Benedict College Brings Home Historic Columbia Award

As many of us know, the maintenance and code and systems modernization of historic buildings pose a major challenge. Combine that with economic realities of performing work on several historic buildings simultaneously in need of repair at a small historically black college also dealing with the realities and economic challenges of attracting and retaining students through a pandemic – it would be easy to push aside these improvements for other initiatives.

That, however, has not been the case at Benedict College. Under the strong leadership of its president, Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, Benedict is performing historic repairs and upgrades on ALL five of the historic buildings that compose its national register historic district. Benedict College has embraced the character of their buildings by diligently seeking and managing grant funding from the National Parks Service and matching with their own resources to advance these projects. Through this effort the team of BOUDREAUX, LCK, and Hood Construction has been honored to partner with them in project management, design and construction and we have witnessed first-hand Benedict’s commitment and perseverance. There is no question Benedict is demonstrating exceptional preservation leadership to the benefit of our city and its students and alumni. The student experience and sense of pride is enhanced through the improved campus character and through the celebration of campus history these buildings proudly represent.

Morgan Hall is part of a five building National Register Historic District at the heart of Benedict College’s campus. Its rehabilitation will preserve the 1895 structure for future generations. Originally built as the President’s House and the oldest remaining building, Morgan Hall will become home to Institutional Advancement upon completion of the work. Funded by the National Park Service’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Grant Program, we are guiding the process in keeping with requirements. Sensitive to the historic character, work will include:

New mechanical and plumbing systems
Upgrades to electrical, fire alarm, and fire suppression systems
Restoration of hardwood floors
Restoration of windows
Repair of exterior woodwork

Morgan Hall is 9,500 square feet with three stories and a basement. To reduce construction costs and support Benedict’s goals, we are supporting their efforts to self-perform some of the work and to guide the efforts of multiple sub-contractors.