Construction for a new Engineering and Science Complex will begin in November. The West Brothers Construction Company will build the complex on Hardy Road which is currently a gravel parking lot.
According to Heyward Bell, senior architect for the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, the construction is estimated to last 540 days and should be ready for use by January 2021.
“It will take us another month to get contracts,” Bell said. “We should get a notice to proceed mid-October.”
West Brothers Construction Company’s bid was $26 million, and the complex’s total project funding is $34 million.
“We are way under our estimated construction budget,” Bell said.
The 70,160-square-foot complex will be the new home of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and will house classrooms, teaching and research labs, offices and study spaces.
According to the Mississippi Bid Network, Eley Guild Hardy Architects, which is based out of Jackson, is the designer of the project.
“The design reflects the style and architecture of Lee Hall,” Bell said.
President Mark Keenum said he is planning an official groundbreaking ceremony in November.
“Mississippi State is a national leader in engineering education and research, and the Bagley College of Engineering is recognized globally for its innovative programs and the exceptional quality of its graduates,” said Keenum. “The new Richard A. Rula Engineering and Science Complex is an investment that represents our ongoing commitment to providing our students, faculty and staff with the resources they need to be successful in an increasingly competitive world.”