The building will serve as Belmont’s new front door, intentionally designed to foster collaboration, innovation and creativity
Belmont University held a ribbon cutting and grand opening for the newly completed $92 million Jack C. Massey Center on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023.
The Massey Center is named in honor of the visionary entrepreneur and businessman, Jack C. Massey, who is also the namesake for Belmont’s Jack C. Massey College of Business. In September, the University celebrated the 50-year anniversary of the Massey College of Business and the Massey family’s legacy at Belmont. Construction for the new Massey Center was made possible thanks to a $15 million gift from the Jack C. Massey Foundation and Mr. Massey’s daughter, Barbara Massey Rogers, after whom the previous Massey Center was renamed.
“The Massey family’s generosity has been essential in Belmont’s forward momentum and is why we are here today for this celebration,” University President Greg Jones said. “I think it is fair to say there would be no Belmont today, were it not for Jack C. Massey. His vision, philanthropy and commitment to Christ carried Belmont through some very difficult years in the 1960s and ‘70s.”
Located on 15th Avenue South between the Baskin and Johnson Centers, the new Massey Center serves as the University’s new front door. Every floor of the six-story building is designed to encourage collaboration, innovation and creativity – embodying Mr. Massey’s dedication to innovative leadership, fostering connections and leading with integrity.
“The building itself is an epitome of collaboration and innovation, two important business ideals we continue to glean from Jack Massey’s legacy and shining example as it physically connects the Massey College of Business Centers of Excellence, the Belmont Innovation Labs and the Belmont Data Collaborative,” Jones said. “It’s important for us to have these key teams housed together for the first time to further illustrate our commitment to leveraging the incredible resources we’ve been given to solve complex problems that help people flourish.”
On the first floor, campus visitors and prospective students will find a new Admissions Welcome Center, Bruin Bites Café, 1890 Theater for admissions sessions and The BruinShop, which is the 2.0 version of the former “The Belmont Store,” outfitted with a wide array of revamped products including a collection of clothing entirely designed by Belmont students in the O’More College of Architecture and Design.
The Office of Admissions and the Office of Student Success and Flourishing are intentionally housed on the second floor and provide a centralized area for programs that are specifically dedicated to student support and success, including Growth & Purpose for Students (GPS), Career and Professional Development, Interdisciplinary Studies and Global Education (ISGE) and Adult Degree Programs.
Jack C. Massey College of Business Dean Sarah Fisher Gardial gave remarks about the collaborative, entrepreneurial and innovative intention that sets the Massey Center apart from standard academic buildings.
“The folks that started planning this building two years ago had a particular vision,” Fisher Gardial said. “When you go through this building, you will see that vision come to life in magnificent ways. The vision was that this was going to be the place for interdisciplinary collaboration across topics, passions and projects for students, staff and faculty. It is a place on campus that mixes things up in a grand way, unlike what you typically see on campuses.”
The third and fourth floors encompass a versatile range of spaces, including classrooms, faculty offices and open collaborative areas. These thoughtfully curated environments foster a sense of inclusivity that encourages students, faculty and staff to convene, collaborate and thrive.
The fifth and sixth floors house the Belmont Data Collaborative, Belmont Innovation Labs and the four Massey College of Business Centers of Excellence: the Thomas F. Cone Center for Entrepreneurship, the Edward C. Kennedy Center for Business Ethics, the Thomas W. Beasley Center for Free Enterprise and the Center for Global Citizenship.
LEED-certified with a rooftop terrace and an extensive green roof, the building has several other distinctive features and installations, including a project-mapped Bruin sculpture, multiple interactive displays and a conference room table on the sixth floor with a unique Belmont story.
Two remarkably preserved American Chestnut columns that once supported Belmont’s historic Freeman Hall have been repurposed into a conference room table housed in the new Massey Center. A devastating chestnut blight all but eradicated American Chestnut in the early 1900s, making the preservation of the columns something short of a miracle that perfectly captures the message of resilience, innovation and an appreciation for the past that Belmont believes in.
Double alumnus and founder of Studio Bank in Nashville Harry Allen (’04,’10) gave the opening prayer. Beth Poe, daughter of Barbara Massey Rogers and granddaughter of Jack Massey, and Bruin Recruiter and business student Bailey Smith also gave remarks.
Dr. Greg Jones, the Rev. Susan Pendleton Jones, Barbara Massey Rogers and Dean Fisher Gardial had the honor of cutting the ribbon. Following the ribbon-cutting, guests were invited to explore the building through self-guided tours.
