21st Century Campus continues to evolve

Construction is ongoing at almost every corner as Louisiana Tech continues to build its 21st Century Campus.

If something’s not being built from scratch, it’s being refreshed, refurbished, repurposed, or repaired. 

Let’s take a quick tour:

• Most noticeable are the baseball stadium and field at its most recent location at West Alabama and Tech Drive, and the Lady Techsters soccer and softball facilities across the street and north. This is a trio that not only will make the entrance to campus from the north more striking, but also will be better than any other baseball, soccer, and softball mid-major facilities in the country. The rebuilding was necessary after each of the old facilities was in the path of the EF3 tornado that plowed through the Tech campus and Ruston community April 25, 2019. Less than two years after the tornado—and thanks to private gifts and self-generated funds that continue to supplement state and federal dollars—these destroyed facilities have evolved into a new reality behind the efficient work of Tech’s administrative team and the tremendous support from local, state, and federal leaders.
• Residential and intramural facilities are under construction west of Tech Drive and south of the railroad track. The space will feature 600 beds of new housing, multi-use green space, intramural areas, parking, and eventually a Spirit Building. The new housing at this site will be similar to the new Aswell and Dudley suites, which opened in 2018. Those suites are designed with a first floor common space—community kitchen, dining and living area, TV, and study tables—and the second and third floors of each are gender-specific bedrooms and a common area. The new housing will take the place of Mitchell, Cottingham, and Richardson dorms. Richardson has not housed students since the 1980s and is currently used by art students as studio space. Mitchell and Cottingham are housing students this year, then all three old dorms are scheduled for demolition this summer.
• Harper and Harris halls, both long in need of renovation or upgrades, have been removed to make room for more green space, pleasant walks, and noble trees that will enhance Centennial Plaza, link to the Quad, and better connect Spirit Park to the campus core.
• A block of College Street has been blocked by bollards north and south and is now green space connecting the Business Building to Keeny Hall. Eventually, walkways will be added through Keeny Circle to Business, along with a plaza and a major sculpture currently being created. The idea is in keeping with an updated perspective of the campus core—the blending of traditional and new facilities with enhanced green spaces and accessible walkways. 
• Around the corner from Business is new parking east of the new Integrated Engineering and Science Building (IESB); more enhancements coming to this location include lighting, a leg of the Rock Island Walkway, and a Smart City Testbed.
• More new parking is south of Aillet Stadium (much of it at the site of the old softball facility and Dust Bowl), east of Tech Drive and north of the railroad track, and north of University Hall; nearly 1,000 new parking spaces have been added to campus in 2020.

Construction continues on the Louisiana Tech Research Institute (LTRI) facility at National Cyber Research Park in Bossier City. Partnerships with the Cyber Innovation Center and the United States Air Force through LTRI will have major long-term economic impacts for northwest Louisiana.