Expansion and Renovation Plans are Underway
The Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College is set to receive a 13,000 square foot addition, which includes new classrooms as well as a designated space for studying and socializing.
Chancellor Dan Jones (MD 75), Jim Barksdale (BBA 65), Dean Douglass Sullivan-Gonzalez and Honors College students and faculty broke ground for the expansion and renovation of the SMBHC Friday, March 7.
“We are building this addition to provide more space for our citizen scholars,” said John Samonds, associated dean of Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. “Not only will we have 10 classrooms instead of the current six, but we also will have more dedicated study space for students. For example, one room of our current basement is called ‘the dungeon’ by students, as it houses study carrels; when we renovate our existing space, the dungeon will be more than doubled in size so there are more carrels to use. We’ll also convert some current offices into study spaces, so there will be more options.”
The three-story construction project will add additional classrooms, as well as renovate parts of the current building.
“The other major need is public space for social gatherings among the students and for functions,” said Samonds. “The expansion will allow us to convert some current space into a lounge that is twice the size of our current lounge space.”
In addition to creating new space, an entrance will be added to the building facing Lamar Hall.
With a budget of $6.3 million, the project is expected to be completed by 2015.
Post-Construction Rendering
Floor Plan
