45-year old Harris Hall opens after 3-year renovation project

After being closed for three years, the 45-year-old Thomas H. Harris Hall has been fully renovated and reopened for the Fall 2001 semester.
“My mission for T.H. Harris was to make it the heartbeat of the campus,” said Frank Lassiter, owner, Frank Lassiter & Associates. Lassiter said it took careful planning to make it “a one stop shop for students to get their needs met” and that the building has been upgraded for today’s standards.
The $2.9 million-dollar renovation was completed by Lassiter’s company and was guided by the facility planning coordinators Larry McGhee and Eli Guillory.
“It was time for a renovation,” said Mary Wells, facilities planner, Southern University Department of Facilities Planning, “The renovation ridded the building of asbestos and upgraded many important features in the building.”
The two story building, located across from the Smith Brown Memorial Union, has newly added features, including energy efficient windows that help control temperature, elevators and doors for handicap accessibility, and upgraded wiring systems.
The level of safety has also been upgraded. Along with sprinklers an alarm system that can communicate with monitoring computers in other locations in case of a fire.
“I really like the way they fixed the building, It’s a really great improvement from what I remember,” said Steve Hartford, a senior marketing major from Dallas.
Bill Hanna, a secretary from the Department of English also stated the renovation helps him in his daily workload because he “does not have to go on a campus hike” to get the information needed.
“Majority of the students I’ve seen even have a better attitude due to the availability and close proximity of everything,” Hanna also said.
The Department of Admissions, Registrars Office, Graduate School, Office of Student Media Services, Title III Grant Office, The Center for Service Learning, and the English Department are all located in T.H. Harris.
New carpet, office furniture, and lighting were added to every department, said Wells, and all classrooms and labs were moved to the 2nd floor to meet administrative needs.
The General Classroom Building now called T. H. Harris Hall plans were first accepted by the state in 1956 and was completed in1958 by builder A. Hayes Town. One of the first buildings on the campus, it was named after Thomas H. Harris.
Harris once served as the principal of Opelousas High School, principal of Winsboro High School, instructor in the Preparatory Department of the State University, and a school superintendent in the city of Baton Rouge.