Archives & Special Collections
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History of UMass Dartmouth & the University Archives
Southeastern Massachusetts Historical Collection
Paul Rudolph & His Architecture
Archives of the Center for Jewish Culture
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Congressman Barney Frank Archives Collection
Howard T. Glasser Archives of Folk Music and Letter Arts
Campus Buildings Construction Dates
Key dates prior to construction:
1960 — Acts of 1960, Chapter 543 creates SMTI, whose board of trustees worked to consolidate New Bedford Institute of Technology and Bradford Durfee College of Technology and to plan for a new campus at North Dartmouth site.
1960 — General Court appropriated $1.5 million to be used for the acquisition of a campus site and development of the initial architectural plans.
1963 — Arthur D. Little, a consulting firm, conducted a demographic study of and higher educational needs for southeastern Massachusetts.
1963 — General Court appropriated $6 million to begin construction by June 14, 1964.
1964, June 14 — Groundbreaking for SMTI campus in North Dartmouth. Construction on Group I Academic Building begins
Construction dates for buildings:
Liberal Arts (Group I Academic Building)
- Groundbreaking June 14, 1964
- Dedication June 5, 1966
Science and Engineering Building (Group II)
- Construction began June 1966
- Completed April 1969 (estimated)
- Renovations conducted, 2021-2022
Textile Technology Building
- Construction began April 1967
- Completed Sept. 1969
Research Building (Violette Building)
- Completed Oct. 1969
- Renamed June 3, 1979
John E. Foster Administration Building
- Construction began Oct. 1968
- Completed Sept. 1970 (estimated date)
- Dedication May 27, 1972
Francis Tripp Athletic Center (“Physical Education Building”)
- Begun 1969
- Completed December 1971
- Dedicated and renamed May 27, 1979
William “Biff” MacLean Campus Center (“Lecture halls and auditorium”)
- Begun October 1968
- Completed Fall 1971
- Renamed the William Q. MacLean Campus Center Sept. 1991
Claire T. Carney Library (originally the Library Communications Center)
- Groundbreaking November 26, 1969
- Completed 1972 (opened March 13, 1972)
- Renovated 2011-2013
Campanile
- Completed May 1971 (see Torch may 14, 1971) 200ft. tall with a 40-foot antenna
Residence cafeteria
- Begun April 1970
Residence halls
- Phase I and II completed Sept. 1973
Chestnut Hall
- Construction started 1971
- Opened 09/1972
Roberts Hall
- Construction started 1971
- Opened 09/1972
Elmwood Hall
- Construction started 1976
- Opened 09/1976
Maple Ridge Hall
- Construction started 1976
- Opened 09/1976
Cedar Dell West
- Construction started 1988
- Opened 09/1988
Cedar Dell South
- Construction started 1988
- Opened 1989
- Renovated and reopened over the Labor Day weekend in 2007
Oakglen Hall
- Construction started 2001
- Opened 09/2002
Pinedale Hall
- Construction started 2001
- Opened 09/2002
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Amphitheater
- Dedication May 6, 1978
C. Norman Dion Science and Engineering Building
- Groundbreaking Oct. 21, 1985
- Dedicated May 1989
Cedar Dell Residence Halls
- Groundbreaking May 8, 1987
- Open House Oct. 1989
- Renovations began March 28, 2007
- Reopened over the Labor Day weekend (2007)
Visual and Performing Arts Building (Group VI)
- Groundbreaking April 25, 1975
- Completed spring 1977
Center for Marine Science
- 706, South Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, MA, 02744
- Groundbreaking November 1995
- Dedicated October 6, 1997
Star Store Center for the Arts
- Renovations began May 2000
- Opened for classes September 2001
Advanced Technology & Manufacturing Center (ATMC)
151 Martine Street, Fall River, MA 02723 (Kerr Mill site)
- Renovations began: Sept 2000
- Center dedicated: Nov 14,2001
UMass Dartmouth Fall River Professional and Continuing Education Center
139 South Main Street, Fall River, MA, 02721
- Renovations: Feb 2002 to Sept 2002
- Classes Began: Sept 9th 2002
- Grand Opening: Oct 29th 2002
UMass Dartmouth Professional and Continuing Education Center
800 Purchase St. (former Cherry and Webb Building) New Bedford, MA
- Opened September 2004
- Grand opening September 30, 2004
Charlton College for Business
- Groundbreaking September 28, 2001
- Construction began January 2004
- Dedicated October 1,2004
Woodland Commons Residence Halls
- Ground broken summer 2004
Botulinum Research Center
- Groundbreaking September 13, 2005
- Grand Opening April 5, 2007
James Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in Mathematics Education
200 Mill Road, Suite 150B, Fairhaven, MA
- Creation Announced by UMassD on May 9, 2007
- Facility opened September 14, 2007
SMAST East, Clark’s Cove, New Bedford
64,000 square foot building housing research labs and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.
Opened September 29, 2017.
Balsam and Spruce Halls and The Grove (Residence and Dining Complex)
Groundbreaking November 30 2018.
Opened Fall of 2021.
Built to house 1,210 1st-year students. The Grove, the dining complex connecting the 2 halls, seats 800.
Compiled by Judy Farrar, Archives and Special collections librarian.