Ariannah Johnson
palmettoreport@gmail.com

(Rock Hill, S.C.) – It has been roughly five years since a Winthrop University student has stepped foot in the Byrnes Auditorium, but that is about to change within the year as the renovations of the building continue to progress.

In August 2018, Byrnes was closed due to a roof replacement project and then a fire occurred toward the end of the project.

The renovations were also slowed by litigation due to the fire.

James Grigg, associate vice president of facilities management, said new accommodations have also been added to the auditorium.

“As part of the renovation, we’re adding some ADA seating, some renovations to bathrooms on the first floor and a meeting room on the second floor for private functions,” Grigg said.

Built in the 1930s, Byrnes Auditorium is a historic Great Depression-era building, which can accommodate up to 3,000 people.

Ravyn Speigner, a junior majoring in music technology, said there are some challenges for the music department with Byrnes being closed.

“The music department has had to figure out where to perform. We have had to deal with that a couple of times now that Tillman is in for repairs, and we don’t know where we are going to perform,” Speigner said. “Money has been lost from hosting potential all-state and all-county music clinics.”

Over the past five years, the music department has been performing in McBryde Hall, the DiGiorgio Campus Center and other available spaces on campus.

Elisa Koehler, chair of the department of music, said she can’t wait for the auditorium to reopen.

“Just how grateful I am to Wesley Love, project engineering, and James Grigg, associate vice president of facilities management; they both have done tremendous work and we’re very excited to partner with them to make this great building sing once again, because we’ve missed it,” Koehler said.

Grigg said the Byrnes Auditorium is expected to reopen in August 2024.