UNT officials to break ground Jan. 24 on innovative new art building project

Wednesday, January 11, 2017 - 14:35

What: Groundbreaking for the construction and renovation of the Art Building for the College of Visual Arts and Design at the University of North Texas

When: 1 p.m. Jan. 24 (Tuesday)

Where: Art Building, Lightwell Gallery, 1201 W. Mulberry St., Denton

DENTON (UNT), Texas - University of North Texas officials will break ground at 1 p.m. Jan. 24 (Tuesday) on a new four-story, 128,354-square-foot addition for the College of Visual Arts and Design, bringing many of its programs together in one place.

The event, in the Art Building’s Lightwell Gallery, will include a video and remarks from university officials. Light refreshments will be served afterward.

“This project will unite innovation with tradition and further establish that UNT has one of best art schools in the nation,” Dean Greg Watts stated.

Other features include:

-                  An 18,959-square-foot multi-purpose courtyard, with landscaping and seating, at the heart of the building.

-                  A 2,267-square-foot rooftop dye garden, supplying plant dyes to the fibers department.

-                  A new gallery with extensive back-of-house research and study space.

-                  A total of 181 spaces for the delivery of educational programs.

-                  Environmental standards that are expected to achieve silver certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The original main Art Building was constructed in the early 1970s comprising 82,546 square feet. CVAD’s departments and programs are currently spread over numerous buildings across campus.

Construction on the $70 million project is expected to begin Jan. 24, with completion of the project in fall 2018. During that time, the UNT Art Gallery will remain closed. Parking in Lot 50, to the east of the Art Building, also will be closed.

Corgan, a global architecture and design firm based in Dallas, is leading the design team in association with Boston-based Machado-Silvetti. The Dallas office of AECOM Hunt is responsible for construction.

Corgan has a long history at UNT, with designs for Chilton Hall, the Environmental Education Science and Technology Building and Gateway Center. They have also worked at other Texas universities, including Baylor, Southern Methodist and Texas A&M.

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