Demolition at Seabury Hall continues

Ivylee Rosario – News Reporter –

The demolition of the former school of business building, Seabury Hall, is well underway with the interior utilities being disconnected throughout the month of December and the demolition starting up in January 2013.

“We are very excited to see the building on the chopping block for demolition,” said James Blake, vice president for Finance and Administration. “We are happy to get the school of business out of Seabury and into a new building.”

During the month of December, the university will be disconnecting the building from the following utilities on campus: steam lines, sewer and storm lines, the electrical distribution system and the security and fire alarm systems, said Robert Sheeley, associate vice president and Capital Budgeting & Facilities Operations at Southern.

Other changes being made are removing the parking lot 12 lights and the temporary lot 12A lighting from the feed for Seabury.

“We are also using this opportunity to replace the parking lot lighting in Lot 12 with energy efficient LED lighting which will save the University approximately 70% on the cost of electricity for Lot 12,” said Sheeley. “Most of the cost for the new lighting will be paid for by the Department of Construction Services Energy Conservation Program.”

Future plans for the previous home of Seabury Hall are an additional parking lot and even further down the road around the estimated years of 2018 to 2020 there will be a new Fine Arts building occupying the space.

“We are seeing more activity when it comes to getting this building out,” said Blake. “These things take time and prepping the building is the most work out of the whole process. Some materials will be recycled and reused; the process is moving along fine and in good timing.”