Music North will be closed this summer for renovations, which will include a full HVAC upgrade, Wi-Fi upgrade, and roof replacement. Music North will be inaccessible to all individuals after Friday, June 3 at 5pm for the full duration of the summer, and likely into the first few weeks of Fall Quarter 2022. Please be aware of the timeline described below and items to take action on.
Preparing for June 3:
It is imperative that you remove any personal items that you will need access to during Summer and first part of Fall Quarter 2022. It is fine to leave items in your office / studio as long as they are not sensitive to any climate changes and you will not need to access them at all. There is also no need to remove any items from shelves, walls, etc. The building will remain securely locked all summer; Facilities Operations staff will occasionally enter individual spaces to work on the HVAC and will make sure that all items are protected/covered in the event of any related work that needs to be done.
Below are a few suggestions/options on other ways to prepare:
- Shredding bins have been added to Music North in the elevator lobbies (2nd & 3rd Floor) and Mail/Copy room (2nd Floor) for the next few weeks. Feel free to make use of these if you’re looking get rid of any papers that you no longer need.
- Banker boxes are available by request at the Music North front desk (2nd Floor) to help you transport any items out of Music North.
- Be sure to remove/take home any plants, food/drink, or other related items currently stored in your space.
- Retrieve any items from the Music North mail room that are yours by June 1. Anything left in this room, including items in mailboxes, will be relocated to HPC after June 1; there may be a few days where mail is not accessible before we are back up and running reception out of HPC starting June 6.
Pianos:
All upright and grand pianos will be moved out of Music North by our preferred vendor (Quality Piano Movers) and into storage at the start of the building closure. Because of the magnitude of this project, piano moves will begin on Wednesday, June 1. If there are any activities in Music North on June 1, 2, or 3, please be in touch with Ben Polancich at bpolanci@depaul.edu as soon as possible indicating the scheduled activity and location so that we can make sure that the move for your specific piano and location is scheduled for a time that works. Pianos will be returned to the same location they are currently in at the conclusion of the project.
Technology:
Be sure to take any laptops/chargers with you for the summer since you will not be able to access these items. Faculty/staff may also take home desktops/monitors/peripherals if they wish. Shared computers / technology equipment should remain in the building. For any technology needs during the remote period, please contact Brian Gier at
bgier@depaul.edu.
Other Equipment:
SOM staff is working directly with faculty to relocate any large equipment currently in Music North that will need to be relocated. If you have any specific items that you want to discuss arranging relocation for not covered above, please be in touch with
Ben Polancich as soon as possible.
HPC Space Availability & Access:
- Front desk reception, including in-person staffing and phones, for the entire School of Music will operate out of the Holtschneider Performance Center Box Office beginning on Monday, June 6 and lasting through the duration of the project. Front desk hours will be Mon-Fri, 8am-10pm, Sat/Sun 9am-5pm.
- Faculty and staff mailboxes and office supply inventory will be temporarily relocated to HPC for the duration of the project; similarly, copier access will be available for faculty/staff in HPC. To access mail, supplies or copier, please visit the Box Office during the hours listed above and the receptionist will assist you further.
- Music North staff will operate in a hybrid fashion for the duration of this project, with a regular presence out of various designated HPC spaces. Staff will be finalizing arrangements for this in the weeks ahead; individual offices will communicate more about hours and locations.
- Limited HPC space will be available for makeup teaching / prospective lessons, meetings, or other events that faculty would typically use Music North for during the summer. Any activities must be scheduled at least 2 business days in advance via the HPC Space Request Form and will be subject to space availability.
Return to Campus / Fall Quarter 2022:
We are anticipating that Music North will need to remain closed and inaccessible for the first few weeks of Fall Quarter 2022. We will be in touch this summer regarding options and process guidelines for scheduling lessons or other activities that would typically happen in Music North, which will largely involve use of HPC space and likely other on-campus spaces temporarily. Stay tuned for more information on this, including any updates to the renovation project timeline.
Student Communication:
Students will continue to have standard access to reserve practice rooms and other spaces in HPC for the duration of the summer, but will not have access to Music North. A communication to all currently-enrolled students has been sent out.
Thanks in advance for your patience and help in navigating through these changes, and be in touch with any questions or needs. The end result will be well worth it!