Alumni Hall renovations almost complete

Since the Indiana Memorial Union was constructed in 1932, Alumni Hall has stood as a gathering place for student groups, a venue for concerts and films and even weddings and bar mitzvahs.

Under construction since last fall, the hall is in the final stage of renovation and construction that will refurbish the original.

Long-awaited technological improvements will also be made.

“It has the look and feel of what it originally looked like, but with 21st century technology,” said Bruce Jacobs, executive director of the IMU. “It’s basically a total restoration of Alumni Hall.”

New floors and walls will be put in, along with a new sound and lighting system, a refurbished ceiling and an organ provided by the Jacobs School of Music.

The Solarium that adjoins with Alumni Hall will also receive new carpeting and other changes to make the two rooms’ designs more alike.

“The target is for all the principal work to be finished by the end of this month,” Jacobs said. “The primary construction is done, so what we’re doing right now is installing the organ.”

Jacobs said plans to refurbish Alumni Hall came from IU President Michael McRobbie about two years ago.

Though the hall is located in and often utilized by the IMU, all funding for the project is coming from the University, not out of the direct pocket of the IMU.

“McRobbie said he wanted to restore it to its original grandeur,” Jacobs said. “It was very important to him.”

As sound and lighting technology has improved throughout the years, equipment such as speakers had to be added on a need-by-need basis.

This often resulted in lower quality sound with wires and cords taped to the ground.

With an updated sound system designed specifically for Alumni Hall, student groups such as Union Board said they now have an opportunity to bring in musical acts that could compete with other mid-sized venues such as The Bluebird Nightclub.

Including the Solarium, Alumni Hall has occupancy of about 1,200.

“I hear students say ‘I can’t wait till I’m 21 when I can see concerts at The Bluebird,’ but now we can bring in those kinds of bands for all ages to

Alumni Hall,” said Erin Brown, director of external affairs for Union Board. “It has a state of the art sound system that’s going to be a great venue for mid-sized concerts.”

Jacobs said he is confident general construction will be complete by its end-of-March deadline. The earliest events for Alumni Hall are planned for the end of April.

With advanced technology, a refined look and a newly-installed organ, he said he feels the possibilities for utilizing one of the oldest rooms in the IMU are endless.

“I could envision all kind of things,” Jacobs said. “It could be used for concerts, films, lectures, I could even see an organ concert — all kinds of possibilities. Space becomes limitless.”