Providence College broke ground on June 7 on its Ruane Center for the Humanities, which will be the home of its Development of Western Civilization and Liberal Arts honors programs upon completion in fall 2013.
The 63,000 s/f, multi-level facility is named after PC Board of Trustees chair Michael Ruane, class of 1971, and his wife Elizabeth, whose leadership gift helped make the facility possible.
The Ruane Center will be constructed on the College's main campus between the Phillips Memorial Library and the Albertus Magnus-Sowa-Hickey science complex. The construction manager is Dimeo Construction Company of Providence. The architect is S/L/A/M Collaborative of Boston.
The new facility will also will house the college's English and history departments and the School of Arts & Sciences and include 12 seminar-style classrooms, at least four larger classrooms, group and individual study spaces, faculty offices, and faculty and student lounge/community space.
The $20 million project was funded through bonds sold through the Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corp. and through contributions from alumni and friends of the College. No tuition dollars are being used to fund the project.
"I am more excited about the Ruane Center for the Humanities than I have ever been about any new facility on this campus," said Rev. Brian Shanley, college president, in a statement.
"The Ruane Center will provide Providence College with state-of-the art teaching and learning space that promotes dialogue between and among students and faculty while also encouraging greater student engagement in their scholarship and study," added Shanley.