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The Dartmouth
March 29, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Campus renovation projects are underway

Renovations of the stands at Memorial Field are scheduled to be completed this summer.
Renovations of the stands at Memorial Field are scheduled to be completed this summer.

Renovations of the Hood Museum of Art, the Hopkins Center and the stands at Memorial Field are currently underway or in the early stages of planning, vice president for campus planning and facilities Lisa Hogarty said.

The construction on the stands at Memorial Field is proceeding according to plan and should be completed by the middle of summer, Hogarty said.

The aim of the renovation is to modernize and update the structure of the stands, while maintaining the exterior facade of the stadium, which Hogarty described as “architecturally important to Hanover.”

The College wants to make the stands more accessible and comfortable for spectators, she said. The seating capacity will be slightly reduced but the new seats will be wider and some will also have backs.

“It will provide a much more pleasant fan experience,” Hogarty said.

Head football coach Buddy Teevens ’79 said that the renovations of the stadium are necessary.

Memorial Field is a facility with a lot of history, he said, and it is important to preserve this while still upgrading the facilities to improve the safety and comfort of the visitors.

He said materials for the renovation were purchased years ago, and now the stadium has reached a point where an update is necessary, as the current stands were built around 85 years ago.

“The venue will be more friendly for people, young and old, who come to the stadium,” Teevens said.

Hogarty said that planning for renovations of the Hood is in progress, and the construction company is currently examining the conditions of the building and the surrounding areas.

The architecture firm Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects was selected in 2012 to design the museum’s expansion and renovation. The College is working with the firm to gather the necessary materials for renovation of both the interior and exterior of the museum.

She said that they have been working through the transition in the leadership at the Hood since former director Michael Taylor left his position last month. Although this did not halt the renovation plans, Hogarty said, new leadership must be addressed before any construction begins to take place.

“That project is in really good shape, and the only question left is bringing on board a new director,” Hogarty said.

Once this is resolved, the museum will be emptied out and actual construction can begin, she said. The project is planned to be completed by fall of 2018.

Hogarty said the renovation is intended to modernize and renew the infrastructure of the existing building. In addition, the College plans to expand the gallery and classroom spaces of the building. They will build an additional 20 thousand square feet of space for these purposes, expanding into the current courtyard area.

Hugh Freund ’67, a member of the Hood’s Board of Overseers, said he supports the plans to renovate and expand the Hood.

“I happen to be a total enthusiast for this project because art has always been interesting to me and were some of my most favorite courses at Dartmouth,” he said.

Freund said the Hood’s art collection has grown significantly, and the number of visitors and programs has increased over time, meaning it is now necessary to expand.

He said that the number of professors able to utilize the resources of the Hood should be increased.

“I worry that the College is so focused on so much that the arts don’t get as high a visibility as I think they deserve,” he said.

Plans for the renovation of the Hop are still in the preliminary stages, Hogarty said. Over the past few years, the College has been looking at options for renovations and expansion, particularly to create new performance venues.

Hogarty said that planning for the Hop renovations is more complicated than for the Hood because the building is used the entire year. To accommodate for this, the College is currently looking at how to update selected areas without shutting down access to the whole center, she said. There are currently no immediate plans for renovation.