LSU’s Kirby Smith Hall Scheduled for Demolition
February 18, 2022
BATON ROUGE – Preparations are underway for the demolition of Kirby Smith Hall – a storied residence hall on LSU’s campus – with a controlled implosion the morning
of Saturday, June 4, 2022.
More than 20,000 LSU students have called Kirby Smith Hall home since 1967. The building also served as transition headquarters for two Louisiana governors – Gov. Bobby Jindal in 2007 and current Gov. John Bel Edwards. The opening of two new residence halls on campus – Camellia and Azalea Halls – replace the beds used in Kirby Smith Hall, allowing for its retirement.
The implosion of the 13-story residence hall is being overseen by Lemoine Company, Lloyd D. Nabors Demolition, and Controlled Demolition Inc., a national leader in large-structure controlled demolition. The approximately 15-minute implosion will create a dust cloud and loud noise and will necessitate temporary road and sidewalk closures.
University and Baton Rouge police will be on site, and an exclusion perimeter will be established to keep the public at a safe distance. Occupants of buildings within close proximity to the implosion will be evacuated or mandated to remain indoors. Once the implosion and checks to the site and surrounding areas are complete, traffic will reopen and mandatory restrictions will be lifted.
More information will be provided in the weeks leading up to the implosion.
Alumni are invited to share their Kirby Smith memories in at lsu.edu/kirbysmith.
Commemorative bricks will be available for purchase staring in April to support the LSU Student Emergency Support Fund.