GMC News
GMC to unveil new $20M academic facility
Posted on Wed, Apr. 27, 2005
GMC to unveil new $20M academic facility
By Jake Jacobs
Telegraph Staff Writer
MILLEDGEVILLE – Georgia Military College has a new $20 million academic facility with a venue for the arts and plans to show it off Sunday.
The New Academic Building, connected to Zell Miller Hall on Greene Street, houses classrooms, science labs, art and music studios, faculty and administrative offices, a bookstore, student cafeteria and the Jacob L. and Maxine S. Goldstein Center for the Performing Arts, which has a nine-foot concert grand piano.
The 50,000-square-foot facility took two years to build from the time the foundation was started in June 2003, said Lt. Col. Ed Moore, college facilities director.
The majority of the funds came from the state, Moore said, but only $14 million of the projected $20 million was made available. Some projects such as food service were delayed, he said, but were added later when additional funding was made available by the college.
\”This building is here because so many people believe in GMC,\” said Elizabeth Sheppard, college vice president for advancement.
Art Judnich, project superintendent for the Beck Group, which built the facility, called it \”one of the most beautiful buildings I\’ve worked on in 23 years in the business.\”
The atrium-like ground level contains classrooms, administrative and faculty offices, a bookstore, a food court and a commons area where students can gather. The commons area joins the facility with Miller Hall.
The ceiling showcases exposed curved structural beams with hanging lights and has a balanced, symmetrical look.
The facility\’s eight classrooms, on the ground level and second floor, contain state-of-the-art lecterns containing a touch-screen interface where the teacher can access the Internet, or use a computer or an overhead projector. The second floor also houses faculty offices and a breezeway to Miller Hall.
The lower level contains a student cafeteria, fountain and fine arts center, with its 407-seat auditorium and nine-foot concert grand piano.
The auditorium is 37 feet below ground level at the stage area, Moore said, noting school officials had to accommodate the football field above it.
\”While we were excavating, we had huge plates to shore up the soil for the football field,\” he said. The plates were removed when the auditorium ceiling was installed, he said, so the construction work didn\’t interfere with football season.
The formal dedication ceremony is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, and will feature a performance by the Macon Symphony Orchestra, said Janeen Garpow, college director of public relations.
The performance will be followed by an open house.
——————————————————————————–
To contact Jake Jacobs, call 744-4251 or e-mail jjacobs@macontel.com.
