Bygone Architecture: FSU's Demolished Campus Buildings

The Old Heating Plant or Duplication Building (1921-1973)

This building was originally the school's heating plant, which was built in 1921. The university built a new utility plant 10 years later and turned the old heating plant into workshops. In the 1950s, the College of Journalism briefly occupied the building. When the college left, the building was taken over by Office Services and was used as a central location where students, staff, and faculty could make paper copies. The building was condemned and demolished in September 1973.

Magnolia Hall (1944-1979)

When  President Doak Campbell  started his tenure in the fall of 1941, the housing situation for the students was in dire need of an upgrade. All the dorms were filled to capacity. To ease crowded living arrangements, emergency housing was granted to the Florida State College for Women in 1944 by the  War Production Board . Magnolia Hall was built for this emergency, and it was designed to hold 154 students. Its construction consisted of concrete blocks instead of wood; therefore, it became the most fireproof building on campus. Although it was considered a temporary building, the dormitory lasted until July of 1979. It was demolished to make room for the new Library Science building.

Maintenance & Laundry Building (1949-1978)

The Maintenance and Laundry Building was completed in 1949. It was referred to as the Workshop, the University Workshop, the Shop and Laundry Building, and the Maintenance Complex. The building was designed by Col. Herbert D. Mendenhall, who was FSU's resident engineer for 23 years. The building was demolished around 1978, and it was replaced by the current maintenance building which was named after Mendenhall.

DeGraff Hall (1950-2005)

DeGraff Hall was built as a response to the growing student population spurned on by incoming WWII veterans and the 1947 Florida Legislation that turned Florida State College for Women into Florida State University, a co-educational institution. Originally called Senior Hall, this modern dormitory, with its large windows and patios, was designed by architect  Robert Fitch Smith , and it was completed in April 1950. It was considered luxury accommodations compared to the Mabry barracks on the west campus. In the fall of 1960, the dorm became a co-ed residence, one of the first dorms in the U.S. to do that. Men lived in one wing and the women lived in the other. On May 6, 1961, the dorm was dedicated to Dr. Mark H. DeGraff, a professor of education. After 55 years, the dorm was demolished to make way for the new DeGraff Residence Halls.

Deviney Hall(1952-2015)

Originally named Florida Hall, this dorm was built for the female students. It was designed by  Guy C. Fulton , AIA, the Architect to the Board of Control (1945-1956). When the building was completed in September of 1952, male students moved in temporarily until the all-male Smith Hall was completed. When the male students moved out, the dorm became an all-female residence. It was dedicated in July 23, 1965, to Ezda May Deviney, a zoology professor who taught for 33 years. In 2015, the dorm was demolished to make way for the Azalea and Magnolia residence halls.

Student Union (1952-2018)

The growing student body needed a centralized place to socialize. Prior to the construction of this building, student services were located in Westcott, Longmire, and various places around campus. This new Student Union contained a post office, a bookstore, a restaurant, study rooms, conference rooms, and rooms for student groups.  Russell T. Pancoast & Associates  designed this building. Pancoast was a prominent architect from South Florida who also designed the John S. Collins Memorial Library, now the  Bass Museum . In 1964, the university expanded the Student Union with four more buildings: Student Activities, Crenshaw bowling alley, Moore Auditorium, and the Davis food service building. The Turner building was added to the Union Complex in 1988. Four of these buildings were demolished in 2018 to make way for the new Student Union.

Smith Hall(1953-2017)

This 11-story dorm was designed by  Bail , Horton and Associates, and it was completed fall of 1953. It was originally called West Hall because it was the westernmost dorm on campus at the time. It was also the tallest building in Tallahassee when it was built. On the 11th floor was a solarium that provided views of the capitol dome, church spires. and of campus. On May 6, 1961, the building was renamed and dedicated to Elmer Riggs Smith, who was the head of the math department and assistant coach for the Florida State College football team in 1904. Two FSU Presidents, TK Wetherell and Eric Barron, lived in Smith Hall. For the 1972-1973 school year, Smith Hall became a co-ed residence. The dorm was demolished summer of 2017.

Conradi Building (1956-2013)

This building was designed by  James Gamble Rogers II , a prominent architect based out of Winter Park, Florida. He also designed the Florida Supreme Court Building, a Greek Revival structure on 500 South Duval Street. Construction of this four-story classroom building was completed in February 1956 at the start of the university's second semester. On October 20, 1956, the building was dedicated to Dr. Edward Conradi, the president of the Florida State College for Women from 1909 to 1941. The Conradi building housed the biological sciences and had greenhouses added over the years. The building was demolished in 2013, and the space is currently a parking lot.

State Geology Building - Gunter Building (1957-2015)

The three-story, L-shaped building was designed by Guy C. Fulton, AIA, Architect to the Board of Control. It was completed in 1957 and housed the Florida Geological Survey, a state agency. In December of 1957, it was dedicated to Dr. Herman Gunter, who was the State Geologist. He was with FSU's geology department for 50 years, and at the time of the dedication, he was the oldest state employee at 72 years old. He retired in March the following year. The building was demolished in 2015.

Dorman Hall (1959-2015)

Dorman Hall was one of the last dorms built during the 1950s. The eight-story building was built for 250 female students who moved in during September 1959. When they first moved in, they only furniture they had were beds. Desks and chairs arrived a month later. It was dedicated to Dr. Olivia Dorman on November 14, 1959. Dr. Dorman was a classics professor who became the Dean of Students in 1934. She was popular with the students because she "modernized social rules regarding smoking, riding in cars, and dating." She also began a counseling program for students living in the dorms. The building was demolished in 2015.