The view from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s new Student Union, and around nearby Cypress Lake, will improve considerably in coming weeks.
Demolition has begun on Guillory, Lafayette and Vermilion halls. The outdated, unused buildings, near the intersection of Hebrard Boulevard and Boucher Street, are being razed to clear the way for green space.
Construction crews gutted the interiors of the three buildings in recent weeks, separating recyclable materials from debris. Workers using heavy equipment will begin tearing down the structures in coming days.
Wayne Domingue, a project manager at Architects Southwest, said the firm is collaborating with the University’s Office of Facilities Management to design a landscaped plaza with sitting areas where the buildings now stand.
“We’re developing a concept that will convert the area into a gathering place for students,” Domingue said.
Construction and renovation work to update and expand the Student Union was completed early last semester.