Columbia Theological Seminary | Vernon S. Broyles Jr. Leadership Center

Location
Decatur, Georgia

Client
Columbia Theological Seminary

Square Footage
33,000

The upgrades and renovation to the former Simons-Law building create a more welcoming and visible front to this late 1920s building with the addition of the new bell tower. Construction consisted of two main elements: a 20,000-square-foot renovation to an existing building and a 13,000-square-foot new classroom building. The renovation portion of the work included interior demolition to the three-story building which housed the campus bookstore, classrooms, and administrative space. In addition to the interior finishes, work to the existing building included restoration to masonry and terrazzo finishes, the addition of new windows, and a synthetic slate roof.

The new single-level classroom building features lecture halls with state-of-the-art technology and distant learning capabilities. Notable to the new building is the 80-foot tall Bell Tower designed to hold future Carillon bells. The Tower lobby features reclaimed wood flooring from over 100-year-old oak trees that once stood within the new building’s footprint. The new building also features a cloister space which is utilized as an outdoor classroom as well as for school functions and celebrations.

This project is LEED Gold certified.

Awards & Recognition