This week faculty and students are moving instruments and equipment into Grand Rapids Community College’s newly renovated Music Center.
The renovation started in May 2, 2016 and wrapped up in May 2, 2017 (Exact year). The renovation included many upgrades including a recital hall, a music computer lab, and a new student common.
The Center will officially open on June 6 for summer classes. The Music Center is open for students to walk through, but let them know that the students and faculty will be moving equipment at the time.
Kevin Debroff, Department Head/Program Director of the Music Center, said he is excited for students to experience the commons.
“All that space — we never had anything like that in the old building,” Debroff said. “And then the Recital Hall, that’s great. We didn’t have anything like that either.”
Debroff then discussed the sound improvements the new building offers that the old building did not.
“The other big thing that was part of this whole renovation was that we had so much sound transfer between rooms because of the way the air handling was set up. So you could hear everything, and especially street noise,” Debroff said. “Now they have moved the air handling to a penthouse which is at the top of the stairs. So if you go outside and you look up, there’s the new stone and brick. The brick is the building and then the light stone is the stair silo. So now you don’t hear the air handling in the recital hall.”
For more information on the GRCC Music Centre, see the Department’s webpage.