Initial groundbreaking for construction of the Michael D. Eisner Center for the Performing Arts at Denison University will take place the week of February 20. The exterior of this stunning new home to the departments of music, dance and theatre will hearken to traditional elements of architecture found on the campus, while the interior will be open, contemporary and adaptable for many uses. In all, it will be a dynamic, interactive space where Denison students can collaborate across disciplines, and where members of Granville and adjoining communities can enjoy top-notch performances by students, faculty and guest artists.
Construction of the Eisner Center is due to be completed in the fall of 2018. Shortly thereafter, the Theatre Arts Building will be replaced with a paved parking lot, which will support parking for community members and arts patrons.
During construction, a section of West College Street will be closed between North Plum and Mulberry Street. Much of the street will be available for parking, but closed to through traffic. It is anticipated that construction will be finalized and West College Street will be completely reopened by late fall of 2018. The Burke Hall Parking Lot will be closed beginning February 28.
The Eisner Center will be constructed according to LEED Gold certification standards, in accordance with a resolution adopted by the Denison Board of Trustees in 2008. The resolution states that all new construction at the university will be built according to sustainability standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
One example of this best practice for sustainability will be the construction of an underground storm water retention facility to help mitigate storm water run-off. While more expensive than a traditional retention pond, the system will help recharge the local water table and allow the lawn area to be restored after construction. Passersby may initially see a large depression as the storage facility is excavated, but the end result will be a level green sward similar to the current lawn.
During initial clearing of the site, some trees and shrubs will be removed, including along an area of West Broadway near the sidewalk, which will be part of the storm water management system. As both a Tree Campus USA designee and an arboretum, the university strives to minimize environmental disruption. A landscape architect has been consulted for an extensive plan to replant the area to maintain and improve the natural beauty of the public spaces.
In an unrelated project, the Village of Granville plans to upgrade a section of its storm sewer system, requiring a new pipe to be located under the Fine Arts Quadrangle. This will occur concurrently with the Eisner Center construction. The storm sewer project construction will result in the temporary relocation of the Concerts on the Green program for the summer of 2017. The new outdoor location for those concerts will be the Bryn Du Mansion (537 Jones Road), In the event of inclement weather, the concerts will be held at Denison’s Herrick Hall (500 West Loop).
Denison University anticipates that the Eisner Center will be an exciting and innovative home for the arts to thrive, a state-of-the-art place for students, faculty and guest artists to collaborate, and a welcoming venue for the campus and community to view and participate in the performing arts at their finest.
