SALISBURY — Salisbury University and the Salisbury Regional Airport were on Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s agenda during an Oct. 10 tour of Wicomico County.
Groundbreaking ceremonies celebrating the renovation of the university’s Blackwell Hall and the expansion of a runway for the airport were attended by Moore, business leaders and local, state and federal officials.
Salisbury University renovations
Blackwell Hall, the campus library from 1957 to 2016, is part of a $60 million renovation project that will make it the hub for student services on campus. The project began last summer, with visible demolition of portions of the building taking place earlier this fall, according to college officials.
The historic building will house the admissions office including a greeting and gathering space for campus tours and open houses. When completed in 2026, it will also house the university’s Counseling Center, Advising Center, Registrar’s Office, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Dean of Students Office and more.
“Time and again Gov. Moore took the time to understand the investment in this project,” Salisbury University President Carolyn Ringer Lepre said during the Oct. 10 ceremony. “This project, our project, wasn’t just a line item for him. … He increased the funding to account for the rising costs due to inflation and ensured that this important project remained on time, maintained the scope of the project to provide the necessary support services we want to provide and that it meets the highest standards for environmental sustainability.”
Salisbury University officials said as part of the project, geothermal fields are being installed beneath Holloway Hall Lawn. Upon its completion, Blackwell Hall is expected to be one of the first net-zero buildings in the University System of Maryland, operating with a zero net carbon footprint due to $19.2 in additional state funding to help meet the heightened environmental standards.
“Blackwell Hall will be a model for how our colleges and how are universities can create stronger communities and stronger bonds that might start on campus but that will stay strong long after you all leave,” Moore said.