The Kresge Foundation has announced a $1 million challenge grant to The Johns Hopkins University for an arts center and a recreation center planned for the university's Homewood campus.

In order to meet the Kresge Challenge and receive the funds, Johns Hopkins must raise -- by April 1, 2001 -- $6.1 million toward construction of the two buildings. That amount, plus the $1 million from Kresge, represents the balance still needed for the $31 million total cost of the projects.

"The diversity of interests and abilities among our students is exceptional. The arts center and the recreation center will offer superb facilities for them to explore their creativity and to pursue physical activities," said William R. Brody, president of the university. "Faculty and staff too will benefit from these buildings, and the community will be enriched by public performances and exhibits."

"These two centers add crucial dimensions to campus life that will help us compete even more favorably for top students," Brody said. "We are grateful for the generosity of The Kresge Foundation and for their help in motivating other donors to support these important facilities."

The arts center is under construction and scheduled to be completed late this year and to open in the spring semester of 2001. A complex of three buildings surrounding an open courtyard, it will house a black box theater, two art studios, a dance studio, a cyber cafe, ten individual practice rooms, two ensemble rehearsal rooms, a digital media center for multimedia projects, meeting rooms, and offices for student activities.

The recreation center will contain a field house with courts for basketball, volleyball, racquetball, and squash; an indoor track; a climbing wall; a fitness center; and flexible multipurpose spaces. Construction will begin this spring, with opening expected by September 2001.

Gifts totaling almost $19 million for the two centers have come from six individual alumni, and gifts of $1 million each have been received from Pepsico Foundation and First National Bank of Maryland, now Allfirst Bank.

Through challenge grants, The Kresge Foundation focuses on assisting institutions to expand their base of donor support. Over the past 26 years, the foundation has helped Johns Hopkins raise funds for buildings serving cancer research and treatment, biology, engineering, public health, and physics and astronomy.

The Kresge Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Troy, Mich., created by the personal gifts of Sebastian S. Kresge. Grants are made to institutions dedicated to higher education, health and long-term care, arts and humanities, human services, science and the environment, and public affairs. Funded projects involve construction, renovation or acquisition of facilities.

Fund-raising for the arts and recreation centers is part of the Johns Hopkins Initiative, a campaign publicly launched in 1994. Heavily focused on endowment and facilities, the campaign has raised over $1.4 billion for the university and Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Go to Headlines@HopkinsHome Page