UNC Charlotte Begins Construction on Marching Band Building

After a successful groundbreaking ceremony that included the announcement of a $2 million gift to the UNC Charlotte’s new marching band, the university has officially begun construction on the Vickie and Gene Johnson Marching Band Center.

The 6,700 square foot building will house a conference room, workroom, and four offices for the band staff.  It will also include restrooms, a drum storage room, and ample space to store musical instruments, uniforms, and color guard equipment for the entire marching band.  The band will start performing in Fall 2015 with 150 members, but will eventually grow to include 300-350 members. 

The Johnson Band Center was designed by the award-winning architecture firm Watson Tate Savory.  Over the past five years, Watson Tate Savory has earned 15 awards for their designs for the University of South Carolina (USC), South Carolina State University, Midlands Technical College, USC Beaufort, and the College of Charleston.  Among their most recent designs are those for USC’s new Indoor Football Practice Facility.

“This beautiful building is nestled in the woods behind the Storrs Building, adjacent to the new Levine Student Garden and Robinson Hall for the Performing Arts, and will quickly become a hub of activity,” says Dr. Lee Gray, senior associate dean of the College of Arts + Architecture and an architectural historian. “The design reflects the architectural characteristics of Storrs and Robinson Hall, and the building will serve as an architectural landmark for patrons going to and from events in the College of Arts + Architecture.”

The Johnson Band Center is scheduled to be completed in August 2015, just in time to welcome the new marching band.