Groundbreaking Ceremony for Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation is Thursday
Architect's concept of the Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation at A-State
JONESBORO – A groundbreaking ceremony will take place at Arkansas State University at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, for the Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation. The event will take place south of the Fine Arts Center at the future home of the new addition to campus.
Windgate Hall is funded through a $25 million gift from the Windgate Foundation, which designates $20 million be used for construction and $5 million for building maintenance. In addition, $3.2 million in institutional reserves will be used to complete the project.
The Windgate Foundation is the university’s largest single benefactor in its 115-year history with endowments totaling more than $40 million.
Speaking at the ceremony will be Chancellor Todd Shields, building architects, A-State faculty members and students. Attending the ceremony will be Robyn Horn, chair of the Windgate Board, and Pat Forgy, executive director of the Windgate Foundation.
When completed, the 38,887 square-foot Windgate Hall will house spaces for the Department of Art + Design and the College of Engineering and Computer Science, which will be used to support creative and learning activities for students.
The new facility will be just west of the Windgate Center for Three-Dimensional Arts, which was completed in 2021. Following the groundbreaking ceremony, tours of that building will be available for attendees.
The planned completion date for the new facility is slated for 2026.
