A new West Virginia University agricultural sciences building on the Evansdale Campus was approved for occupancy Tuesday (Dec. 13) following an inspection by the State Fire Marshals office, University officials said.

The approval clears the way for faculty and staff to begin moving into WVU Ag Sciences South on schedule beginning Monday, Dec. 19. The $9.5 million building, which will house WVU s plant pathology, environmental microbiology and other programs, will be ready for students when the spring semester starts Jan. 9.

The new two-story structure has approximately 38,000 square feet. The building contains research and teaching laboratories, a small greenhouse, office space for professors and graduate assistants currently housed in Brooks Hall, a state-of-the-art tiered lecture hall that seats 250, and unfinished shell space on the first floor that will be used for future growth and expansion.

Approximately eight faculty, six staff, two post-doctoral students, and a dozen graduate students will have offices in the new building.

The project will benefit both students and faculty by bringing all of the Davis College programs together on one campus, University officials said.

The new building will be formally dedicated in a ceremony at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, in room 1021 of the new facility. A reception and tours will follow. The public is invited.