Anyone who has ever visited LSU’s campus has likely seen the monstrous building known as Edmund Kirby Smith Hall.
The 13-story building has been providing housing to students since it was built in 1965. While walking on campus, one can clearly see that Kirby Smith Hall is not harmonious with the motif of other architectural structures at LSU, which is why the building catches the eyes of many.
Throughout its years of operation, the hall has collected a variety of different nicknames. Ranging anywhere from “The Hospital” to “Dirty Kirby,” students have coined these names to describe the condition and appearance of the building.
Being one of the older dormitory halls on campus, some students have been wondering when Kirby Smith will be taken out of operation. Rumors have been circulating around campus in regards to when the building will stop housing students. Despite this, students are still living in the hall.
“Kirby Smith Hall is currently in our inventory and students are living there now,” Catherine David, Associate Director of Communications and Development for Residential Life, said.
As the dorm hall continues to age, its days of being in operation could be coming to an end.
“Our plan is to retire Kirby Smith Hall after this semester now that we have the two new residence halls, Camellia Hall and Azalea Hall, built and ready for fall 2021,” David said.
Camellia Hall, located on the east side of campus near the 459 Commons dining hall, UREC and Barnes & Noble at LSU, has five floors which will be coed.
Azalea Hall, located next to Camellia Hall, is also five floors and will be coed.
These two halls will help LSU turn the page on the operation of older dorm halls which are falling into disrepair due to old age.
Although Kirby Smith has an aging feeling to it, it’s not alone. Herget Hall and Miller Hall have both been housing students for decades as well. A decision has yet to be made in regards to these two halls.
At the start of the 2020 Fall semester, LSU welcomed its largest freshman class in history. The University requires first year students to live on-campus, unless they’re living at home near the University or over the age of 21.
With a large influx of students, Residential Life found itself in overflow mode. Because of this, roughly 40 students moved into Kirby Smith Hall on Aug. 17.
Kirby Smith Hall can house up to 734 students. It was closed from 2006 to 2011 for a $1.7 million renovation. Since its reopening, the hall has experienced a couple issues including one instance where students had to find temporary housing because a bathroom flush valve failed in October 2017.
Political communication junior Bryce Billiot lived at Kirby Smith his freshman year and said he thinks it’s time that the University stops housing students in the dorm hall.
“I would say it’s probably time to take Kirby Smith Hall out of operation,” Billiot said. “There was really nothing wrong with it while I was living there, but LSU keeps building new housing and Kirby is super old so I doubt it has much longer before it becomes a real issue.”
