Breaking ground
on the new dining hall Nov. 15 were (from left) Rusty Jergins, assistant
vice president of student life; Wanda Mercer, vice president of student
life; Casey Hogan, student government association president; Dennis P.
McCabe, Tarleton president; and Deborah Hardt, architectural project manager
with the A&M System. (Photo by Katy Thompson)
(Stephenville)—Tarleton State University administrators, Texas A&M University System officials, representatives from the Kirksey Architecture and Satterfield & Pontikes General Contractor firms celebrated the ground breaking of the new student dining facility Nov. 15.
Blustery weather didn’t dampen the excitement of those involved in the opportunity to officially mark the beginning of the work on the proposed 42,0000-square-foot facility.
The new dining facility will replace the existing dining structure, which was built in 1928. Tarleton’s current dining hall only accommodates approximately 350 students at one time, whereas the new facility will have a capacity of 700 students.
For student convenience, the new dining hall will be an extension of the Barry B. Thompson Student Center. The nearly $13-million facility will have two floors, a convenience store, executive meeting rooms and a café with Internet capabilities.
The new dining hall is scheduled for completion
in January 2008 and will bring to an end the 80 years of service for the
old building. 