Macalester plans $70 million fine arts expansion

Artist's rendering
Concept for expansion of the Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center at Macalester College.
Courtesy of Gund Partnership

Macalester College in St. Paul plans a $70 million expansion and remodeling of its fine arts center.

Provost Kathleen Murray said the first phase of the project will expand the Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center by 50 percent.

"It will involve a complete refurbishment of the music wing of the building and the addition of two large rehearsal spaces," Murray said. "And it will also include a large area in the center of the structure we are calling the arts commons."

The expansion will also include new galleries and new facilities for the school's art history program.

Murray said if the college meets its fundraising goals it will break ground next June with completion of the first phase in 2011.

Macalester has raised $6 million dollars so far for phase one. It plans to raise $24 million in donations and another $7 million in loans.

The college will decide whether to go ahead with the $39 million second phase at a later date.

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