The capital list, updated each June by the Regents, will be included in the their Fiscal Year 2003 budget request. Submitted to the state's Office of Planning and Budget in September, the request will be utilized by Gov. Roy Barnes in developing state budget recommendations for the next fiscal year, to be considered by the state legislature when it convenes for the 2002 Legislative Session.
Homer Day and Michael Vollmer presented the project to the Regents at their June meeting. Day is interim president of ABAC, and Vollmer will take over the presidency on July 1.
"This was a wonderful surprise," Vollmer said. "I want to thank all the Regents for their support and say a particular word of thanks to John Hunt. He knows the history behind these buildings and the importance of preserving this piece of ABAC's heritage."
The project, known as ABAC's 100-Year Project, outlines the simultaneous renovation of the three original buildings in the front of the campus: Herring Hall, Lewis Hall, and Tift Hall. When ABAC opened in 1908 as the Second District A & M School, these buildings constituted the entire campus. Two of these buildings (Herring and Lewis) are now vacant and are described as "being in a state of extreme disrepair." Tift Hall has a number of structural support problems, and all mechanical systems are outdated.
Since Herring and Lewis are vacant, they will be renovated first. When these two buildings are completely renovated, Tift Hall will be vacated, and its offices will be moved to Herring or Lewis. Then the renovation of Tift Hall, the centerpiece of the project, will begin. Although the exterior of the buildings will remain relatively unchanged, the internal structure of each building will undergo a complete renovation.
The remodeled Herring Hall will house classrooms for continuing education classes, youth connection classes, and art classes from the Humanities Division. The Arts Station will also conduct classes there in addition to having public displays and possibly an art gallery. Herring Hall will also house the offices for the Public Service & Business Outreach Center, the Youth Connection Program, and the Arts Station.
The renovated Lewis Hall will house the Registrar's Office and the Business Office, offering "one-stop" help for students. The Business Office will contain a conference room, a file room, work areas, the college vault, and a photocopying room. The Procurement Director's Office and the inventory clerk's office will also be housed in Lewis Hall. In addition, there will be a student meeting room, where any club can come on a regular basis to conduct its meetings, and a student computer lab.
The new and improved Tift Hall will house three general classrooms, bringing the students and the administration closer together. Tift will remain home to the President's Office, the President's Conference Room, the Office of the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, the Public Relations Office, the Institutional Research Office, and the College Services Office.
ABAC's 100-Year Project will ultimately preserve the rich history of the campus. Vollmer hopes that the project will be completed by 2008 in time to celebrate the college's 100-year anniversary.
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