in addition to Africana Studies. Both have been temporarily relocated to Andrews House, The Herald previously reported.听
Compared to the new facilities and equipment of its neighbors at Lindemann and the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts, Churchill House 鈥渨as definitely old鈥� and 鈥渋n need of updates and repairs 鈥� and some love,鈥� said Alonzo Jones, technical director and manager of Rites and Reason. The building鈥檚 masonry needed work, a portion of the ceiling inside the theater had fallen down two years ago and outdated outlets contributed to electrical issues, he added.听
The renovations also include a new elevator, restroom and stairwell, along with new mechanical systems to improve accessibility and safety, Dietel wrote 鈥斅爄n addition to new equipment for the theater. Renovations are expected to be complete by Fall 2023, according to the website.
For the department, the renovations will create more space for professors and graduate students to collaborate, Jones said. With professors with specialties in different disciplines and spread across departments, including history and economics, 鈥渨e wanted everybody to be 鈥� closer together and in the same building,鈥� he added.听
With some department faculty working from home or other office spaces on campus, 鈥測ou only see a handful of people because everybody is so dispersed,鈥� Jones said.
鈥淐hurchill House, Rites and Reason Theatre (and) the Africana Studies Department (have) been a welcome space to so many people 鈥� it鈥檚 been a home,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淏eing able to get back into the building 鈥� is just gonna be awesome.鈥�
Other active projects
Along with major construction projects, there are also several active general campus scheduled for completion between the current fiscal year, which began on July 1, 2022, and the end of the 2025 fiscal year, which ends on June 30, 2025. These projects are part of Facilities Management鈥檚 annual renewal program, which chooses projects from 鈥渙ngoing surveys of existing conditions,鈥� Dietel wrote.听
Construction of an entrance ramp at the John Carter Brown Library鈥檚 west entrance remains in progress, as temporary railings were installed after supply chain issues delayed the installation of permanent railings, Dietel wrote. Facilities Management expects the installation to be completed this spring, along with final landscaping when warmer weather begins. The renovation aims to improve the building鈥檚 accessibility, The Herald previously reported.听
While 鈥済lobal supply chain disruptions continue to be a challenge for current projects on campus,鈥� Dietel wrote that his team has avoided delays by ordering materials early and working creatively with vendors and suppliers. Planning, design and construction orders materials 鈥渋n phases tied to completion of design documents,鈥� he explained, and timing varies depending on supply chain reliability and the size and complexity of a project.听
Rhea Rasquinha is a Metro Section Editor covering Development and Infrastructure and also serves as Co-Chief of Illustrations. She previously covered the College Hill, Fox Point & the Jewelry District and Brown & Beyond beats. Rhea is a junior from New York studying Biomedical Engineering and loves dark chocolate and penguins.
