‘Treasure trove of cherished memories’: FAMU’s Gibbs Hall coming down
As Florida A&M University demolishes Gibbs Hall on its main campus, alumni are facing the reality that the iconic building is coming down.
FAMU alumnus Raynard Blackwood — class of spring 2017 — reminisced on the cozy game nights, karaoke nights and spoken word events that used to be held at Gibbs Hall as the university began the exterior demolition of the former dormitory Tuesday.
“Gibbs holds a treasure trove of cherished memories for me,” Blackwood, a Miami native, told the Tallahassee Democrat. “It’s like losing a piece of my own history — one that’s rich and irreplaceable. The profound legacy woven into the walls of this landmark is beyond measure, and its imminent disappearance truly tugs at my heartstrings.”
While the visible part of the building’s deconstruction started Tuesday, its underground and interior demolition began in the spring.
Previous Gibbs Hall coverage: Florida A&M University's Gibbs Hall undergoes demolition process years after shutdown
Other FAMU news: FSU, FAMU students were 'nervous' ahead of Hurricane Idalia, some say 'it was nothing new'
“Gibbs will forever occupy a special and heartfelt place in my memories,” Blackwood said.
The residence hall — which is named after the university's co-founder Thomas V. Gibbs — was built in 1955 and shut down in 2019 because of extensive structural issues where water got into the building’s foundation, causing it to break into fragments.
The damage became a public safety hazard that led to over a dozen rooms being affected, students being relocated and the entire building eventually being closed three years ago.
More on Gibbs Hall issues: Florida A&M relocates students after structural problems detected in section of Gibbs Hall
In its heyday, Gibbs Hall housed about 300 students.
A post of the demolition process on FAMU’s Instagram page was followed by a flood of comments from alumni who shared what their room numbers were while living at Gibbs Hall, along with some of their favorite memories.
Famous comedian Roy Wood Jr., who is best known for his guest appearances on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” commented “Right on to a real one. Room 525 forever,” as he referred to Gibbs Hall.
A FAMU alumnus with the username geehenry wrote “I still remember the Spades tournaments, and everybody crowding our lobby to watch the Dave Chapelle show live.”
Other graduates of the university who did not get the chance to live at Gibbs Hall still took the time to share memories of getting haircuts from their peers in the residence hall and watching sports, such as anticipated boxing matches, on the first floor.
In replacement of Gibbs Hall and other residence buildings that have already been demolished — including the Paddyfote Complex in 2021 and Truth Hall earlier this year — FAMU is planning to construct new residence halls that would add 2,000 beds on campus in the next three years.
FAMU's ambitious housing project: FAMU housing surge: A look at the financing, timeline and why it's a 'desperate need'
A 500-bed residence hall at the Gibbs Hall and former Paddyfote site on Wahnish Way along with a 700-bed residence hall at the Osceola gravel parking lot at South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard are both expected to be complete by fall 2025. An 800-bed apartment complex at the former Palmetto North site is slated to be ready for students by fall 2026.
Although the housing construction would increase FAMU’s on-campus housing to more than 4,600 beds total, many are still saddened by Gibbs Hall's end.
“The campus doesn’t even look the same,” an Instagram user commented Tuesday. “It’s all bittersweet.”
Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU demolition of Gibbs Hall draws tributes; university looks to future
