Knox College’s Alumni Hall was built in 1891, through gifts from Knox alumni. U.S. President Benjamin Harrison laid the building’s cornerstone on October 8, 1890. After the 600-seat auditorium fell into disuse and with large areas of the building not handicapped accessible, the building was closed. Prior to renovation, the facility had been vacant since the 1980’s, a full quarter of its life. In order to give new life to this historic structure, it was critical to fill it with functions that would be actively used by students, alumni, and visitors of the College.
The revitalization maintains the building’s historic exterior, while transforming the building’s interior with a modern aesthetic, providing spaces for a number of active programs and departments. These programs are assembled from other remote locations on campus to create a central gateway between the campus and the surrounding community.
Programs housed in the LEED Gold revitalized facility include the Visitors’ Center, Alumni Relations, Lincoln Studies Center, Admissions, Financial Aid, Center for Global Studies, Center for Research and Advanced Study, Center for Career Development, and Center for Community Service.