To see a video on the Music building’s construction, click here.
Men in hard hats, caution tape, fresh paint, flying sparks and drilling noises fill the vacant halls of the Music and Dramatic Arts Building after three years of construction.  The original completion date for the renovations was scheduled for about a year ago, and the new completion date is Jan. 1, according to Michael Bellinger, assistant to the dean for operations of the School of Music.Building construction started about three years ago, just before Hurricane Katrina, Bellinger said. One major setback to construction was labor shortage after the storm.”We immediately lost a few weeks,” he said.Hurricane Gustav left some water damage but not enough to delay the project.The $22 million project is funded by the state, Bellinger said.”Any cost increases were due to Katrina, but we are within budget,” he said.Bellinger said there were many reasons for renovating the building. The 75-year-old building could no longer be maintained in a cost-effective manner.New energy-efficient features include motion-sensor lights that automatically turn on and shut off as people enter and leave the room, Bellinger said. The heating and air conditioning systems were installed in the 1960s and were not properly functioning when construction began, Bellinger said.Electrical and plumbing systems and asbestos abatement were also reasons for renovating, he said.Additions to the building include about 20,000 square feet, a new black box theater, dance opera space, a new scene shop and smart classroom technology.Because of construction, about 48 faculty members were displaced from the building, said Sara Baird, interim dean of the College of Music and Dramatic Arts. Baird said the Department of Theatre moved to Hatcher Hall and about 650 students were affected by the move.Students studying music, such as University alumna Andrea Smith, said the change was difficult.”I had class in the building for about 2 1/2 years,” she said. “It was difficult when I had an ensemble in the music building and a locker in Hatcher, where I kept my things.” Though construction will be finished in January, the faculty and staff will not be able to move back into the building until June 2009, Baird said. When construction is complete, a process must take place called “working out the punch list,” which is a long walk-through that must be done to make sure everything is right, she said. Renovations are extensive, but the original art deco style was kept in mind, Bellinger said. The original terrazzo floor remains in the lobby area and one of the two original marble staircases will remain in the building.The Claude Shaver Theatre will be restored to resemble the original 1930s look, Bellinger said.”We have completely remodeled spaces in this facility,” Baird said. “It will bring our theatre department up to standards for a university of this caliber.” – – – – Contact Aimee Effler at [email protected]