Caroline Cook

The building is more than 100 years old, and it's showing its age. Old Main, in many ways, defines the history and tradition of Texas State, but the building needs major renovation. Considering the drought we've had for several months in Central Texas, rain would be welcomed. But for the folks who work and attend classes at Old Main, they have reason to be glad it's a beautiful sunny day. Old Main may be a recognizable symbol for Texas State University, but it's also a leaky, old building. The university is planning to put a new roof on the place and repair the windows. The director of facilities for the university, Michael Petty, says the renovations will cost millions of dollars to complete. And as you can see, there's a lot to be done. Some offices and possibly some classrooms -- used mainly by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication -- will have to be vacated temporarily while construction crews and roofers do their work. You can expect to see a large crane moved to the top of Chautauqua Hill to do the roofing work. The project will likely begin next summer. So, Old Main is going to look quite different next year, but the renovations will definitely be worth it to preserve the structure. We can all hope that students 100 years from now will be able to appreciate its role in Texas State history.