Capital Projects

William Paterson University is striving to provide facilities that contribute to excellence in teaching, learning, community involvement, and creative expression.

Science Building
Performing Arts Complex
Hobart Manor
Gorab Alumni House
Recreation Center

Science Building
In 2007, the University will break ground for a newly renovated Science Building that will provide classrooms and laboratories that enable students to learn in modern facilities from science faculty who, for the first time in many years, will have facilities that match their teaching and research excellence. All students at the University benefit from the resources of Science Hall. Students have hands-on access to scientific and laboratory equipment. This level of access — often reserved for graduate students at research universities — provides invaluable training and research skills that are central to the experiential learning component of a strong liberal arts curriculum. Built in 1972, the Science Hall facilities are long overdue for a physical overhaul that will ensure current and future generations of scientists educated at William Paterson University will continue to excel in their careers.

The Clark Terry Concert Hall
The new 20,000-square-foot Clark Terry Concert Hall will have a seating capacity of up to 500, and will feature state-of-the-art acoustics that will provide an ideal venue for music performances, including the renowned Jazz Room Series. The Jazz Room performances regularly draw crowds of several hundred, an impressive audience that rivals the busiest nights at New York jazz venues. Moving the series from Shea auditorium to the new concert hall will provide a more intimate and appropriately sized venue.

The Clark Terry Concert Hall will also host a number of cultural performances that draw audiences from throughout the region: the Midday Artist Series, the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, The Aquila Theatre Company, and other national touring productions. The lobby will incorporate an open design exhibit and research area that will provide music scholars with access to important historical artifacts, particularly from the recently donated Clark Terry Archive and the existing Thad Jones Archive, as well as an archive of the late James Williams. The Clark Terry Concert Hall will house the archival materials in a visible and accessible manner.

In the future, the University plans to build a Performing Arts Complex that will include the Clark Terry Hall, a newly renovated Performing Arts Theatre, Black Box Theatre, and Music Department Wing as a new home for the musical arts.

Hobart Manor
Since 1951, the William Paterson University campus has been built up around the lands of a former historic country estate. Called Ailsa Farms, the property was owned by the family of Garret Hobart, the 24th vice president of the United States who served under William McKinley. Its stately 40-room mansion, nestled in a hollow at the southeastern end of the estate, served as the setting for numerous holiday parties and important social events, a place where dignitaries and prominent business people of the time gathered. The Tudor-style mansion, Hobart Manor, with its public reception rooms partially restored nearly 20 years ago, continues to serve as a historic attraction. Today, Hobart Manor is our most treasured campus hallmark. Serving as the central point for University receptions and as the headquarters of the president, Hobart Manor is in need of artful reinvigoration to bring it back to its original elegance and pristine condition. Read about the Hobart Manor Revitalization Campaign.

The Allan and Michele Gorab Alumni House
The Alumni Relations Office, bursting with activities and creative ideas, now has a better home to serve the University’s more than 50,000 alumni. Our alumni have a home away from home on campus. The Allan and Michele Gorab Alumni House fosters the Alumni Association’s strong commitment to a University that continues to enrich the lives of countless individuals. The Alumni Association has agreed to secure $500,000 in private gifts toward the construction of the Alumni House. Our campaign is well on its way to reaching its objective.

Recreation Center
Long-range plans include a renovation of the Recreation Center as a venue for our intercollegiate athletic programs that will also meet the growing needs of our students. An updated and expanded Recreation Center will serve the entire campus community by providing space for intramural sports and other recreational activities, as well as an expanded fitness center.