Camden- SAU Tech received a grant of $996,275 from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC) at its annual meeting on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. The grant will be used for the restoration of one set of the 500-Man Barracks owned by SAU Tech. The ANCRC Council distributed 29.9 million to 17 projects that will restore and protect state-owned lands and property.

SAU Tech's restoration project is in response to the need for student housing. As the College has grown, the need for expanded student housing has become a primary concern. Lack of adequate housing options for students in the community is the driving force behind the project, stated Dr. Jason Morrison in his presentation to the ANCRC Council. When asked about the grant award, Morrison noted that "The students SAU Tech serves many times have no options for housing outside of campus housing. Our population is composed of low-income and first-generation students who need the security that campus housing can provide. This project addresses the exterior of the building and will repair windows, the roof, and drainage systems. We plan to go back before the Council for Phase II to renovate the interior and replace the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. We are grateful for the support of the ANCRC for this project."

The building, currently referred to as C & D Dorms, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the original buildings that made up the campus of the Shumaker Naval Ammunition Depot. The building was used to house personnel and civilians who worked on the base. The meeting to kick off the project took place this week, and work is expected to begin as soon as possible.

Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, who serves as secretary of the ANCRC, said, "The ANCRC Trust Fund has funded over $425 million in projects since its first grants were made in 1989. Many important buildings and properties across Arkansas have been saved for future generations by the fund, and we are a better state for it."

ANCRC has funded the restoration and preservation of such iconic properties as the Arkansas State Capitol, Old Main on the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus, Lakeport Plantation in Chicot County, and the Johnny Cash Home in Dyess.

The Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC) was established by Arkansas Act 729 of 1987. Its grants and trust fund are managed for the acquisition, management, and stewardship of state-owned lands or the preservation of state-owned historic sites, buildings, structures, or objects which the ANCRC determines to be of value for recreation or conservation purposes. The properties are to be used, preserved, and conserved for the benefit of present and future generations.