Important leaders from across the state descended on campus Tuesday to watch and participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for Talley Student Center.
University and state leaders had front row seats to the continuation of the $120 million project. Although demolition of buildings that once stood on the site – including the bookstore and C-store – has concluded, the ceremony marked the start of new construction.
Concept development and design began in 2008. Peter Barnes, a senior in political science and member of the building committee, has been involved since the beginning.
“[The building committee] is the body that guides the project all the way from concept to finished product,” Barnes said. “We want to make sure the project embodies what the University wants to see.”
The new Talley will be a haven for students, as its amenities will be catered to students’ wants and needs. One of Barnes’ responsibilities on the committee has been to make sure students get what they want.
“I’m a student member, so part of my responsibility is making sure that the students’ voices are actually heard in all of this,” Barnes said.
Funding for the project currently comes from student fees. Jonathon Smith, president of Student Centers Board of Directors, pleaded with attendees to “consider contributing financially” during his speech.
“This is the project that students will have the most investment in because it is a student center, and not an academic building. Eventually we are going to start a program where we will find donors, but right now students are having to pay most of the cost of the project,” Smith said.
Talley is currently the largest, most expensive project on campus, according to Smith. There are no plans to begin anything that rivals it in size, scope and cost.
Among those in attendance was the building’s namesake Banks Talley. He was the vice chancellor for Student Affairs before Tom Stafford. Talley retains an office on the third floor of the old building; the placard outside his door reads vice chancellor emeritus of Student Affairs.
Chancellor Randy Woodson, Provost Warwick Arden, Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance Charles Leffler and others moved a small amount of dirt using shovels in a pile located outside of the construction site.
Continuing her blitz on first-week events, Student Body President Chandler Thompson joined the chancellor and crowd. The men’s a cappella group Grains of Time sung the alma mater as attendees sang along in whispers.
Project contributors, such as construction crews, then took turns “turning the dirt” in groups.
Although high profile figures comprised a good portion of the crowd, students also came out to the standing room-only event. Abbi Davis, a sophomore in agricultural business, left the Student Government retreat to attend. She arrived early and got to sit in one of the limited number of chairs set up.
“It’s going to be very exciting when Talley gets built. There is going to be so much that happens here,” Davis said. “I will be [at N.C. State] for a while, and I will come here to study. The impact that it’s going to have on student life is going to cover all aspects of the University.”
Ice cream, cake and other snacks were served on the second floor of the old Talley immediately following the groundbreaking. The new building’s lead design principal Turan Duda chatted with guests in a room filled with storyboards depicting the changes to come.
On the second floor were two former student body presidents including the 2010-11 SBP Kelly Hook. SBPs dating back to 2008 have invested large amounts of time in getting the project to the point where it currently stands.
