Valdosta State University has been awarded the 2013 Sustainability Award for Historic Preservation by the University System of Georgia for the restoration of Ashley Hall on the university’s main campus.

The sustainability award is presented annually to an institution that excels in preserving and restoring a campus building to or exceeding federal and state historic restoration standards and guidelines.

“Ashley Hall is a shining example of such a restoration and is a crowning achievement for the Valdosta State campus and community in historic preservation,” said Robert Tindall, associate director of facilities planning at VSU.

The award was present to Tindall and Ray Sable, director of physical plant and facilities planning, by the Georgia Board of Regents during a recent Facilities Officers Conference in Stone Mountain.

One of the university's oldest buildings, Ashley Hall was constructed in 1921. The original building contained a dining room and kitchen and the rotunda was used for numerous social functions and in 1942 was dedicated as a chapel.

Named for former Valdosta Mayor C.R. Ashley, who served from 1900 to 1904, the 26,000-square-foot building has undergone many renovations in the past. Recent improvements represent a complete restoration of the building.

The recent $5.5 million restoration project took two years to complete and now houses the Department of History and Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. VSU hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the restoration of Ashley Hall in November 2012.