On October 2, construction workers put in place the final steel beam of the Lenfest Center for the Arts during a “topping off” ceremony that marked the completion of vertical construction for the facility on Columbia’s Manhattanville campus. The six-floor, 53,000-square-foot building, which is supported by a $30 million gift from University Trustee Emeritus H. F. “Gerry” Lenfest ’58LAW, ’09HON, is scheduled to open in late 2016. The Lenfest Center will be used for showcasing the works of students and faculty, as well as those of visiting artists. It will contain a gallery; a film-screening room; a versatile dance and performance space; and a presentation area for readings, symposiums, and seminars.
“It’s going to be a fabulous venue that will benefit not just our students but the surrounding neighborhood and the entire city,” says Carol Becker, dean of the School of the Arts. “We’ll host many events that will be open to the public.”
