Mr. Aldrich stayed active and involved with the museum until his death in 2001, shortly prior to which The Aldrich's board of trustees, with their chairman emeritus in attendance, had voted to proceed with a major renovation and expansion. Groundbreaking took place in April 2003, and the galleries reopened to the public in June 2004 with a new name, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. The new building was designed by architect Charles Mark Hay, design principal at Tappé Associates, Boston, and is based on an abstraction of traditional New England architecture. The facility received a design award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).