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News from |
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Michael D. Chason Director of Public
Relations ABAC 30, 2802 Moore Hwy |
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For IMMEDIATE Release September 8, 2009
ABAC
Begins Historic Front of Campus Project
TIFTON—The oldest building at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
is about to get a facelift.
Assisted
by legislators and members of the Board of Regents of the University System of
Georgia, ABAC President David Bridges unveiled a proposed new look to
101-year-old Tift Hall in a ceremony today to signal the beginning of the Front
of Campus Project.
The
ultimate goal of this project is to renovate the three original buildings on
campus, Tift, Lewis, and Herring Halls.
When 26 students walked up the front steps of Tift Hall for their first
day of class on Feb. 20, 1908, these were the three primary buildings of the
Second District A&M School.
“We
will start with Tift Hall,” Bridges said.
“We’ll be seeking the funding for Lewis and Herring during the upcoming
legislative session.”
Through
a bond sale, Georgia lawmakers have already approved $6 million toward the
project. Ten legislators from all over the state were on hand for a legislative
briefing with Bridges and the beginning of the project.
Members
of the Board of Regents present were Larry Walker, Felton Jenkins, and Allan
Vigil. In lieu of their regular
September meeting, the Regents split up and visited colleges and universities
throughout the state today.
Greenline
Architecture has already submitted some concepts for the project, which Bridges
believes are going to give the front of campus a great new look.
“The
concepts from the architect are fabulous,” Bridges said. “The campus back in 1908 was somewhat removed
from town, and it had a great big front lawn.
All of that is coming back. We
would like to return to a day when we can have graduation on the front lawn.”
Bridges
said J.T. Turner Construction from Savannah was selected to handle the renovation
project.
“They
will first do some selective demolition inside the building to determine
structural integrity,” Bridges said.
“They are ready to go to work.”
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