News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-4781 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE JULY 25, 2007

TIFT HALL NOW VACANT FOR FIRST TIME IN 99 YEARS AT ABAC

TIFTON - The oldest building on the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is now vacant for the first time in 99 years.

“This building has been open for every student who has attended this college since 1908,” ABAC President David Bridges said. “If it could talk, I can’t imagine some of the stories it would tell.”

The procurement office was the last to be relocated from the building on Wednesday. Now it’s time for the revitalization process.

“There is a time and place for everything,” Bridges, who moved his office to Evans Hall on June 18, said. “We cannot address the existing structural and environmental issues with people working inside Tift Hall.”

The clearing out of Tift Hall is the first step toward the revitalization of the three original buildings, Tift, Lewis, and Herring, on the front of the ABAC campus. Tift Hall housed administrative offices as well as classrooms when the area high school called the Second District A&M School opened on Feb. 20, 1908. Herring Hall and Lewis Hall were dormitories.

ABAC is in the midst of its 100^th birthday celebration. A series of events on Feb. 18-22, 2008 will highlight the activities.

The ABAC business office and public relations office have also moved out of Tift Hall into Evans Hall. Other ABAC relocations include the academic affairs, human resources, and payroll offices from Tift Hall to the J. Lamar Branch Student Center, the Arts Connection office from the first floor to the second floor of the Carlton Center, and the student life and housing offices from the student center to the John Hunt Town Center at ABAC Place.

The institutional research office has moved to the Carlton Center, and the procurement office has moved to the physical plant building.

Bridges realizes that many visitors will continue to come to the front campus looking for information.

“Every campus has to have a front door,” Bridges said. “We’re building an ABAC Information Center which will help direct our visitors during the rehabilitation process.”

The Information Center will be located on the front circular drive of the college between Lewis Hall and the Health Sciences building. It should open in late August. Fall term classes begin at ABAC on Aug. 20.

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