The Texas A&M University board of regents approved a restoration project for the campus academic building.
What you need to know
On May 21, the regents unanimously approved $30 million to repair and restore the exterior of the over-100-year-old building, officials announced in a May news release. The building was constructed after a fire at the original academic building. Among the goals is to improve safety.
The academic building is also associated with the statue of Lawrence Sullivan “Sul” Ross, the fourth president of the institution and the namesake of sister school Sul Ross State University. Many students often leave pennies on the statue for good luck during final exams.
What the restoration includes:
- Repair and restoration of masonry and stone of the whole building
- Replacement of the roof, but original components will be kept by the university for historical purposes
Quote of note
Glenn Hegar, the chancellor of the Texas A&M University system, sees the project as the university's duty to preserve its history for future generations.
“It is our responsibility to take care of this historic building while it is our turn to do so,” Hegar said. “The Academic Building has stood at the heart of Texas A&M for generations, and these renovations will ensure it continues to educate, inspire and serve Aggies long after we are gone.”
Before you go
Texas A&M anticipates the project will be completed three years after the June construction start. The restoration is part of a larger infrastructure improvement that Texas A&M will be making over the course of a few years, as previously reported by Community Impact.
- $30M restoration
- Three-year completion time
- Restoration of the entire outside of the building
