The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation recently presented Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College with the “Excellence in Rehabilitation” award for the renovation of King Hall, a building constructed in 1939.

“We didn’t make any major changes to the building’s original architectural design or structure,” Melvin Merrill, director of capital planning for ABAC, said. “However, we did have to design and build an interior elevator to make the building ADA accessible.  All mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems were replaced throughout King Hall to adhere to today’s building standards.”

The “Excellence in Rehabilitation” award recognizes a project that makes compatible use of a building through repair, alteration, or additions while preserving features of the property that convey its historic value.

“In a prior renovation the windows had been replaced with nontraditional windows,” Merrill said.  “In our most recent renovation we replaced all windows with custom replica windows that more closely represent the historical features of the original structure.”

Merrill said there were no major challenges that surfaced during the renovation phase, and the project was completed on schedule. When it reopened for the 2017 fall semester, King Hall became the new home for the School of Arts and Sciences with fully equipped state of the art classrooms and faculty offices.

Garbutt Construction handled construction work on the $1.8 million renovation project, and McCall Architecture provided design and architectural expertise. The building now has six classrooms, 12 offices, and an elevator.  Renovation only took place on the interior; the original exterior bricks remain in place.