The Old Chapel at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst is an icon in the heart of the campus. It was the university’s first library, dating back to the school’s beginnings. However, the 132-year-old Richardsonian Romanesque structure had laid dormant since 1996 due to code and accessibility compliance issues. The university undertook a $21 million initiative to restore the Old Chapel and re-purpose it as a student center and resource space for lectures, events, multimedia presentations, concerts and banquets.

STV provided owner’s project management services assisting the client in the selection and oversight of a consultant team and contractors reconstructing the 17,000-square-foot facility into a memorable place for students, alumni, and visitors. The team’s sensitivity to the building’s history and the university’s call for greater energy efficiency under its Sustainable UMass program resulted in the Old Chapel’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places and its certification as a LEED® Gold facility.