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

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • nursing students talk while studying in a hallway

    Elsevier Launches VR Simulation Solution for Nursing Students

    Elsevier has introduced Shadow Health Lab with Virtual Reality, a simulation platform that allows nursing students to interact with virtual patients and build clinical judgment skills in a safe, realistic environment.

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.