The groundbreaking for the new Architecture, Math and Engineering Building and the dedication ceremony for the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering took place at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4. 

“The dedication of the college and the new building are a double piece of history,” said Dean of Engineering Lewis Brown. 

Lohr came to SDSU in 1954 to study civil engineering. He has contributed more than $5 million towards the building of the Architecture, Math and Engineering building. 

“Support from Jerome Lohr has helped to build SDSU,” said Gov. Dennis Daugaard. 

Lohr also helped to fund the Jerome J. Lohr Foundation building. 

“Jerry Lohr stands among those individuals that are true transformers,” said President David L. Chicoine. “Jerome J. Lohr is one who is transforming our university.” 

The new project began conceptually five years ago, but funding was not finalized until last year. After funding was finalized, the project became more publicized and then the Board of Regents approved it. 

“Only through their gifts that this day is finally here,” Brown said. 

The building will be 60,000 square feet and it will be comprised of three 

 

 floors. The first floor will house the engineering shops, mechanical engineering and spaced shared by architecture and operation management. There will be an atrium in order to create a space that can be used for socializing and group studying. The first floor will also have a lot of windows. The glass will allow those visiting the college to see what students in the mechanical engineering program actually do. 

“The mechanical engineering design floor will have students projects on full glass display,” Brown said. 

The second floor will house mathematics and statistics. Mathematics and statistics will be moved out of Harding Hall, the last part of the Engineering College to be located within the building.

The third floor, which will house Architecture, will have multi-use and multifunctional walls. The building will be more flexible in order to assist a variety of needs for the different departments that will be housed in the new building. Architecture will be housed in the new engineering building even through Architecture is categorized under the College of Arts and Sciences. 

“There is a relationship between engineering and architecture,” Brown said.

Since the building began, Administration Lane and 12th Street have been closed. After the building is finished the streets will not be reopened. Instead they will be converted into an engineering plaza. The building will be completed the very beginning of 2015. The departments will begin to occupy the building in late spring or early summer 2015.

“I hope the building will do two things: recruit the best faculty and the best students,” Brown said.