Education

LaGrange College opens $21 million science complex

The $21 million science complex LaGrange College opened Friday comprises two buildings: the newly constructed, $17 million, 43,000-square-foot Ida Callaway Hudson Lab Sciences Building and, across the street, the 45-year-old, 27,000-square-foot Cason J. Callaway Science Building, updated with $4 million worth of renovations.
The $21 million science complex LaGrange College opened Friday comprises two buildings: the newly constructed, $17 million, 43,000-square-foot Ida Callaway Hudson Lab Sciences Building and, across the street, the 45-year-old, 27,000-square-foot Cason J. Callaway Science Building, updated with $4 million worth of renovations. LaGrange College

Instead of using the traditional supersized scissors, LaGrange College officially opened its $21 million science complex Friday with a chemical reaction that burned the ceremonial ribbon.

The creative ceremony symbolized the project’s purpose: produce top-notch science facilities, designed to prepare top-notch science graduates, poised for top-notch science careers.

“We began raising funds for this project in 2014,” LaGrange College president Dan McAlexander said during the ceremony, according to a news release. “Now, seven years later, this facility is going to change the future of this college and this community, transforming lives and taking students places they would have never dreamed of going.”

The project comprises two buildings: the newly constructed, $17 million, 43,000-square-foot Ida Callaway Hudson Lab Sciences Building and, across the street, the 45-year-old, 27,000-square-foot Cason J. Callaway Science Building, updated with $4 million worth of renovations.

“Both these buildings will further enhance the learning experience of every student on this campus,” said senior chemistry major Hank Barnes.

“We are so very grateful that the board and our donors recognized the need and moved to make that need a reality,” said associate professor of biology Nickie Cauthen, chairwoman of the Sciences Department.

Since 2008, the college has boosted its enrollment by about 30 percent, to approximately 1,000 students. Combined with the expansion of its nursing and exercise science programs, the college has an increasing demand for classrooms and labs, McAlexander said last February, when the project was announced.

Batson-Cook Co. of West Point is the project’s construction manager. Earl Swensson Associates of Nashville, Tenn., is the architectural firm. Bill Trivett with Chaseco LLC of Franklin, Tenn., is the owner’s representative.

Mark Rice: 706-576-6272, @markricele

This story was originally published February 20, 2017 at 7:14 PM with the headline "LaGrange College opens $$21 million science complex."

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