The demolition of the University of North Alabama’s LaGrange Hall has been completed, the site of the former dormitory now filled with rubble and machinery. With this step complete, the university will now be able to begin carrying out plans for the creation of additional housing.
In the most updated Campus Master Plan, which was released in 2019, the university released plans for the future of the former LaGrange Hall, as well as other plans for construction projects around UNA.
“The University of North Alabama experience begins with our campus community and the educational setting we create for our students,” said UNA President Dr. Ken Kitts in UNA’s 2019 Campus Master Plan. “As a growing and dynamic institution, we continue to seek ways to attract students who seek a quality education through active, engaged learning inside and outside the classroom.”
Part of creating a better experience for students includes the creation of new housing to replace LaGrange Hall. Plans for additional housing have been in place since the university made the decision to completely demolish LaGrange.
The university’s original plan, as outlined in the 2019 Campus Master Plan, would result in a 210 bed dormitory and was estimated to cost somewhere from $9.6 million to $11 million.
“The… renovation of LaGrange Hall [will yield] 210 beds of multi-generational housing, including honors and academic program communities,” reads the Campus Master Plan. “In addition, a pass-through lobby will be designed to provide a threshold from Shelby Way to the residential communities to create a better path and visual connection between the two neighborhoods.”
The new dormitory is currently predicted to cost around $24 million, with the future residence hall having just under 200 beds.
Demolition officially started in September of 2023, causing some frustrations for students and staff who had to find alternative routes to navigate the construction. Students, faculty and staff alike are excited to see what is next in the construction of UNA’s new dormitory.
