$25 million project to improve 34-year-old venue underway
SPECIAL TO THE LEADER
After more than 30 years of recitals, concerts, pageants, theatre performances, presentations, and graduations, the Tom Bevill Center on the campus of Snead State Community College is receiving a much-needed face-lift and some significant improvements.
Work has begun on the $25 million renovation and expansion project that will transform the facility into a modern, state-of-the-art venue that will continue to serve the College and the community.
“We’re excited to see work begin on the Bevill Center. The building has been closed for use for a couple of years because of its decline. Our goal with this project is to address issues with the infrastructure as well as the changing needs of Snead State and the community,” Snead State President Joe Whitmore said.
“The facility is used as much by the community as the college, and while having the Bevill Center out of commission has been a challenge, the finished product after the renovation will be well worth the wait.”
With approval and support from the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees and Chancellor Jimmy Baker, the project will take an estimated 14 months to complete. If the project remains on schedule, the college will take possession of the building in December 2027 with occupancy expected in the spring of 2028.
Some of the issues to be addressed include accessibility challenges, air quality concerns, aging equipment and mechanical systems, and roofing problems. The exterior, especially the front of the building, will also receive cosmetic updates that will change the look to be more functional as well as striking.
“The foundation of the building is good, so rather than demolish the facility and build from the ground up, we decided to renovate and expand using the existing foundation. Several million dollars will be spent repairing the necessary issues. Unfortunately, those aren’t the type of repairs that will be visible to visitors, but they are critical,” Whitmore said.
Opened in 1992, the Bevill Center is a 42,000-square-foot facility that includes offices on the first floor and an auditorium on the second floor. The auditorium includes a stage, dressing rooms, and seating for about 1,000 people.
When the renovation is complete, the Bevill Center will expand to about 50,000 square feet. New features to the facility include a glass-enclosed entry and lobby area, multipurpose meeting rooms, gallery space, and cutting-edge sound, video, and lighting systems to enhance performances and presentations. When visitors step inside the building, they will find a dramatic gathering space with an elaborate staircase that will be an ideal space for small receptions before and after events.
Interior elevators will be replaced. The auditorium will receive new, more modern seating, a new ceiling and acoustical improvements.
An exciting addition to the Bevill Center will be the construction of a black box theater, a flexible space designed to accommodate 100 to 150 people for smaller gatherings such as performances, lectures, or meetings. The space will serve as a learning space for students interested in the technical aspects of production such as lighting and sound.
“Our students are the heart of what we do, so it makes sense for a project of this scale to involve some type of learning opportunity for our students,” Whitmore said. “We have a lot who are interested in performing arts, but they may not have an interest in being on stage. They prefer the important work that goes on behind the scenes with sound, lighting, and set design.
“The black box theater will be a hands-on lab space to provide practical experience to students pursuing those careers.”
After closing the Bevill Center in preparation for the renovation, Snead State invested in upgrades to Fielder Auditorium, an historic space housed in the Story Administration Building. New screens and lighting systems were upgraded because, though it accommodates a smaller number of people, Fielder Auditorium became the college’s primary performance venue.
“The Bevill Center renovation has been a project we’ve been anxious to begin since before we had to close it for use. We were excited to have enough funding to include the expansion as well as the renovations, and we’re already looking forward to the facility being in use once again,” Whitmore said.
Donning a hard hat and safety vest, Snead State Community College President Joe Whitmore swung a sledgehammer to signal the beginning of the demolition of the Tom Bevill Center. Closed to use for close to two years, the Bevill Center is being renovated and expanded to address changing needs and become a modern facility for the college and community. SPECIAL TO THE LEADER
