Reimagined Lovell Hall To Open Term II

Rose Porosoff ’27 Assistant News Editor Sarah Solazzo ’26 Assistant News Editor

At the start of Term 2, Lovell Hall will again be open and ready for use. Over the summer, significant progress was made on the construction of the new performing arts center. The new Lovell will have nearly twice the square footage as the old Lovell, and, with several levels, lots more volume. Drama teacher Michael Calderone said that “all of Hopkins is going to benefit from the renovation.” Complete with state of the art technology, Lovell “will be a place where we come together as a community,” Calderone shared.

According to Hopkins’ Chief Financial Officer David Baxter, “It is the largest investment in all of our buildings.” The construction alone has cost $24 million. Although the initial idea to renovate Lovell was presented in 1990, Baxter explained that the design and construction started in March 2023. According to Baxter, those involved in the design were “respectful of old Lovell and its history to the school, [and were] able to adaptively reuse much of that building to bring it modern and bring it current.” For his part, current Head of School Matt Glendinning said that “most of the architectural design took place before I became Hopkins’ new Head in 2022.

My involvement was mainly focused on furnishings and finishes — decisions that get made quite a bit later than the design of the building itself.”

Part of the reimagining of Lovell had to do with imagining a purpose-built theater, sources said. Drama teacher Hope Hartup explained that “The Lovell Auditorium was never designed to be a fully functioning theater,” and “prior to the building of the Athletic Center, Assembly used to be held in the Lovell auditorium on metal folding chairs with the Junior School watching it next door on television monitors in the old lunch room.” Hartup added that “even as far back as 1990, the Head of School at that time, Tim Rodd, understood that the space was not adequate or reflective of the quality of our school's programming.” Robert Smith, Chair of the Arts Department and Director of Instrumental Music, said that, “stepping into Lovell [was] like stepping back in time.”

The new Lovell will have many uses and new features. Glendinning said, “The building is meant to support the entire Hopkins community. Besides all the Hopkins performing arts events, we anticipate a wide range of different subjects being taught in the eight multi-use classrooms in addition to the two adjoining drama classrooms.” The center will also house events like reunions, have space for an art gallery, and will also have wide hallways with soft seating allowing students to study and relax there, according to Glendinning.

The construction process came with challenges, including the discovery of soil contamination. Baxter explained that while this was anticipated, “you don’t really know [the amount] until you get in the ground,” and that, once you find contamination, “you have to take it out.” In 2023, students raised concerns about the sustainability of the new Lovell. Baxter explained that, although cost constraints prevent the building from being LEED certified, a “lot of the elements of it are consistent with the LEED principles, so a lot of the materials are regionally sourced versus flying in from around the world.”

Lovell has the potential to fulfill many people’s ideas and hopes. Glendinning said, “The theater contains new sound and light infrastructure and great spaces for scenery and costume design, and we expect that students interested\ in the technical aspects of theater will have a lot to learn and do in these spaces.” Smith said, “The sky’s the limit.” Many students are also looking forward to seeing and using the new Lovell. Ripley Chance ’26 said that she is excited to “explore the building itself... I can’t wait to get to know the new space and its quirks.” According to Chance, “The largest improvement will be how big the theater and stage are. Going into an enormous theater feels almost like a spiritual experience because everything is larger than life, with so much room, literally and metaphorically, for creativity.” Hopkins Drama Association (HDA) co-head Jesse Piazza ’25, said, “The stage will be much bigger, allowing more freedom and options for movement.” Ayla Bernstein ’27 stated that she is “excited to see the new building and if there are any new spots to hang out during free periods.” A new Lovell is the realization of over three decades of dreams, and plenty of hard work. Piazza

hopes the building will “help more students to participate in HDA shows, whether that be behind the scenes, on stage, or in the audience.” Calderone said he is “excited to see the faces of the HDA kids when they enter their new home. The space, while appearing empty, will be filled with great possibilities. There is so much to be excited about!”

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Reimagined Lovell Hall To Open Term II