Contact: Kay Fike Jones
The Jackson-based Mississippi Heritage Trust is honoring last year's $3 million renovation of Mississippi State University's main dining facility.
The yearlong restoration of Perry Cafeteria has earned the 1998 Heritage Award of Excellence from the state's only statewide, private preservation organization. The cafeteria project is honored in the MHT's historic architecture, commercial/institutional category.
Refurbishment of the 76-year-old Gothic-style building and designated Mississippi Landmark included the dining, serving and kitchen areas.
A waterproof exterior sealant was applied to the single-story structure that, at 368 feet, is longer than a football field. New tiles were installed on the gabled roof and, inside, the imposing arches and 20 massive wooden beams that rise 50 feet above the floor were cleaned and treated.
The Mississippi Historic Trust, which was established in 1992, annually recognizes ongoing preservation efforts that "exemplify a commitment to excellence in preservation."
"We are very proud to receive this distinguished honor," said Gaddis Hunt, associate vice president for business affairs. "It is a tribute to all who played a role in this major renovation effort."
Work on the building involved both state funds and a $1.2 million planned gift from Jane Perry of Spanish Fort, Ala. The facility is named for her late husband George, a Delta landowner, businessman and Mississippi State alumnus.
According to university records, the facility was considered the largest college cafeteria in the United States at the time of its completion in 1922--and for years thereafter.
Today, the cafeteria serves an average of 2,000 meals a day in the fall and spring semesters. During the renovation, the dining service was temporarily set up in the ballroom of the nearby Colvard Union.