William & Mary’s new performing arts facilities are expected to open in the fall of 2023, according to university officials.
Upon their completion, the dance department will join theatre in the newly renovated Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall, and music will move into its own new building.
“We are pleased with the recent progress of these two projects and excited that completion of both the PBK renovation and the new music building is on track for next year,” said Dan Pisaniello, director of facilities planning, design and construction.
“We anticipate both facilities will be in use for the fall 2023 semester and look forward to welcoming the community to events in the new spaces.”
As part of the planned Arts Quarter, the long-range upgrade includes phase one with the building of a new music facility, phase two with the renovation of PBK Memorial Hall and a future third phase with the renovation and expansion of Andrews Hall and facilities for art and art history. Phases one and two were combined, and phase three will be upcoming.
The growing Arts Quarter also will include The Martha Wren Briggs Center for the Arts, which will serve as the home to the expanded and renovated Muscarelle Museum of Art.
Both performing arts buildings are being designed and constructed with sustainable initiatives in mind and are anticipated to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver designation for their green building rating.
“The buildings play an important role in continuing William & Mary’s progress towards becoming a carbon neutral campus,” Pisaniello said.
Construction is scheduled to be substantially complete by mid-January of 2023. After that, a series of activities including building systems commissioning and installation of furniture and equipment will be completed.
Occupants are expected to begin moving in by late May in preparation for the first use of the space for academic purposes in the fall.
The Department of Theatre, Speech, and Dance will occupy PBK Memorial Hall while the Department of Music will be housed in the new building.
Renovated PBK Memorial Hall will include a new main stage theatre and space for recital, rehearsal and dance. Additionally, the building includes a studio theatre, scenic art and construction lab spaces, costume construction and conservation areas, media and design labs, dressing rooms and assorted acting labs, classrooms and seminar rooms. It will also contain faculty offices and a theatre, speech and dance library.
The music building’s amenities include a concert hall, recital hall, choral rehearsal space and a recording studio. The facility also includes an electronic music lab, keyboard lab, music library and digital projects lab, as well as space for instrumental rehearsal, a specialized percussion studio, the inclusion of historic keyboards and a new pipe organ, as well as space for instrument and score storage. Additionally, the building includes faculty studios, classrooms and practice spaces.
A unique feature of the complex is an underground tunnel that connects PBK Hall to the music building, uniting the buildings and serving as a connection during inclement weather.
Jennifer L. Williams, Communications Specialist