Katie Lawrence/Staff Writer
As part of Student Government Association-approved allocations for Wolfe University Center renovations, the Mary Anne Wolfe Theatre will be seeing a face-lift this fiscal year.
The 300 seat theatre, which last saw renovations about seven years ago, hosts University and community events from jazz concerts to guest speakers, and was put up for discussion by students in this year’s SGC-BBC meetings.
Out of the $550,000 budget for the WUC, the theater was given about $109,000 for its upgrades.
From this budget, the proposed upgrades have been broken down as such: $7,500 for stage flooring; $9,300 devoted to the installation and resurfacing of the flooring; $33,000 for carpeting; $45,000 for the purchase and installation of new seats; and $15,000 for draperies for the stage.
More expensive endeavors, like lighting and sound systems may not be feasible at the present time because of budget constraints.
“We are trying to incorporate this project with the overall vision and master plan of the WUC,” said Greg Olson, director of the WUC, who has been working closely with students and the hired architectural firm to develop and consolidate a plan for the center. “We need to first consult for scope and color coordination.”
The firm dealing with the renovations, MCHarry Associates, which has worked with the University previously at the Modesto Maidique Campus and on the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management renovations project at the Biscayne Bay Campus, have met with Student Government Council at the Biscayne Bay Campus representatives recently to begin to map out a master plan for the WUC as a whole.
In the next few weeks, SGC-BBC members and student focus groups will meet with representatives from MCHarry to voice their opinions and help them realize a satisfactory design scheme, which the University has asked they complete by January.
Once the master design plan has been approved, Olson hopes to begin renovations within the fiscal year, and finish “what we can afford for now.”
But ensuring student approval is a top priority before anything is set in stone.
“We’re a long way away from [completion] and we want to do this right,” says Olson. “We don’t want to push the envelope until the students are heard.”
About Post Author
