PAB expansion complete, open for fall semester

Work on the Donald & Nancy de Laski Performing Arts Building, nicknamed "the PAB," was completed this summer. (Daniel McEnrue) 
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UPDATED 1:42 a.m. 

Cross off another construction project. Students returning to school this fall will feast their eyes on the completed expansion of the Performing Arts Building on Mason’s Fairfax campus.

The addition adds two dance studios, a large lobby, locker room, an instrument rehearsal hall, percussion room, and a wellness room as well as many other spaces, Project Manager Nancy Pickens said.

The project, which began construction last summer, but has been in the works since 2006, cost $10 million and was funded partially by private donations and partially by general funds, according to the George Mason University Facilities’ website.

“It is great to think about all the wonderful music and dance that will be produced in these spaces. The exterior gathering spaces provide great areas for students and staff to meet and have a conversation or just sit and study,” Pickens said in an e-mail interview.

The exterior of the building was designed with aesthetic appeal in mind, according to Pickens.

“We were trying to create a building addition that is an expression of the work that is going on inside—in a sense, the building is a sculptural work of art, much like music and dance,” Pickens said. “We also thought it was important to create an entry for the building—that has been accomplished nicely.”

The new entrance to the Performing Arts Building allows students to come or go from the building near the George Mason statue, allowing for quick access to the middle of campus.