Last week, ULM issued a contract to commence a total renovation of Sugar Hall. Built in 1971, Sugar Hall has hosted classes for health science majors for over 40 years.
University facilities director Michael Davis states that Sugar Hall renovations will include extensive interior remodeling.
“The contractor will pretty much gut the inside of the building and build the new floor plan,” Davis said. “Students can expect all new finishes and furnishing [and] new labs for instruction.”
According to Davis, the contractors will build a state-of-the-art laboratory on the third floor of Sugar Hall.
Along with a new laboratory, ULM will move the dental hygiene lab from Caldwell Hall to the second floor of Sugar Hall.
ULM selected Don M. Barron Contractor Inc., a Farmerville-based contracting company, to complete the renovations. The university awarded the company a bid of approximately $30.22 million.
According to Davis, the state will fund the renovation project following the passage of HB2. In 2024, the state legislature established the Louisiana HB2 Capital Outlay budget, which designates projects and provides funding.
Since the university issued the contract last week, Davis could only estimate when construction would start.
“We should have a meeting soon to set a schedule,” Davis said. “But I would say it will start before the end of the year.”
During the Faculty Senate regular meeting in October, ULM President Ron Berry told senators the university had hoped to begin work in October or November of this year.
However, preparing the project took longer than expected for the university. Berry projected that construction would begin in January.
According to Davis, the contractor would have 400 days to complete the project. If construction is not delayed, Sugar Hall may reopen for the 2026 spring semester.
While construction is in progress, students will attend classes in other buildings.
“The college has made arrangements to move classes to various buildings that can accommodate what they need,” Davis said.
Medical laboratory science major Claire Alford explained her concerns over the length of the renovation project.
“Due to past construction projects going over their allotted time, I am not confident about Sugar Hall being fully renovated by Spring 2026,” Alford said. I hope the building will be finished so I can get the full experience at ULM.”
Correction: The total project, rather than the company bid, is $30.22 million as previously reported. In addition to a state-of-the-art laboratory, the renovation on the third floor of Sugar Hall will include classrooms with updated learning technologies. Official have not released an expected date of completion.
