NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

11/02/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -A proposed renovation plan for East and West Caspari halls at Northwestern State University has been altered.

The state's Interim Emergency Board voted to allow a request to shift funding from renovating both facilities to the demolition and rebuilding of West Caspari Hall to create a "one stop" student services facility. The request has also been approved by the State Board of Regents and the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System. The proposal must also be approved by the state legislature in a mail ballot.

University and state officials working on the project determined the previous plan would not meet the expectations of the project and that East Caspari was worth rehabilitating while the newer West Caspari had no redeeming features worth preserving.

East Caspari was built in 1939 and West Caspari was constructed in 1960 in a style that is not consistent with the older building. Both East and West Caspari were used as campus residence halls. West Caspari was closed more than a decade ago and East Caspari has not been used since 2002.

The amended project would demolish and rebuild West Caspari to create offices for non-academic areas of university providing student services. A project to renovate East Caspari would begin when funding is available.

East Caspari is one of the oldest buildings on the Northwestern campus. University officials consulted with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training and local preservation groups in assessing future uses for the facility. Over the past decade, Northwestern has sought to preserve and modernize its older buildings with significant architectural value.

Currently, NSU has offices handling student services in Roy Hall, South Hall and the Friedman Student Union. A recent study by the nationally recognized consulting firm of Noel Levitz concluded that these offices should be relocated to one central location to serve students more effectively.

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