Avery Harris

Lockerman Hall has received a well needed grant in the amount of $500,000 from the National Park Service.

Mr. Bartlett, DSU Assistant Vice President for Capital Planning and Environmental Sustainability, said “The grant funding will enable us to address issues on the Lockerman exterior that will protect the integrity of the building’s interior. That will include the replacement of existing windows as well as repairs to the roof and the damaged masonry.”

This grant is pivotal for the health of the structure of Lockerman Hall. It was also reported on desu.edu that DSU will also be matching that $500,000, bringing the investment to $1 million. These repairs will be used for several upgrades such as adding internet service and various other exterior and interior enhancements.

The windows are one of several things being restored at Loockerman Hall.

Mr. Bartlett gives a lot of credit to Dr. Melissa Harrington, who is the Assistant Vice President for Research, because she brought most of the attention to the University for these repairs. There had been several unsuccessful applications for funding, but the persistence of Dr. Harrington is what pulled through.

The grant was aided by a joint letter. Delaware’s Congressional Delegation of U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, First State Governor John Carney and, last but not least, State Historic Preservation Officer and Director of the Delaware Division of Historic and Cultural Affairs, Timothy A. Slavin.

This will be some of the biggest restoration work done on Lockerman Hall since its last restoration, which was in 1993.