EMPAC

Construction Progress

Interior construction of the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) progressed significantly through the winter months. The facility will be nearly three-quarters complete this summer and the pace is picking up for full construction fit-out through the fall, according to Oleh Turczak, assistant vice president for capital projects.

The installation of the cast stone in the concert hall is the precursor to final finishes in that space, including ornamental metalwork, specialized woodwork, wood flooring, and fabric ceilings. The temporary scaffolds used by workmen to reach the high spaces of the entire building will remain until fall. Upon their removal, the appearance of the wood-clad concert hall will have a significant impact on the look of the building and will hint at the building’s completed look.

The enclosed portion of EMPAC encompassing the studios, theater, and artist/researcher spaces is now being separated with partitions and is taking on its own identity, Turczak says.

By January, all the finishes will be completed and installation of the building’s technology will begin — a process that will continue even after construction is completed in May. The center is on schedule for a fall 2008 opening.