EDITORS: Historic and current photos and drawings of the facility and the renovations are available on request.

ANN ARBOR—Plans are under way to begin construction on the most significant investment in the history of Hill Auditorium, one of the University of Michigan’s most venerable buildings.

The structure, an integral part of the University and the community for 88 years, is slated to undergo improvements that will preserve its architectural history and enhance the experience of performers and audiences, as well as replace or update the aging infrastructure. The Regents will be asked to approve the renovation project at their meeting June 21-22.

The project, expected to take 18 months, will begin
Named for U-M Regent Arthur Hill, who bequeathed $200,000 to the University “for the erection of an auditorium for the gathering of the students and college body, and their friends, on large occasions such as graduating exercises and musical festivals,” Hill Auditorium was built at a cost of $282,000, unequipped. Since its dedication in 1913, it has undergone few significant renovations.

This $33.5 million first phase of the refurbishing and preservation of Hill, which will not address all needs of the building, is being partially funded with $2.8 million in donor contributions to the capital campaign that ended in September 1997. Prior to embarking on Phase Two renovations, which include lower-level reception space, backstage renovations, and new upper-level seating, the University will seek additional funding from outside sources.

“Hill Auditorium is a critical piece of the fabric of this community and an important historical building. We are obliged and privileged to make a major commitment to Hill,” Kasdin said.

“In this first phase, we seek to address maintenance issues that have been deferred for generations and to significantly enhance the audience’s experience. As funds become available over time, the master plan for Hill will be completed, with more appropriate backstage facilities for performers and the completion of those remaining needs that cannot be addressed at this time.”

When it opened in 1913, Hill Auditorium was hailed as a “monument to perfect acoustics.” The excellent acoustics, a result of collaboration by architect Albert Kahn with noted acoustical engineer Hugh Tallant, are known worldwide and have made the auditorium a favorite venue for legions of famous musicians and other artists, as well as numerous noted speakers.

Careful attention will be given throughout the renovation to maintaining the acoustic quality of Hill, said Henry Baier, U-M associate vice president for facilities and operations. In addition, further work will be done to reduce street and lobby noise by building a “sound lock” between the lobby and the auditorium.

Repairs and renovations in Hill Auditorium, like the original plans for the building, are being designed and supervised by Albert Kahn Associates, along with Quinn Evans/Architects.

“The main thrust of the new project is stewardship,” Baier noted. “We must ensure the integrity of the building, its safety, and its barrier-free access.”

The existing structure is, according to architects, “generally in good condition for its age, use and environment.” In addition to crucial infrastructure improvements, the improvements recommended by the architects respond in many ways to changes in how the building is used today, as compared to how it was used when constructed in 1913.

The Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, which includes one of the U-M’s other large auditoriums, is currently closed for renovations. The work on the Rackham Building is being sequenced so that Rackham Auditorium will be available in
Although the temporary loss of performance space in Hill presents challenges to the School of Music, the University Musical Society (UMS), and other groups that regularly use the auditorium, Karen Wolff, dean of the School of Music, is optimistic. “Faculty and students of the School of Music are delighted that plans for Hill Auditorium are going forward,” she said. “We anticipate with great eagerness the improved comfort of our audiences and are pleased that this historic building will remain viable as a major music venue well into the future.”

UMS Director Kenneth C. Fischer is confident that the quality of programming in the 2002-03 season will not be altered by the closing of Hill. UMS will consider a range of options.

“We’ve been using 12 different sites in recent years, including Eastern Michigan University‘s Convocation Hall and the Detroit Opera House,” Fischer said. “Although UMS may have to consider doing fewer events during Hill’s closing, we are working together with the School of Music and the Major Events Office to assure that traditional annual programming will be maintained and that the quality of presentations will remain at the same level as in the past.”

Said Beverley Geltner, board chair of UMS, “Since 1913, Hill Auditorium has been a unique architectural and cultural treasure of the University of Michigan, the City of Ann Arbor, and the millions of citizens who have enjoyed its unforgettable artistic, intellectual and civic offerings. We applaud the decision by the University to renovate and expand Hill Auditorium so that it may continue to serve as one of the world’s finest concert halls.”

For more information on the renovations, visit the Web at http://www.umich.edu/~urel/hill. The site contains a link where visitors can contribute their memories of Hill Auditorium.

Fact sheetabout the renovations

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Historyof Hill Auditorium.

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Hill AuditoriumRegentsArthur HillAlbert KahnAlbert Kahn AssociatesHorace H. Rackham School of Graduate StudiesSchool of Music