The project has been underway for several years, with news of federal grant funding and a groundbreaking ceremony.
“It’s been a long process of getting to a place where you can see progress begin,” said Talladega College President Billy C. Hawkins.
Hawkins and Dr. Gerald Williams, vice president of administration and finance, said local contractor Metro D Construction was awarded a contract close to $1 million to renovate the exterior of Foster Hall;
The college is still in the bidding process for the renovation of the building’s interior which is estimated to cost about $3.4 million.
“I think it’s a great achievement for all involved especially since this dorm has been sitting as an eyesore for over 20 years,” Hawkins said. “This building has so much history. I see it as a blessing.”
According to Hawkins, historical preservation of the building has proved to be a long tedious process while trying to stay within the lines of strict regulations for the restoration of a historically registered building.
“For the amount of money we’re putting into this facility, we could have built a new dormitory,” Hawkins said.
He said everything on the building down to the hinges on the doors had to be taken into consideration.
“A preconstruction meeting will take place Tuesday and we anticipate 30 days from that date that we’ll start construction,” Williams said.
“The most important part of it is it’s going to be a living and learning center. We’ll have some of the latest technology.”
Foster Hall, originally a 179-room dormitory for female students, will house a computer lab and possibly a study hall; it has not yet been determined whether or not the dormitory will be co-ed or house honors students.
“When you think of our alumni, whether they were a male or female student, they all have an appreciation for the building,” Williams said.
Williams also said that with the state of the economy the way it is, having a college invest their resources back into its community deserves recognition.
“Talladega College is an economic engine in this community and this is a prime example of the economic opportunity in this community,” Hawkins said.
“It goes back to the whole economic impact of Talladega College to the Talladega community.”
According to Hawkins, the Foster Hall renovation project was funded federally from the Department of Education and the Department of the Interior, and privately from institutional funds.
He hopes the exterior and interior reconstruction of Foster Hall will be completed in time for the fall semester of 2012.
Foster Hall was the first dormitory on campus and the first building built on the campus since it was chartered in 1869.
It has sat beside DeForest Chapel now for over 20 years after suffering extensive fire damage.
News of the construction phase of the project comes in time for Talladega College’s Triennial Celebration in Birmingham this weekend.
“As part of the triennial celebration this weekend we’ll be launching a campaign for a naming opportunity for the rooms as well as the parlor in there,” Williams said.
Once the interior of Foster Hall is renovated, TC alumni will have the opportunity to name a room that will don a nameplate over its threshold displaying the name of the TC alum.
The naming of a room will cost alums about $5,000, and the naming of the parlor area will be $25,000.
Hawkins said the college will give local businesses and vendors the opportunity to invest in the college by having a computer lab or study hall named in their honor.
“What’s important is for the community to know what kind of investment we’re putting into this community,” Hawkins said.
“We pump money into the banks. We put money into the stores.”
Williams said other renovations, such as new roofs for several buildings on campus, have been funded by the college and are the result of contracts with vendors in Talladega.
In addition, Hawkins also mentioned a $500,000 investment in the renovation of the college’s cafeteria with contractors ABL out of Louisiana that is set to be completed in the spring of 2012.
Contact Aziza Jackson at ajackson@dailyhome.com
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