Engineering firm chosen for Winnie Davis work, contractor to be selected soon

A Campobello engineering firm has been awarded a contract to design the renovation of the Winnie Davis Hall of History.

M.E.&P Inc. Engineering will handle design work to historically preserve the 12,600-square-foot building at Limestone College.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the multimillion dollar project last week during the college's alumni reunion weekend.

Winnie Davis will be renovated for six wireless multimedia classrooms, three museum areas and a new kitchen area for catering meetings and receptions.

A decision on a contractor for the Winnie Davis project is a few weeks away, Limestone College President Dr. Walt Griffin said Friday afternoon. A contractor will be selected once the board of trustees has completed its review of bids that were opened last week.

Estimates have projected Winnie Davis renovations would cost $4.8 million.

Martin Meek of Campbell Meek Architects in Spartanburg is lead architect for the Winnie Davis project. Griffin said the renovation work is expected to be finished by late 2009.

Limestone College officials plan to hold a ceremony to rededicate the Winnie Davis building once the renovations are complete. The building has not been used since it was closed for safety reasons by Limestone College in 1977.

Originally built in 1904, the Winnie Davis Hall of History was named for the daughter of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. It is on the South Carolina Registry of Historic Places.