Surack-Sweetwater Music
Industry Building Project
Chancellor
Becoming a top music city.
To accommodate the growing enrollment in popular music, music industry, and music technology programs, the university has broken ground for the construction of the new Surack-Sweetwater Music Industry Building. John O’Connell, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, said, “With this new space, we will be able to again double the total number of students in our popular music, music industry, and music technology programs. This new facility will also help cement their growing national reputation and take Fort Wayne closer to its objective of being a Top 10 Music City over the next decade.”
Building Updates
Follow our progress.
- Ground was broken on the new Surack-Sweetwater Music Industry Building on Tuesday, September 10.
- The $25 million, 26,000-square-foot facility will include three recording studios and control rooms, ten editing suites, an audio lab, rehearsal spaces, a large classroom, seven offices, and a conference room.
- The bigger of the two rehearsal spaces will be named the Marsha Walb Heller Rehearsal Hall, in recognition of a generous gift from David and Jill Heller.
This $22 million development is expected to break ground mid-2024. Here are some of the details:
- 26,000 square feet
- Audio lab
- Three recording studies
- 11 editing suites
- Six or seven offices
- Rehearsal spaces
- Large classrooms
- Funding from the state budget brings PFW closer to the projected $22 million needed to build and equip a new music technology center
- Preliminary plans for a 26,000-square-foot building call for site work to begin in 2024
- University officials credit the support from many key individuals and entities for $15 million allocation
- Completion date is estimated for fall 2027
- $3 million in gifts from Chuck and Lisa Surack and the Auer Foundation highlight announcement of a new music technology building on PFW campus
- New facility will be adjacent to existing Music Center
- Site work is targeted to begin in 2024 with an opening date projected for fall 2027
- Structure will replace outgrown studio and classroom space that opened on the Sweetwater corporate campus in 2018