Given Monday’s overcast and cold weather, boxes of dirt were moved indoors for the groundbreaking ceremony for what is to be the largest academic facility in the state. 
The expansion and renovation of Patrick F. Taylor Hall was kicked off by Gov. Bobby Jindal, widow of the building’s namesake Phyllis Taylor, LSU President F. King Alexander and Richard Koubek, dean of the College of Engineering. 
“This is not just about bricks and mortar. This is not just about facilities,” Jindal said. “The most important thing we’re here to celebrate today are the people that are going to use these facilities — it’s the faculty, the staff and the students.” 
Jindal said the building is a piece in a greater puzzle — the state economy. He said the $110 million project would fuel the need for skilled workers in the economy and keep the growing college able to produce graduates who will have higher chances of getting jobs than ever before. 
“Today, we have higher exports, GDP and higher incomes than ever before, all across Louisiana,” Jindal said. “More people are working than ever before.” 
The college has grown by 50 percent in the last five years, making it the 18th largest engineering program in the nation, and largest college at the University. 
The renovated engineering complex will hold more than 400,000 square feet of classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices and other student spaces. The building project is set to finish in 2017.  
Fundraising for PFT began officially in 2013 when Taylor committed $15 million to the “Breaking New Ground” campaign. The campaign proceeded to raise $55 million in only nine months.  
The state matched the $55 million for the project, which will allow 60 more faculty offices, new equipment to all of the laboratories and an extension of about 80,000 square feet for chemical engineering students. 
“Stop for a moment and think,” Taylor addressed the ceremony attendees. “That 50 million dollars of public funds came from somewhere. It came from each and every one of you as taxpayers.” 
Jindal said the Taylor family has been involved financially in many of the state’s efforts for education, including TOPS, K-12 and other higher education initiatives. 
Taylor said her husband, Patrick Taylor, was concerned with three things —  LSU, education and engineering. 
Alexander said that 15 years ago, the college struggled to recruit students. Now, as its number of annual graduates gets closer to 1,000, it is one of the fastest-growing in the country. 
“You have to remember this nation only graduates 90,000, so we’re reshaping not just this region but the nation,” Alexander said. 
After many thanks to the more than 500 donors for the building project, the team of executives and administrators turned over the boxed dirt with golden shovels decorated with purple ribbons. 

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Walter Radam

Gov. Bobby Jindal speaks at the breaking ground ceremony for the renovations for Patrick F Talyor on November 17, 2014.