A large, yellow crane that lifted a 27,000-pound palladium atop Troy University’s newest building Monday morning marked the end of the structure’s exterior construction.

The new College of Education building, known as the Jack Hawkins, Jr. Hall, is still on track to open for classes in January.

“We’re still working on a timeline that would have us up and running for classes January,” said Lance Tatum, dean of the college of education. “Really the bulk of the work left is interior — finish work, painting, carpet and trim work.”

Tatum said the 3-story palladium marked the completion of the building’s exterior construction, and the only exterior work will include landscaping and paving.

The new building will house all the departments under the college, including the Department of Curriculum and Teaching and the Department of Counseling and Psychology, as well as an in-service center, three conference rooms, three counseling labs and teacher and administration offices, Tatum said.

This will include 12 traditional classrooms, two teaching computer labs and one auditorium-style classroom.

For the College of Education, Tatum said this building will be a monumental step.

“This building is going to provide a physical structure for us that will be beyond anything that we have had in the last 30 to 40 years,” Tatum said. “It gives us a presence on the Troy campus that is really unmistakable.”

Tatum said Troy University, which was founded as a teaching institution, will bring the campus back to its beginnings.

“Troy University was founded as a teaching college, and for years, we have grown at the university in our programs,” Tatum said. “This kind of helps us draw back the university to its roots and shows the production of teachers is extremely important.”

Following the completion of the College of Education, the university will begin renovations on Bibb Graves Hall.

Tatum said those in Bibb Graves will relocate to McCartha Hall until construction is complete.