Tower
Raising

Neil Seitz, dean of the School of Business and Administration, watches as a 25-ton, 114-foot-tall steel tower is put in place to top off the $15 million expansion of the business school. The tower, which is visible from Grand Boulevard and Highway 40, is decorated with a Christmas tree in the spirit of the approaching holidays. The neo-Gothic tower was designed to match the north tower of the adjacent 65-year-old Davis Shaughnessy Hall and took three weeks to build on the ground. The entire expansion, named John and Lucy Cook Hall, will be finished with brick and hand-carved limestone to blend seamlessly with the existing building. At the center of the building is a 40-foot-tall, three story atrium bordered by six classrooms, a cafe, a 350-seat auditorium and 30 smaller spaces where students can gather for team projects and study groups. The new building features the latest in technology, with classrooms wired for network and Internet connections. The Lawrence Group designed the expansion, and the general contractor is J.S. Alberici Construction Co. The expansion will open next fall. (Photo by Joe Muehlenkamp)