Tufts has decided to give a facelift to the over 50-year-old Alumnae Lounge.
The small performance space, located in Aidekman Arts Center, is undergoing extensive renovations that began last month. The project is slated for completion in late March.
The renovations will also include new lighting, new draperies and window treatments, new technological systems, a new kitchen adjacent to the lounge, and new furniture and rugs.
The renovations will make Alumnae Lounge "more usable for a variety of university activities such as events, functions and conferences," Vice President for Operations John Roberto said.
Wear and tear brought Alumnae Lounge to a point where repairs were necessary. "The room had suffered from very intense use over the last several years," Roberto said.
"It was just time for a facelift," said Pat Deery, the renovation project's commercial construction supervisor.
On the technological front, Alumnae Lounge "is going to be brought up to date with a projection screen and audio-visual projector," Deery said.
The space will also see drastic cosmetic improvements, said Lou Laskey, president of L/R Construction Company, the general contractor hired for the project. "[There will be] new flooring, which will be a beautiful combination of maple and cherry - a very rich and inviting pattern," he said.
"The murals [in Alumnae Lounge] are being preserved," Deery said. "Everything else will receive a new coat of paint."
The anticipated date of completion for the renovations is March 22. "The construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of March," Roberto said. "The furnishings may come in a little bit later." Alumnae Lounge has been closed during the renovations.
A recent sign last week warned visitors to Aidekman of the loud noises to be expected from the installation of plywood flooring. According to Deery, the plywood subfloor has been installed, as have the fire safety system and the electrical system.
"The biggest part of the project would be the lighting ... and then the floors," Deery said. "Although there are no anticipated delays to the renovations, one possible setback could be the unavailability of light fixtures."
Tufts has used L/R Construction as a contractor for previous projects, including the newly completed Interfaith Center on Winthrop Street, Hotung Café, the Crane Room in Paige Hall, Jackson Gym, laboratories in Anderson Hall and a boathouse on the Medford River.
"We built the boathouse, we built the Interfaith Center," Laskey said. "We've done numerous classrooms and laboratories."
According to Roberto, other subcontractors in addition to L/R Construction were hired for the project.
Alumnae Lounge was built in 1953 to connect Jackson Gym with Cohen Auditorium. The murals on the walls of the lounge were painted by local artists to depict the first 100 years of Tufts history.
