Alumni Hall

UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA

The renovation of Alumni Hall sought to retain and enhance some of the building's historic qualities, while also modernizing spaces to serve a wide variety of campus constituents. The project comprised of upgrades to a large multipurpose meeting room, a smaller flexible meeting room, an office suite, and the replacement of HVAC equipment and distribution to the space. In addition, a small entry vestibule at the street side of the building was collapsing and in need of replacement. The new vestibule replicated the original detailing while using modern best practices on waterproofing and accessibility. The demolition and reconstruction were surgical processes due to the presence of hazardous materials in this building. Many of the details implemented avoided disturbing existing walls, structure, etc. This included the use of a wireless lighting and shade controls system as well as the installation of picture rails to allow occupants to safely decorate their space. Where previously limited to one projector, new audiovisual equipment, including 2 projector screens and 2 monitors, allows for several different furniture configurations including banquet, lecture, seminar, and conference setups. These upgrades will ensure that this building at the center of UMass Lowell's north campus continues to be used, maintained, and celebrated for years to come.