G. Rollie White demolition starts to make room for Kyle Field renovation

The tan bricks that crumbled off of Texas A&M's G. Rollie White Coliseum marked the end of a campus landmark and the beginning of Kyle Field renovations.

A little before noon Monday, a construction vehicle begin to peel off the brick facade on the top floor of the 59-year-old gymnasium that housed A&M volleyball and the A&M Letterman's Association. The building was home to graduations, concerts and athletic events.

Three to four dozen spectators gathered to watch the beginning of the slow demolition that will stretch into September. As the rubble crashed to the ground, students, faculty and staff members stopped to take it in, and parents, many of whom were in town for freshman orientations, reminisced about the building.

"That's where we crossed the stage, it was in G. Rollie," said Robert Lagoudis, a 1993 graduate of A&M who was accompanied by his wife Donna, class of 1990.

The Lagoudises made the trip to College Station from Bulverde, just north of San Antonio, to tour campus with their daughter, who is going into her senior year.

"Having only been back on campus a few times since we've graduated, it's neat to see how much it's grown," said Robert Lagoudis. "I know that progress comes with a price, obviously, and if that means that old things, even things that were sentimental, have to go, so be it."

Still, the demolition was met with little fanfare and was downplayed by university officials because the construction will be spread out over a period of weeks.

Russ Wallace, director of facilities, planning and construction for the A&M System, said the construction company will first remove the brick facade to expose the concrete skeleton of the building. Then, starting Thursday, the crews will gut more of the interior, including the stands. G. Rollie White will then be collapsed upon itself Monday, Wallace said.

"They want it to fall inward," Wallace said.

He expects the structure to be removed by Sept. 13.

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G. Rollie White demolition starts to make room for Kyle Field renovation