During Opening Convocation on Wednesday, Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher announced tentative plans for a new academic building to be located on the corner of 15th and Wedgewood Avenues.
“This really is the chance of a lifetime for our campus,” said Dr. Fisher, “because we can spend the coming weeks and months discussing and imagining what would be the best use of this space in terms of serving both our student body and our community. This is an opportunity to put our creative capital to work. We can take advantage of the incredibly talented and innovative minds that are already invested in Belmont and allow them to speak into this university’s future.”
During the fall semester, faculty, staff and students will engage in ongoing conversations about the countless possibilities a new academic building could offer to campus. In addition to discussing programs that could be housed in the space, including potentially new programs, these meetings will also encourage dialogue on how the space might be used in an innovative fashion. Provost Dr. Thomas Burns has already begun meetings on the topic over the summer, seeking input from deans and faculty members.
By next spring Dr. Fisher said he hopes to take concepts to the Board of Trustees for consideration and begin construction next summer. Tentative plans account for a 160,000 square foot building with a parking garage for up to 500 cars.
Potential occupants already under consideration for the new building include the sciences, social sciences, humanities, religion and executive education.
“This project should really be a community builder,” Fisher explained. “We want to think through this together as a campus and with our partners in the city to determine the best way this building can further unite Belmont and Middle Tennessee. My hope is this building represents a cornerstone of our campus in a sense, advancing our mission to provide an academically challenging education while also further enhancing our vision to be Nashville’s University.”
Click here to read coverage of this story in Friday’s Tennessean.
