An iconic structure that lit up the night sky in a huge blaze nearly two months ago has light shining through its windows once again.

 The Main Building of Our Lady of the Lake University has undergone dozens of renovations throughout the years. Water and fire damage sustained from a fire on May 6, however, exposed original ceilings and floors, reminders of what once was and inspiring a vision of what could be.

 As Dan Yoxall, OLLU’s vice president for marketing and communications, gave a tour of the Main Building on June 19, he emphasized the importance and symbolism that through the fire, the statue of the Virgin Mary still stands.

 However, the south turret, now four stories below its partner on the grass beside the Main entrance, reminds the city of the damage the fire caused.

After waivers were signed and hard hats put on, media members were allowed to tour the Main Building for the first time since the fire. Amid cries of, “Careful, the floor is coming up!” and the roar of air being pumped through tubing to remove moisture from the spray-painted, load-bearing walls and warped wood floors, the first three floors of the Main Building looked and smelled like a construction zone.

As the tour proceeded to the fourth floor, the result of the fire became even more evident. Paint chips, ash, pieces of charred wood and the occasional fire extinguisher were the only remaining items in vacant halls and offices of the fourth floor. The walls and windows were black with soot, and caution tape was all that was left to decorate the now open-air space that once was the center of the building.

The fire began in the attic, and fire department investigators determined that it was most likely caused by an electrical problem. More than 100 firefighters worked to put out the fire that continued to burn until the early-morning hours of May 7.

Although no one was injured on the night of the fire, Executive Vice President David Estes expressed concern about the long-term effects of exposure to mold in the building. He said people have been working since the morning after the fire began to clean up and restore the building.

“I’m very pleased with the strong involvement across campus,” Estes said.Yoxall said he also is satisfied to see the progress that has been made and envisions the Main Building being a contemporary learning place while maintaining its historic aspects as the center of the campus. “It’s probably going to take at least three years to rebuild things,” Yoxall said. “We need to give it time to get the building prepared and dried out so it can be properly rebuilt, but we also have to do the planning and the dreaming and the fundraising that are required.”

Estes explained that the cost of rebuilding will depend on the size of the university’s imagination as well as its pocketbooks.

The university has received more than $1.7 million in donations and pledges from the community, including $1 million from Valero Energy Foundation.

Insurance will cover much of what was lost during the fire on May 6, but Yoxall said fundraising efforts will be essential for re-creating a learning environment that can continue to serve students for another 100 years.

Samantha Hensley | 210SA