Hill Hall, which formerly held the physical and life science departments, has been vacant for the past three years.
The building closed March 2005 when science classes were moved to the newly built Wilveria Bass Atkinson Science Building.
According to Dick Kabis, Director of Facilities Planning and Engineering, the building will be fully renovated with an elevator and administrative offices.
Construction on the building was set to begin 2007, but now it is unclear when construction will start because of university budget changes.
“It [Hill Hall] has to be prepared properly to bring it into current compliance for office spaces,” Kabis said.
“Hill Hall is not fit for use at the present time. There is an abatement issue to address concerning asbestos and lead paint.”
For the past three years, Hill Hall and the greenhouse behind it have been vacant.
There has been a proposal to use the greenhouse to store band instruments but according to Kabis the proposal was not feasible.
Junior Colleen Sellers said she believes that the greenhouse should be used.
“The greenhouse should be utilized,” said Sellers who took a class in Hill Hall around 1990. “I would love to work in the greenhouse. I think they should grow food in there and give it out to ministries that feed the poor or donate it to somebody who will use it.”
The roof of Hill Hall is a planetarium which was once used for astronomy. When the W.B. Atkinson Science Building was rebuilt the planetarium was not. The dome is the only one on campus. Hill Hall, built in 1965 was named in honor of James S. Hill. Hill raised funds for the Slater Industrial Academy.
Slater Industrial Academy was the former name of Winston-Salem State University when it was founded in 1892.