Get out of Towns

Towns Religion Hall to be demolished in 2017 to build new school of business

Towns Religion Hall, located in the center of Liberty University’s campus, will be demolished after 2017 Commencement in order to create a space for the new school
of business.

Vice President of Major Construction Alan Askew said other locations on campus were considered for the new building, but the driving force behind this decision was the central location that currently hosts Towns Religion Hall.

“We talked about different locations on campus, but with the school of business serving an academic function, we did not want to get it too far away from the heart of the academic precinct,” Askew said.

Askew said with the construction projects that are currently underway on campus, there will no longer be a need for the
current location.

“In the long-term master plan, we always planned for a building to be in that location, and with the campus Freedom Tower containing the school of divinity, there wasn’t a need for the Towns building being the religion hall anymore,” Askew said.

Many classes currently held in Towns are already being dispersed to other buildings such as DeMoss Hall, but the bulk will be moved to the new Freedom Tower.

The new school of business is expected to be completed in the fall of 2018 with functioning classes possible in January 2019.

Business student Emily Bledsoe said she is excited for the new location of the school of business because it will bring unity to the department.

“With future students, I project that it will help them focus better and help the school of business feel more like a whole,” Bledsoe said.

“I also think it will make professor and student relationships stronger, because currently the professors’ offices are all the way at Green Hall.”

Towns Religion Hall was dedicated to Dr. Elmer Towns, co-founder of the university, in 1982.

Overall, he spent 30 years of his ministry at Liberty.

Askew said the university is taking special care to assure this dedication is not forgotten.

“When you have a building that’s named after someone, especially someone as important to the legacy of our school as Dr. Towns, you take care to ensure that reverence is carried on,” Askew said.

“At this point, that determination has not been decided, but is under discussion.”

Towns said in an email that he is glad to have been part of the ministry.

“I praise God for 30 years of ministry in the Towns Religion Hall,” Towns said.

“Also, I am glad to have been a part of the ministry in that building in training young champions for Christ.”

“I look forward to ministering through the new school of divinity,” Towns said.

“I pray that the spirit of Liberty will continue to capture the hearts of Liberty students and most of all that the command of the Great Commission would be carried out by all students.”

Conley is a news reporter.