Jacksonville State University dedicates new business building, rebuilt 4 years after tornado outbreak

Jacksonville State University (JSU) dedicated its new Hugh D. Merrill Hall business building this week, three years after the original Merrill Hall was destroyed by an EF-3 tornado on March 19, 2018.

Here is a story about that fateful evening that appeared in Bham Now.

New Amenities

JSU President Don C. Killingsworth, Jr. described the building’s newest features:

“We settled upon a design that honors the original building but provides all the new features and latest technology not available when the building was first constructed in 1970. The result was a modern twist on the historic campus icon.”

The new 105,000-square-foot building is built on the same footprint as its predecessor.

The building features:

• 300-seat auditorium
• Three-story atrium and common space
• 12 academic classrooms
• Finance Lab
• In-house Career Development Center
• Job interview rooms
• Team working areas for group projects
• Faculty and staff offices 
• Coffee shop

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, the cousin of Rep. Hugh D. Merrill, the building’s namesake, was among the speakers at a dedication ceremony held in the new building’s three-story atrium. 

Home to College of Business and Industry

Merrill Hall is home to the JSU College of Business and Industry and houses the Departments of Applied Engineering, Communication, Management and Marketing, and Finance, Economics and Accounting. 

Do you remember when the tornado struck the JSU campus back in 2018? Tell us what that night was like on our social media by tagging us @Thebamabuzz