Palmer Auditorium

Location
New London CT

Institution
Connecticut College

Architect
Ennead Architects

Acoustician
Threshold

Construction Manager
Colliers International

Palmer Auditorium is a charming 1939 example of the Moderne style. The building has a storied history, at different times associated with the American Dance Festival, the National Theater of the Deaf, and the Eugene O’Neill Memorial Theater Center. Now home to the Department of Theater, its 1,300-seat auditorium is used for dance, music, and theater performances, lectures, and college events. In 2015 Nextstage Design collaborated with Centerbrook Architects on options for renovating and expanding the building. We’re now working with Ennead Architects on the design of a comprehensive renovation and potential expansion of the building to serve Connecticut College and the wider community long into the twenty-first century.

Construction Type
New construction
Renovation

Square Feet
32,000

Cost
$20 million

Completion
2021

Users
Department of Dance
Department of Theater
onStage at Connecticut College

Spaces
700 to 1,000-seat multipurpose theater
Rehearsal/performance studio

Renderings © Ennead Architects