U of M to host media tour of Northrop Auditorium revitalization project Friday, Dec. 16

Two-year construction project will bring new life to one of Minnesota’s most iconic buildings

Media Note: Media interested in attending the tour, must RSVP to jfalk [a] umn (p) edu and gather in the Morrill Hall main floor lobby, 100 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis by 10:55 a.m.

The University of Minnesota will host a special tour for media of the Northrop Auditorium revitalization project at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16. Since February of this year, the 82-year-old facility has been undergoing major construction, with the grand re-opening scheduled for fall 2013.

The tour will be led by university senior vice president and provost Tom Sullivan, vice president for University Services Kathleen O’Brien and Mike Denny, director of development services in University Services.

Background

On Feb. 11, the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota gave final approval for the revitalization of Northrop.

An architectural treasure, Northrop is an enduring symbol of the university, the focal point of the Twin Cities campus and the anchor of the Northrop Mall. Since opening in 1929, Northrop has served as the university’s primary gathering place for the performing arts, concerts, academic ceremonies and major civic events.

The new Northrop will fuel innovation and creativity, and serve students, faculty, artists, audiences and the state of Minnesota.

• A vital center of academic discovery that brings together three university-wide signature programs: The University Honors Program, the Institute for Advanced Study and Innovation by Design.
• A preeminent cultural and performing arts center with a world-class, multi-purpose 2,750 seat hall featuring state-of-the-art acoustics, fabulous sightlines, cutting-edge technologies and updated amenities.
• The new Northrop will be home to Northrop Concerts and Lectures, bringing the most creative and innovative artists and changemakers of our time.
• A bustling, dynamic destination for collaboration and study, central to everyday life on campus, complete with a global conference center and premium seminar and meeting rooms. The new Northrop will increase by 50 percent the amount of public study and collaborative space on the East Bank campus.
• A café and coffee bar will serve students, faculty and patrons at Northrop.