Campus and Facilities

Columbus State University's humble origins belied its 21st Century promise. Opening its doors in 1958 in a renovated hosiery mill, Columbus College moved about four years later to its current main campus just off I-185, and has grown so dramatically, the university now has 150 beautifully landscaped acres in the middle of Columbus on it main campus; more than a dozen buildings in the historic district downtown, an area we call CSU RiverPark; and has a presence in England, where CSU is one of only a few American universities with its own house near Oxford University.

Most classes are still taught on main campus, where more than $50 million in improvements are underway to upgrade facilities, technology and learning spaces for students:

• About $9 million is being spent to renovate and update two of our workhorse classroom buildings – Arnold Hall and Howard Hall.
• A new $14 million laboratory science classroom building is planned for next door to LeNoir Hall.
• The student dining center is getting a $2.5 million upgrade
• A $25 million freshman housing complex is being built on Clearview Circle.
• Most of the departments in the College of Education and Health Professions will be moving to a new downtown complex being built with private funding in the former Ledger-Enquirer building.
• A new roof and stadium seating are coming for CSU's baseball complex, already one of the finest Division II baseball field in the South.

With these buildings, a recently renovated intramural field, a new soccer complex, a student center, classrooms, laboratories, offices, auditoriums, cafeterias and other gathering areas, students have a wide variety of choices for study and comfort.

Campus computer labs, including some open 24 hours a day, offer student access to e-mail, word processing, online research, and instructional technology. CSU Libraries, made up of the Simon Schwob Memorial Library on the main campus and the Music Library on the RiverPark campus, provides online access to more than 100 databases and electronic full-text access to more than 500 journals.

Apartment-style housing is available on main campus, as well as in exciting downtown Columbus on CSU's RiverPark campus, next door to the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, which houses CSU's Schwob School of Music. The collection of CSU offerings downtown has helped to revitalize the area while creating a unique campus. State-of-the-art riverside facilities serve the departments of art and theatre, featuring two theatres and new gallery space.

The main campus is minutes away from a commuter airport and several shopping areas. The city offers museums; an outstanding symphony; several minor league sports, concerts and other special events in the Columbus Civic Center; and hiking and biking along the Chattahoochee River and in 48 beautiful city parks. Historic attractions, Georgia's largest state park, mountains, and the Gulf and Atlantic seacoasts are all within convenient travel time from Columbus.