BOSTON, Jan. 22, 2001 -- Berklee College of Music President Lee Eliot Berk announced today that the college has completed construction of the first phase of a new, state-of-the-art practice facility for students located at 25 Fordham Road in the Packard's Corner section of Allston. An open house will be held on February 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. so that students, faculty, and invited members of the Allston-Brighton community may tour the facility.

This first phase of the project will provide the college's students with 55 new practice rooms, totaling over 12,000 square feet of rehearsal space. Each of the new rooms are outfitted for instrument or vocal practice, and are professionally engineered to provide outstanding sound within each space, while minimizing sound transfer between rooms. An additional 45 practice rooms will be added when the second phase of renovation – covering an additional 8,000 square feet – is completed.

The Berklee community is extremely pleased with the facility's Allston/Brighton location and looks forward to deepening its ties with the neighborhood. For several years, the college has helped to improve music education offerings in several area schools, including annual visits to Brighton High School by Berklee's Urban Outreach Orchestra.

The college also has been involved with the Jackson Mann and Gardner Elementary Schools, donating equipment and materials, and loaning musical instruments. In recent years, nine students from the Allston-Brighton area have participated in the Berklee City Music high school enrichment program. Three of these students have gone on to study at the college full time -- two earning full scholarships.

"Berklee has a history of commitment to the community in which it is located," President Berk said. "We look forward to deepening our outreach to Allston-Brighton. The talent present in the community is really impressive."

For the past two years, Berklee, with the assistance of its architect, ICON Associates of Boston, has worked to restore the building at 25 Fordham Road in order to provide much needed additional practice space for its students – many of whom live in the Allston-Brighton neighborhood. Approximately $2.7 million was spent to remodel the building into a cutting-edge musical practice facility. Property improvements also included significant exterior alterations, including installing a new sidewalk, opening blocked windows, and improving exterior lighting.

The building's interior currently houses five large ensemble rooms for group practice, four trio rooms, a world percussion room, and 45 individual practice rooms, many of which are equipped with pianos, drum sets and guitar amplifiers. In addition to the practice rooms, the facility also has a student lounge, vending area, pool table and three computer workstations with wireless internet. It is slated to be open seven days a week from noon to 11 p.m., with facility supervisors and security on hand during all business hours.

"Neighbors are particularly pleased that the college is taking specific steps to provide for student practice in a supervised setting that does not acoustically interfere with the privacy of neighbors," said Vice President for Administration and Finance David Hornfischer. "Berklee values its relationships with its neighbors, and through this effort it has developed positive new relationships in the Allston-Brighton neighborhood."

Construction of the project was managed by Payton Construction, in compliance with the Boston Resident Jobs policy. Throughout the renovation process, the college's plans for the former check processing facility were reviewed by the Allston Civic Association, the Brighton-Allston Improvement Association, the Allston Board of Trade, and the Allston Police Department, as well as City Councillor Brian Honan and the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

Founded in 1945, Berklee College of Music has been advancing careers in contemporary music for more than 50 years. The world's largest independent college of music, Berklee has a multi-cultural enrollment of more than 3,300 students, 40 percent of whom are international. The college's alumni include some of the most respected figures in contemporary music, including many multi-Grammy award winners.

For more information, please contact
Sarah Godcher
Publicist
Berklee College of Music
(617) 747-2658 or sgodcher@berklee.edu