Ruby and Bill Wise Community Center

Trumbull-Nelson Construction Company recently completed the first phase of construction and renovation to Proctor Academy’s Maxwell Savage Holland Building. The work involved a major transformation of the Holland Auditorium, an area encompassing approximately 2200 square feet of the 3500 square foot community center (including a mezzanine) once used by the School for dramatic and music productions, athletic banquets and speeches. Architect Greg Hemberger of Banwell Architects provided design services. The project also addressed infrastructure requirements of additional ‘phase two’ building construction.

A desire to ‘blend’ and adequately merge new construction needs into the unaltered existing facility while limiting the cost impact to future work presented an interesting and unique challenge to the project’s participants. In this regard, one forward-thinking approach involved adding a door, expanding and refinishing the existing lobby.

The resulting Ruby and Bill Wise Community Center, named for Bill Wise, a graduate of Proctor Academy Class of 1939 and substantial project donor, offers students a great place to hang out or study. Housing a dynamic sound system, it is also a great place for dancing. Included on this page are two photos of the recent renovations and an interesting “before” picture from a past Proctor Academy yearbook.