UMass-Amherst’s Old Chapel reopens after $21M renovation

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In this Oct. 21, 2016 photo, students pass the Old Chapel on the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst, Mass. The university announced Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, that the building opened for the first time after a 1 million renovation. It was closed in 1999 because of structural deterioration. (Suzanne Kreiter /The Boston Globe via AP)

AMHERST, Mass. – An iconic building on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus has opened for the first time in almost two decades.

The university announced Thursday that the first floor of the Old Chapel is now open weekdays for study, informal gatherings or relaxing.

The building was closed in 1999 because of structural deterioration. Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy made the project a priority when he was appointed in 2012.

The reopening followed a two-year, $21 million renovation. The project not only improved the building’s structural integrity, but added an accessible entrance, an elevator and a new kitchen.

The top floor, a large open space for performances and lectures, will open in the future.

The Old Chapel opened in 1885 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

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