Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Fairfield Demolishes Alumni Hall to Prep for New Construction

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/28/21

On Monday, April 26, one of the oldest buildings on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn., was demolished to make room for a new construction project in progress. Alumni Hall, a sports arena that played home to the men’s and women’s basketball teams and also served as a concert venue, came down in preparation for a new Arena and Convention Center.

Alumni Hall was built in 1959. The original architect, John Phelan, was present and made one last pass through the hallways alongside other university officials like the University President, Director of Athletics, and the men’s basketball coach. “It’s a little emotional,” he said. “It’s not going to be there anymore.” It was among the first pre-stressed concrete buildings, and according to Fairfield University archives, the 11 pre-cast arches that formed the curved roof set a record at the time.

Construction began this spring on an updated Arena and Convention Center. The arena will hold 3,500 seats (compared to the previous building’s 2,479) and cover 85,000 square feet. It will feature a broadcast and media center, lounge areas, and luxury seating, and it will provide a distinct upgrade to the home-game experience for the school’s basketball fans.

 The new facility comes with a price tag of $45 million and was designed by Centerbrook Architects. It’s scheduled for completion by the end of 2022.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Rowan University, HPE Partner on New Learning Initiative

    Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., recently announced that it has expanded its partnership with enterprise technology provider HPE to improve research capabilities and hands-on learning opportunities, according to a news release.

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.

  • Texas District Breaks Ground on Second High School

    The Waller Independent School District in Waller, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for what will become its second high school, according to a news release.

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).