Correction: This article has been updated to accurately refer to the PAC as the Poly Arts Center, not the Performing Arts Center.
Poly Prep’s new Performing Arts Center (PAC) has been a long awaited addition to campus, bringing the school’s visual and performing arts to a new level. Students and faculty are eagerly anticipating the building’s opening.
The PAC is currently on track to open by January 2024. According to Mark Minkley, principal of Zubatkin Owner Representation (a company that works with the owner and contractor to keep projects on track, and owner’s rep for Poly Prep), while September 2023 was the optimistic goal, the January 2024 deadline was always to be expected. He explained that “there were some setbacks with the foundation of the building, [specifically some existing conditions during excavation of the site] and poor weather, but with those now resolved the building is back on track to its original deadline.”
Julie Geden, senior principal of Zubatkin, said, “The team really cares. The hope here is that we deliver a very successful, beautiful, jewelbox of a project to [the students and faculty].”
Michael Robinson, head of the arts at Poly Prep, said, “It is going to be an incredible community space for us, not just the specific arts disciplines that are being housed there, but for the school as a whole. It is going to really unify that whole side of campus in a way that includes places to gather, and a celebration of the arts at Poly in a way that we just haven’t had before.”
Poly Prep senior and active jazz band member Noah Saivetz said, “I’m really happy that I’m going to end my senior year in such a beautiful building.”
In this new building, the first floor will be a large community space, extending outward from the old Richard Perry Theater lobby. In addition to new furnishing in the space, the lobby will serve as a gallery for 2D and 3D artwork with video monitors for digital photography and film.
The second floor will feature two large rooms: one for music and the other for dance. According to Robinson, both spaces will be state-of-the-art, with the music room now able to hold the entire band and the dance room able to replicate stages for rehearsals. The dance space is also designed to be multi-purpose, featuring flexible risers and the ability to host events like presentations, recitals, or school gatherings.
Though the PAC is a new addition, there have been multiple proposals over the years, dating back to before Robinson was at Poly Prep. “It has taken us a long time to get there,” said Robinson. Still, Robinson feels the new space will meet many of the performing arts needs of the school and is excited to see it finished for the students and faculty.
Robinson added, “This is a really wonderful new addition that will distinguish us from other schools. When alumni, students, and family come to our campus in the spring, we are going to be celebrating a new view of Poly.”
