Emma Willard School, Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts

ProjectsBest Projects2025 Best of the Best Winners Emma Willard School, Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts By Scott Judy Photo by Chuck Choi, courtesy of Consigli Construction Co. Project team meticulously—and carefully—restored the 100-plus-year-old chapel building into a performing arts center. March 13, 2026 Emma Willard School, Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts Troy, N.Y. K-12 Education Submitted by: Consigli Construction Co. Region: ENR East Owner/Developer: Emma Willard School Lead Design Firm: Annum Architects in Collaboration with Ann Beha Construction Manager: Consigli Construction Co. Structural Engineer: Silman Structural Solutions Civil Engineer: CT Male MEP Engineer: Kohler Ronan LLC Theater Design: Next Stage Acoustics/Technology/Vibration Consultant: Acentech Transforming the Emma Willard School’s 100-plus-year-old stone chapel in Troy, N.Y., into a modern arts venue proved to be, in itself, an effort where even a single misstep could not be tolerated. Like in a ballet performance, the Consigli Construction-led project team practiced deep collaboration and trust to successfully navigate the complex—and sometimes unique—structural, acoustic and sequencing issues as they transformed the structure to support modern performance infrastructure. The conversion “required us to basically remove the first floor of the building and open up the lower level, which included a pool and a bowling alley,” Scott Kosnick, the school’s ...