For the second time in two months, Belmont president Bob Fisher stood in a construction zone in front of dozens of Belmont officials and students to celebrate the topping out of a building.
This time, however, he had more to announce than just the progress of the new residence hall near Bruin Hills.
At the Monday morning ceremony, Fisher announced the four- and five- bedroom apartment complex will be called Dickens Hall, named after Chairman of the Board of Trustees Marty Dickens.
Dickens, who has chaired the Board of Trustees for eight years, said the act was “beyond anything I could have dreamed of or expected.”
Dickens was thankful to God, Belmont students, faculty, administration and the “dynamic vision” of Fisher while at Belmont.
During the ceremony, Fisher lauded Dickens’ record in Nashville as a whole, including as President of BellSouth and Chairman of the Music City Center Authority.
“We think it’s so appropriate to name it after Marty because of the contributions he’s made for us, this whole city,” Fisher said while talking to the media before the event.
Fisher also thanked the workers who have worked at the facility since last summer.
The top floors of the new building will have clear, unobstructed views of the surrounding area, including the downtown skyline to the north and Green Hills to the south. The building, which will house around 300 upperclassmen and have nearly 500 underground parking spaces, is projected to be ready for use by fall 2012.