New Performing Arts Building Opens at UMBC

Visitors to 's campus may have noticed the large construction site at Hilltop Road over the last two years as it has been transformed into the newest building on campus for Performing Arts and Humanities. 

The first phase of the 170,000 square-foot building has been completed and faculty and staff have started moving in. Students will be using the building when classes start next week.

Construction started on the space roughly two years ago, with work on the second phase well underway.

The first wing has a 275-seat theatre and a 120-seat theatre, as well as space for set design, rehearsal and costume and makeup.

The building also includes offices for faculty and staff in the department and also houses offices and writing labs for the English department.

The new theatre space is a real treat for students and staff, said Thomas Moore, the director of arts management at UMBC.

The university's old theatre was a renovated lecture hall.

"It's a teaching space as well as a performance space," he said. "This certainly puts us on par with the best universities in the area."

For more information about the building, visit the university's website. The university will hold a ribbon cutting for the first phase and a groundbreaking for the second phase on Sept. 19.