FAMU celebrated the reopening of Sampson & Young Halls with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of an energetic crowd of students, alumni, and staffers.FAMU closed the two dormitories in 2003 due to various building code violations. Now, after about eight years and $13.5M in renovations, the buildings are home to more than 250 young men.
The project actually came in under its original, estimated $14.2M budget.
On September 19, 2010, Rattler Nation broke the news that FAMU had received a $700,000 federal grant to help renovate Sampson. The university secured bonds to cover the rest of the costs associated with bringing Sampson and Young up to code.
During the ceremony, FAMU President James H. Ammons recounted his own fond memories as a one-time resident of Room #111 in Sampson Hall. After the ribbon-cutting, he visited the student who currently lives in his former home-away-from-home.
Sampson (1938) and Young (1929) Halls are located on the main campus west of Coleman Library and off Pender Drive. The newly renovated buildings feature a mix of social spaces and amenities such as lounges, public ADA restrooms, kitchenettes, state-of-the-art laundry rooms, storage facilities, computer labs, and offices.