Columbia Theological Seminary plans a “ground-blessing” at the site of a new $9.6 million student residence hall April 1, at 5 p.m., on the Decatur, Ga. campus. The “green” building is expected to be one of the first buildings to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating Systemâ„¢ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
The ground-blessing, a departure from the conventional construction ground-breaking, will include the dedication of a collection of prayers sent by students, alumni/ae, faculty, and staff for placement in the new building’s foundation.
“This new residence hall, badly needed by our students, is a critical part of our plan to keep Columbia competitive not only with other theological schools but with other professional schools for the most talented leaders of the 21st century,” said Laura Mendenhall, Columbia’s president.
