THIBODAUX – The entire Bayou Region is invited to an historic occasion Saturday, Nov. 22, at Nicholls State University. Huey P. Long Hall, a residence hall for several generations of Nicholls students since the late 1960s, is scheduled to be imploded at 11 a.m.
Dubbed “Bringing Down the House,” the event will precede the Nicholls vs. Southeastern Louisiana football game in Guidry Stadium at 1 p.m. Emergency sirens will be sounded at 10:55 a.m.-5 minutes prior to the scheduled 11 a.m. implosion-and again when the implosion is over, to sound the all clear.
Brian Clausen, director of environmental health and safety, said all hazardous materials have been abated from the building and pose no health threats to the public, but attendees should expect airborne dust particles after the demolition.
“Dust control measures have been taken but cannot eliminate all particles,” Clausen said. “It is therefore recommended that any person having a history of asthma or allergic reactions to dust be prepared by wearing an approved dust respirator. The Department of Environmental Health and Safety will have a limited number on hand for distribution.”
Attendees are further encouraged to utilize Audubon Drive and Ardoyne Drive for campus access, as many campus roadways will be barricaded.
Extending the influence of Long Hall on the university community, Nicholls officials have decided to create a new Huey P. Long Hall Endowed Memorial Scholarship, to be awarded to a student living in on-campus housing.
To fund the new scholarship, raffle tickets will be available to the public for $10 each until 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22. Ticket orders can be placed via four campus offices: the Office of Alumni Affairs, (985) 448-4111; Department of Athletics, 448-4792; Office of Development, 448-4009; and Office of Institutional Advancement, 448-4005.
After a drawing at 10:30 a.m. on the day of the implosion, the individual who purchases the winning raffle ticket-and is present for the drawing-will press the button setting off the explosive charges that will bring Long Hall’s tons of steel, bricks and concrete to the ground in a cloud of dust.
Long Hall will be the fourth and final obsolete residence hall to be demolished at Nicholls this fall. The four outdated buildings-Long, Meade, Millet and Zeringue-have all been replaced with modern student housing facilities.
