Southern Utah University Breaks Ground on its New $37.5 Million, 44,000-Square-Foot Music Center

Southern Utah University broke ground yesterday for its planned two-story, 44,000-square-foot Music Center, with construction slated to start in June 2024 with completion targeted in time to host classes beginning with the fall 2026 semester.

According to a university spokesman, costs for SUU's new Music Center are pegged at $37.5 million.

SUU's announcement about the Music Center says it will feature

• Two spacious classrooms,
• A piano lab,
• A computer lab,
• A 510-seat concert hall,
• A dedicated recital space (which will also serve as a choral rehearsal room),
• Rehearsal space for instrumental ensembles,
• A comprehensive commercial music suite,
• A specialized percussion studio, and
• Recording and production labs equipped with the latest technology.

Shauna Mendini, SUU's soon-to-retire dean of the College of Performing & Visual Arts,

“This facility will not only enhance the educational experience for our students but also serve as a cultural beacon for our community. With its cutting-edge resources and inspiring design, the new Music Center will nurture creativity, foster collaboration, and elevate the arts at SUU to new heights.”

The Music Center’s lobby is slated to prominently feature a donated stained glass window from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one originally housed in the chapel of Cedar City's 2nd and 8th ward congregations.

Design/build partners for the Music Center are as follows:

• Layton Construction (general contractor);
• Method Studio (architectural design);
• WHW Engineering (mechanical engineering);
• Jaffe Holden (acoustics);
• The Shalleck Collaborative (audio/visual production systems); and
• Arc Sitio Design (landscape design), with

oversight for the project provided by

• The Utah Department of Facilities and Construction Management, and
• SUU Facilities Management.

{NOTE: Dean Mendini is slated to step down at the end of June. Our research suggests a new dean has not yet been named.}