Knox College’s $8.9 million new art building has a targeted completion date, while the school is also in early stages of an ambitious overhaul to their science and math center.
Early to mid-September is the date Vice President for Advancement Beverly Holmes has marked for construction completion on the Whitcomb Art building.
Although a dedication and public tours are planned for October, classes won’t be taught there until the beginning of second term in January.
Holmes says that like every building project the school undertakes, sustainability is a key feature.
That’s a part of why Lake-Flato architects in Antonio, Texas were chosen, along with their “creative building style.”
Holmes tells WGIL the building doesn’t look like any other on campus, but blends well with the industrial buildings that neighbor it.
“We knew with an art building we wanted a building that allowed people to make art and not have to worry about getting paint on fine finishes and things like that,” Holmes says.
The building is named after alumni, Dick and Joan Whitcomb, who now reside in Atlanta, Georgia and who gave a gift of $5 million towards the project.
Also Holmes says Knox is in early design stages of a $42 million renovation to the Umbeck Science and Mathematics Center.
Eventually they’ll build out from each of the four wings but first their focus will be a $15 million remodel of the building’s “center core.”
Holmes doesn’t expect work to begin for a few years.
