Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Ohio University Plans $8M Theatre Renovation

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/15/21

Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, announced this week that it is planning an $8-million theatre renovation project. The Gates-Abegglen Theatre, a traditional proscenium theatre that serves as one of two major performance spaces for the university, has not seen any major improvements since its construction in 1969. A local news outlet reports that the 385-seat venue will be updated to be able to provide a wider variety of performance types and instructional use.

“It’s definitely time to be renovated, just in terms of its age,” said Robert Bell, university architect and director of planning, architecture and engineering. “But we’re taking the opportunity to make it more functional for a broader user group.”

Renovations will include reconstructing audience seating, a new forward stage configuration, new lighting, new curtain systems, a new control booth and the potential addition of a balcony. Part of the renovation process also involves creating a dedicated rehearsal space equal to the size of the theatre’s stage.

According to the university website, the Gates-Abegglen Theatre is equipped with a 35 line fly system, a spiral-drive pit lift and wing space. The space hosts two or three major theatre productions per year directed by faculty or guest artists. The space is managed by the Miami University Department of Theatre.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.