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CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Several historic buildings at South Carolina's oldest college are being renovated.

Work gets under way this week on renovations to Randolph Hall, Towell Library and Porters Lodge at the College of Charleston. The $3.7 million project will take a year.

Randolph Hall is probably the best known building on campus. Completed in 1829, for years the structure with the soaring columns and dome was the college's main academic building.

Now it's used for the college administration. The building was also one of the sets for the movie "The Patriot" starring Mel Gibson.

Porters Lodge, which used to house the college custodian, and Towell Library date to the 1850s. Towell is now the college admissions office.

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