Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., has broken ground on a $44 million academic building.
The university says the 73,200-square-foot Alost Hall will replace John S. Kyser Hall, constructed in 1968, as the university’s main academic building.
The new facility will feature large multipurpose classrooms that can open into one large multifunctional area, simulation laboratories for graduate and undergraduate nursing and anesthesia programs, a social work/psychology clinic and training area, a café, a dozen 30-person classrooms, two 40-person classrooms and three 50-person classrooms.
The building will have space for 60 offices and an administrative office suite that could include spaces for deans, department heads, administrative assistants, a large conference room and reception area.
Dr. Jim Henderson, president of the University of Louisiana System and a past president of Northwestern State, says Louisiana is experiencing a renaissance in higher education and that when complete, Alost Hall will be the preeminent academic building in the state.
The facility has been named for Robert Alost, who was president of the university from 1986 to 1996. Before that, he was a faculty member, department head and dean.
