TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- For the past five decades, tens of thousands of Florida State University students have lived in Kellum Hall.
Demolition crews started tearing it down Tuesday -- a year earlier than scheduled. The university said the residence hall -- slated to get torn down in 2017 along with neighboring Smith Hall-- was getting harder to maintain.
"We just found it to be a building that wasn't as positive an environment for students, and so it made sense to take it on down," said Shannon Staten, the executive director of FSU's housing office.
Keith Alexander lived in Kellum 20 years ago.
"I was driving by. I saw the wrecking ball was out. I had to stop," he said. "When I was there, it was the zoo. It was 'The Kellum Zoo.' I guess there was just a bunch of crazy people living in there."
"The 'Kellum cough' was real," said sophomore Shawn White, who lived in Kellum last year. "I did get sick a couple times, and it was uncontrollable, and it would just happen."
Throughout the day, people stopped by the demolition site taking pictures and videos, looking at a building that's been at the university since 1959. It has housed more than 30,000 students since it opened.
"I didn't see the physical part of it. I saw the emotional part of it, and I made my best friends there," said sophomore Omar Pimentel, who lived in Kellum last year.
"Kellum was great, but I'm glad that it's being torn down," White added.
"I'd like to get some bricks or something - maybe that sign,: Alexander said, "but other than that, you know, it's a sad day."
Staten said Kellum will be fully demolished some time in April. As for the building, the university is still deciding what exactly will go in its place.
"We might add some new academic buildings. We may add some new residence halls, some different types of services available," Staten said. "We are planning that now. We just haven't set it totally in concrete."
