Vanderbilt University is ready to begin a major renovation of Kirkland Hall — the distinctive brick and stone tower that nears its 150th birthday and is perhaps the most iconic structure on the campus.
The university has landed a permit, valued at almost $20.8 million, to undertake the effort. Centric Architecture is handling design work, with Barge Cauthen and Associates overseeing engineer duties. Both companies are Nashville based.
The project’s completion date goal is spring 2023, with the Nashville office of Skanska serving as general contractor.
Kirkland Hall opened in 1875, initially accommodating the entirety of Vanderbilt classrooms and laboratories. After a fire in 1906, the structure was rebuilt with a 170-foot clock tower (see here). It continues to anchor the historic and central part of the VU campus, clearly visible from West End Avenue.
Originally called “Main Building,” the structure was renamed in 1937 to honor James Hampton Kirkland (Vanderbilt’s second chancellor) and his wife, Mary Henderson Kirkland.
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