Tatum Court: Hoisting the clock tower
William Carey University hoisted the clock tower at new Tatum Court on Aug. 30.
In a symbolic moment, William Carey University hoisted the clock tower at new Tatum Court on Aug. 30. The three-story, 30,000-square-foot administrative complex is under construction at the heart of WCU’s Hattiesburg campus.
An EF3 tornado swept through campus in January 2017, destroying six buildings, including Tatum Court. The destroyed buildings also included Ross Hall dormitory, Johnson Hall dormitory, Ross Anatomy Lab, 512 Tuscan (which housed Lucile Parker Gallery and apartments) and a commercial building WCU had purchased with the intention of tearing it down to make room for an educational facility. Of the remaining buildings, all but one was heavily damaged.
A year and a half later, new Tatum Court is the final construction project in WCU’s tornado recovery.
New Tatum Court will house 47 offices, five conference rooms and dozens of workrooms, storage rooms, restrooms, and mechanical/electrical rooms. The third floor will be almost entirely devoted to a conference center and catering kitchen, allowing WCU to host large university and community gatherings.
New Tatum Court is scheduled to open in December.
