LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment celebrated the reopening of historic Scovell Hall on July 31 following a comprehensive renovation of the more than 120-year-old campus landmark. University leaders, faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the project, which restored the building while creating spaces for collaboration, student success and community engagement.

Originally constructed in 1903 as the home of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station, Scovell Hall now serves as the college's administrative center, housing leadership for research, UK Cooperative Extension Service and student success alongside academic programs. The renovated building brings together teaching, Extension and administrative programs supporting the college's land-grant mission.

The facility houses Martin-Gatton CAFE administrative offices, the Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, the Department of Family Sciences, the Department of Retailing and Tourism Management, the School of Human Environmental Sciences, and the Lemon Tree Café and Teaching Kitchen. Laura Stephenson, vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE, said the programs reflect the breadth of the college's mission to serve Kentucky's 120 counties.

Named for Melville Amasa Scovell, the station's first director and the college's first dean, the building remains a symbol of the university's commitment to serving Kentucky. When it opened in 1903, it was the largest building on campus. UK President Eli Capilouto said the renovation "connects our history with our future" while providing space for collaboration and innovation.

The Scovell Hall reopening is one of several transformational capital investments across Martin-Gatton CAFE. The Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences Building opened in May, and construction continues on the Meats and Foods Industry Advancement Center in Versailles and the Agricultural Research Building, which will become one of the nation's premier agricultural research facilities upon completion. Research facilities at the Robinson Center in Jackson and the UK Research and Education Center in Princeton have also been rebuilt.