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New plans revealed to complete fourth floor construction
Fourth Floor — Renovations have begun on the fourth floor of DeMoss. The floor was previously unfinished and is anticipated to be completed by the end of next year. Photo Credit: Ashley Elia.
Renovations continue as Liberty University continues to celebrate 40 years of growth.
The construction that has begun on the fourth floor of DeMoss is a continuation of a series of projects that have been gradually completed over the years.
Although there has been much speculation regarding the recent construction, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. confirmed that the construction on the fourth floor is part of a series of projects that will continue to usher Liberty into its “new era.”
Over the next several years the administration plans to demolish the buildings which house the Teacher Education hall, Science Hall, Performing Arts hall as well as the other halls located behind DeMoss.
“Those buildings were never intended to be permanent,” Falwell said. “As the school grew at such an exponential rate we did not have the opportunity to move the programs.”
The programs, which are currently located in those buildings, are temporarily being moved to the fourth floor of DeMoss, with the exception of programs that are to receive freestanding buildings.
The classrooms are being relocated in order to prepare for future plans of a grand yard which will potentially span from the back of DeMoss to the new freestanding library, according to Falwell.
“The construction on the fourth floor of DeMoss is the first phase of the major ‘campus facelift,’” Falwell said.
Liberty’s director of planning and construction Charles Spence agrees that the renovations will assist in propelling the university forward.
With the academic changes beginning to take place, Falwell said the administration is re-evaluating the need for space and the department zoning.
“We are going to be changing, not cutting back, just changing,” Spence said.
Along with the buildings behind DeMoss being demolished, the Schilling Center will also be removed in the near future, potentially sometime during fall 2011, according to Spence.
The Hangar will remain where it is until the construction of the Library is completed, according to Spence.
“We looked at 10 to 15 different libraries built by universities over the past 10 years, and we found that the majority of them actually had food courts located inside of the library,” Falwell said.
The majority of the food providers located in the Hangar will be moved to the Library as soon as its construction is completed.
At this point in time there is not an approximate date as to when these projects will be completed.