Members of the Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees toured the newly-renovated Techionery in advance of their meeting on Thursday, Oct. 16.
The renovation was made possible through an $810,445 grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC). The project began in October 2024 and was completed during summer 2025.
Opened in 1937 on the ATU campus in Russellville, the Techionery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 10, 1992.
Improvements to the Techionery during the 2024-25 renovation include roof replacement, new entry double doors, frames and transoms, painting non-primary doors, brick repair, replacement of the insulated glazing on windows, replacement of a light fixture above a primary entry, handrail enhancements and cosmetic improvements to the building’s exterior.
The scope of the project also included relocating heating, ventilation and air conditioning refrigerant lines and electrical conduit to the interior of the building.
Drew Dickey, ATU director of facilities management, reported during the tour that the renovation came in under budget. That allowed the scope of the project to be expanded to include the installation of new flooring and the application of new paint to the interior walls.
According to Dr. Thomas A. DeBlack’s “A Century Forward: The Centennial History of Arkansas Tech University,” Arkansas Tech received a $30,272 Public Works Administration grant and a loan of approximately $37,000 in November 1936 to construct a new physical education and student commons facility. It was built by the Manhattan Construction Company and opened at what is now the corner of North El Paso Ave. and West O Street in September 1937.
Dr. Kenneth Walker reported in “History of Arkansas Tech University: 1909-90” that the original design of the facility included a gymnasium, offices for the physical education program, a confectionery, bookstore, post office, barber shop, beauty parlor and classrooms.
A contest was conducted to select the name for the student commons area upon the building’s opening in 1937. Arkansas Tech student Eugene Rowden won $1 for suggesting Techionery. Over time, the name came to represent the entire building.
Today, the Techionery is home to the ATU theatre and film program under the auspices of the ATU Department of Communication and Media Studies as well as the ATU Center for Heritage and Culture, which supports the study of archeology and anthropology through the ATU College of Arts and Humanities.
