After $114 million and five years of planning and construction, the Patrick F. Taylor Hall has officially opened, becoming the largest academic building in Louisiana, and one of the largest freestanding academic engineering buildings in the U.S.
Patrick F. Taylor Hall held its ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 20, followed by building tours and demonstrations by engineering students to mark the grand opening of the building. The ceremony was a much-awaited event for members of the College of Engineering, including dean of the college Judy Wornat.
“The resources we provide help ensure that, not only do our students receive the best engineering education possible, but that we prepare them for life after graduation and in the workforce,” Wornat said. “I cannot wait to see how our students make the most of everything we have to offer.”
The new facility includes a 110,000-square-foot chemical engineering building addition, new labs and gathering spaces like the driving simulation lab and commons area. It also houses a 250- seat auditorium and a MMR Building Information Modeling Lab, where students are able to use virtual reality in their research. A Panera Bread will open in the building over the summer.
The $114 million raised to complete the building came from the Breaking New Ground campaign, which raised $57 million from private contributions and $57 million from the state, making it LSU’s most successful fundraising effort, and one of the largest public-private partnerships in Louisiana.
“This success would not have been possible without the vision, the passion, the leadership and the persistence of our committee co-chairs, Phyllis Taylor and Harry Longwell, and that of Ron Cambre,” said LSU Executive Vice President and Provost Rick Koubek . “Their enthusiasm and energy, along with the other steering committee members and our donors, were resolute.”
The hall was named after 1959 petroleum engineering alumnus Patrick Taylor, creator of the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, or TOPS. He believed that everyone deserved the opportunity to earn a college degree, regardless of his or her economic means. His wife, Phyllis Taylor , donated the first $15 million as a gift to honor his legacy, and to begin the Breaking New Ground campaign, on April 20 in 2013, exactly five years ago to the day.
“This is an exciting day for our engineering students, faculty, staff and alumni and for LSU as a whole,” said LSU President F. King Alexander. “I believe it shows the investment that we as a university and the state of Louisiana have made in our students and their future success, and it demonstrates LSU’s ongoing commitment to solving the biggest challenges facing our state, many of which can be solved through the education and research taking place in Patrick F. Taylor Hall.”
