Ithaca College Awarded Nearly $2.3 Million From New York State For Dillingham Renovations

Dave Maley, 8/11/2009

ITHACA, NY — New York Governor David A. Paterson has announced that the New York State Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program has awarded $2,281,026 to Ithaca College for renovations to the Dillingham Center for the Performing Arts. The building primarily houses the Department of Theatre Arts and related performance, production and classroom spaces. The total cost of the renovation project, which is currently underway, is about $10 million.

“This is the first major renovation to Dillingham Center in the 40 years since it was built, so this project is sorely needed to bring the quality of the facility into line with the quality of our theater program,” says Ithaca College President Tom Rochon. “The renovations will greatly benefit our students and faculty as well as the thousands of members of the surrounding community who attend our theater productions each year.”

Ithaca College Theatre annually stages a half dozen productions in Hoerner Theatre, a 520-seat proscenium-style venue with a Broadway-sized stage; and the more flexible Clark Theatre, which can seat 280 in the round. The renovations will include:

Two brand-new rehearsal studios, one of them approximately the same size as the Hoerner stage.

• Two new “smart” classrooms.
• A bigger administrative area with a waiting room for prospective students and their parents.
• Two bigger and better-equipped design studios.
• Two conference rooms.
• New dressing rooms and a new costume shop.
• A completely revitalized lobby with two elevators.

The Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program (HECap) provides a $1 match for every $3 raised for capital investment at independent colleges and universities in New York. Funds are distributed according to a formula that considers such factors as overall student enrollment, student body financial need and size of existing and planned campus facilities. A total of $58 million for 48 different projects is being awarded in this round of HECap grants.

The Dillingham project costs not covered by the grant will be paid for through fund-raising, previous borrowing and accumulated operating budget surpluses. As part of the fund-raising effort, anyone who makes a donation of $100 or more will receive a piece of history: a square of Dillingham’s red carpet.

Built in 1969, Dillingham Center was named for Ithaca College’s fourth president, Howard I. Dillingham, who presided over the college’s move from downtown Ithaca to its current location on South Hill. Until the 1989 construction of Roy H. Park Hall, the building also housed the School of Communications and its radio and television studios.

More information on the renovation project: http://www.ithaca.edu/dillingham/

Governor Patterson’s announcement: http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/press_0806092.html

Originally published in News Releases: Ithaca College Awarded Nearly $2.3 Million From New York State For Dillingham Renovations.