Athens State University held a groundbreaking ceremony this morning to kick off the renovation of Carter Hall.

The renovated and expanded Carter Hall will serve as a vibrant hub for both campus and community life, offering flexible spaces for academic programs, public events, and collaborative engagement. This revitalized facility reflects Athens State’s ongoing commitment to creating welcoming, innovative environments that support learning, connection, and service.

“This project has been long anticipated and will have a lasting impact on our students, city, county, region, and state,” said Dr. Catherine Wehlburg, President of Athens State University. “What excites me most is not just the construction and the renovation of the building, it’s what it represents. Carter Hall symbolizes the strength of partnership – the county, the state, the city, and Athens State and beyond coming together to meet the growing needs of our community. Today is about much more than bricks and mortar – it’s about opportunity, collaboration, and the future that we’re building together.”

The current vision for Carter Hall includes constructing 19,600 square feet of new space on the south side of the structure (facing Hobbs Street) and 8,100 square feet of new space on the north side (facing Pryor Street). Additionally, the renovation of gym space would create seating capacity for approximately 1,100 individuals and would include movable partitions to allow for multiple event configurations to occur simultaneously. The plans also include a multi-purpose space on the north side with a seating capacity of approximately 700. 

“Exactly ten months ago today, my grandfather, Tommy Carter, passed from this life”, said Dr. Gil Carter, Tommy Carter’s grandson. “As we’ve been going through his possessions, we found an old newspaper article. They asked him: ‘In your years of service, what was your toughest fight you ever had on your hands?’ And he said, ‘Saving Athens College.’ To see his name here, I think about not just him, but the qualities he possessed and that he would want everyone at this university to possess: resilience, grit, and determination, and the ability of one person to make a difference.”

Athens State sent a special thanks to its construction and architect partners Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC), Building Construction Associates, and Martin & Cobey. Additionally, the university thanked the City of Athens, the Limestone County Commission, and legislative delegates for their unwavering support and partnership.

The project is expected to be completed in 18-24 months.