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(As of 8/27/08)
The Northwest Foundation has experienced significant growth in the last five years in terms of donor financial support, the scope of services offered and alumni involvement – due largely to the institution’s first capital campaign – and additional growth is projected. The Northwest Foundation is making strategic steps to accommodate this continued growth, one of which has resulted in the planning and development for expanding our alumni facilities. The new Alumni Center is being designed to facilitate and enhance this anticipated growth.
The Alumni House is the current facility that houses the Office of University Advancement and includes the Northwest Foundation and the Northwest Alumni Association. This facility, a private home built in the early 1900s, was purchased by the Foundation in 1980.
In 2005, a Foundation-appointed committee conducted a facilities study. This committee determined that, while the Alumni House has been a great facility for many years, there are many drawbacks: it is not ADA compatible, it cannot accommodate the many electrical demands needed in today’s workplace, there is minimal parking and it does not include adequate open spaces for meetings or gatherings of varied sizes. The committee also recommended that the Foundation follow a policy of owning or controlling properties along College Avenue between Munn and Dunn streets. These findings were presented to the Foundation Board at its October 2005 meeting.
For the Foundation Board to support such a project, it was determined that three guiding principles must be met: It will help raise money. It will help fulfill fiduciary duties. It will help develop relationships. The Foundation Board is confident this project will assist in accomplishing all three principles.
A facilities committee has been assembled consisting of members of the Northwest Foundation Board of Directors and the Northwest Alumni Association, many of whom are Maryville residents. After benchmarking with other universities, several sites on and near campus were explored by the facilities committee. The committee also considered the possibility of redesigning the Alumni House. When these findings were presented to the full Foundation Board, it was determined the best solution was to build a new facility to the immediate west of the Alumni House (at the corner of College Avenue and Munn Street) that would fulfill the three guiding principles enumerated under item 4.
The architect is currently finalizing plans and exterior elevations. These plans call for an approximate 18,500-square-foot, two-story facility complete with offices, meeting rooms, a large conference room that can be divided into smaller rooms by movable walls, and parking. The design of the new Alumni Center will be compatible with the architecture of the surrounding residential area and the Northwest campus facilities.
The Foundation Board recognizes the Alumni House is a historic building that is ideal for small, elegant gatherings and is one of the most distinctive structures on College Avenue. Therefore, while its future uses are yet to be defined, the Foundation is determined to preserve the house and use it in perpetuity for University-related purposes.
During its October 2007 meeting, the Foundation Board approved $4.9 million for the total Alumni Center project, including property acquisition, design, construction, furnishings, etc. The Board also gave approval for the facilities committee to continue to pursue property, hire an architect and research site preparation options. The architectural plans were presented to and approved by the Foundation Board during its March 2008 board meeting.
The Foundation Board of Directors is currently studying finance options that may be available. Unless specified by the donor, funds donated to the Northwest Foundation by Northwest alumni and friends will not be used to fund this project. Furthermore, the financing of the Alumni Center will not override University projects or take away from scholarships for Northwest students.
The final design is being determined, an architect has been hired, site preparation bids have been obtained and the land has been surveyed. In addition, four houses on the proposed site have been purchased or acquired. The Foundation Board approved the architectural plans at the March 2008 meeting and directed the facilities committee to proceed with final design, zoning and permitting, solicitation of contractor bids, site preparation and construction. In addition, the facilities committee will maintain dialogue and collaboration with area property owners on design considerations of mutual interest and has appointed an area property owner as an ex-officio member of the committee.
Final zoning and building permits must be acquired, construction bids must be let and a contractor will be hired for the design/bid/build process. Site preparation will begin following permit approval from city officials.
The Northwest Foundation will be communicating its tentative plans and seeking feedback from neighbors, Northwest faculty, staff and students, alumni, community members and many others throughout the entire process. Some of these methods of communication include the Northwest Web site, neighborhood information sessions, public information sessions, news releases to the media, articles in University and Foundation publications, personal visits and e-mail correspondence as well as presentations to community, University and alumni groups.