COLORADO SPRINGS — Monument Academy's East Campus broke ground on a new performing arts center Tuesday, October 20, with teachers, faculty and family members gathering to celebrate the start of construction.
The project is part of the school's ongoing Legacy in Motion campaign and is projected to open in fall 2027. It is made possible by a $17 million anonymous donation.
"The drama and arts department at Monument Academy is significant and has been significant for years, and so to give them a space to truly exhibit the talent from the teachers to the students of what they can do — that's what makes this project so important for Monument Academy," said Greg Collier, co-owner and president of IICON Construction.
The new center will give theatre, band and orchestra classes a designated space where they no longer have to work around gym schedules.
"Gym classes don't have to be displaced when it's time for a concert or performance. It's incredible — not to mention being able to have a large audience to perform for and space to put everyone comfortably," said Christin Patterson, strings director at Monument Academy.
The new building will measure 20,000 square feet, seat 750 people and include a full stage, orchestra pit and carpentry shop for scene construction.
The construction is part of an ongoing capital campaign that has already built a track and aims to add another academic wing and a full-sized gym. Active planning for the performing arts center has been underway since last summer, though the building concept was included in the school's original master plan.
"I can only imagine it's going to go ahead and provide some of these kids confidence, which in life, that goes a long way," commented one parent.
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