“I know it costs a lot of money, but I think tearing it down will be beneficial.” Shiloh Quintana, junior nutrition major
	“It’s about time. It should have been torn down when we lived there in ’93.” Raymond Brooks, MSU grad ’94, ’96
	“It’s an eye sore; no one lives there and it is just taking up space.” Brittany Pruett, senior communication major

After years of sitting empty, Suttle Hall is slated to be demolished at the end of the spring 2010. Mississippi State University administrators have finalized funds for its raze and the proposal now moves toward final approval.
The plan now goes for approval by university President Mark Keenum and the IHL board of commissioners.
Sitting vacant for more than three years, the building has long been seen as an eyesore by students, staff and visitors to the university.
Director of MSU Housing and Residence Life Ann Bailey said plans for the building’s demolition have been on the table for a quite some time.
“It was really a matter of getting all of our ducks in a row and trying to take down a building which has a lot of steel and concrete in a safe way,” Bailey said. “We will consult with a demolition company to make sure not too much dust goes into the air.”
Bailey said the destruction and clean-up process is expected to take four to six weeks with completion predicted before the beginning of the fall 2010 semester.
Funding for the project, Bailey said, will be provided by the Education Bond Cooperation bond money the university obtained through the new residence hall being constructed on the south side of campus.
“Suttle Hall has come to really outlive its usefulness, and the infrastructure is in really bad shape,” Bailey said. “It now houses storage for various departments on campus, and of course, everyone will be given adequate time to remove their items.”
Tim Muzzi, associate director of architectural planning and construction, said the university can do a lot of things after Suttle is taken down.
“There has been discussion about a new classroom building going up in that area,” Muzzi said. “Depending on the university’s master plan it could also be a park-like area, too.”
Muzzi said he expects the building to be taken down with a wrecking ball.
“Of course, it depends on the construction company’s advice, but I do not see them imploding the building,” he said. “I would think they would use a wrecking ball like they did with Hamlin Hall not too long ago.”
Steven Brown, 2007 MSU graduate, lived and worked in Suttle Hall as a desk worker for two years. Brown said the seven -floor residence hall may have lacked aesthetic appeal but was a major part of his time at State.
“Most days weren’t exactly a walk in the park [at Suttle], but the people and experiences I had there helped make me who I am today,” Brown said. “It was a dump, but it was my home.”
Brown lived on the third floor of the building and said it lacked the luxuries seen in current MSU residence halls.
“The worst part for me was the condition of the bathrooms,” Brown said. “There was little to no privacy, and the shower heads would fall off randomly while you were showering.”
With the fall of one residence hall goes the construction of another on the south side of campus. Bailey said the new hall’s construction is behind schedule due to heavy rains but is still expected to open by the start of the next school year.
“We will have construction going on during weekends and after 5 p.m. to make sure it’s ready to go by move-in day 2010,” she said.
These large-scale construction projects will undoubtedly fuel speculation about a parking garage being built behind the old YMCA building.
Muzzi said the chances of a garage are coming closer to reality.
“We are now entertaining the idea of a parking deck which has been talked about for a long time,” Muzzi said. “I would say we are getting close to start taking steps in the creation of one.”