Family and Friends Donate Additional $2 Million at Weinstein Hall Groundbreaking
October 11, 2001
The philanthropy of Richmond's Weinstein family and friends grew today at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new $12.1 million social sciences center at the University of Richmond.
University officials announced four additional gifts totaling $2 million toward construction of the new Weinstein Hall. Marcus and Carole Weinstein, their daughter and university trustee Allison Weinstein, and son-in-law Ivan Jecklin together had pledged $7 million last June.
Philip D. Weinstein, brother of Marcus Weinstein, pledged $1 million for construction of a memorial garden. Allison Weinstein and Jecklin announced an additional gift of $500,000 for a Speech Center. Mr. and Mrs. Jay M. Weinberg pledged $250,000 for creation of a Debate Center. Mr. and Mrs. Claude R. Davenport Jr. pledged $250,000 for an Integrative Journalism Center.
"The generosity of the Weinstein family and its friends will create a legacy of educational excellence and service to this campus, the Richmond area and the country," said William E. Cooper, university president. "It is a magnificent demonstration of their faith in the power of higher education to contribute to the life of the community." Construction begins immediately on the 52,000 square-foot structure, which will incorporate the existing, but extensively renovated, Political Science Building. Completion is scheduled for Aug. 2003. The architectural firm SMBW of Richmond designed the building.
The university unveiled a mural of the building and presented virtual tours of the interior to a crowd of officials, faculty, college students and other well-wishers. Weinstein Hall will "include most current efforts in continuing the collegiate gothic tradition of buildings on the campus," according to John Hoogakker, director of university facilities. Richmond's campus is annually named at or near the top of The Princeton Review's list of most beautiful colleges and universities in America.
Among Weinstein Hall's unusual features will be a sunken entry garden, restoration of an original commons room and state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and research in the social sciences. The exterior will feature cloistered walks, carved limestone and Oriel windows. A central tower will unify the architectural composition.
Situated at the southwest corner of Stern Plaza, the structure will be adjacent to the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. An arched passage through the building will align Whitehurst Hall with the statue of E. Claiborne Robins. When a planned expansion of Boatwright Library is completed, the resulting academic plaza will be among the most distinctive quadrangles to be found among the world's great colleges and universities.
The building will house the departments of journalism, political science, rhetoric and communication studies, and sociology and anthropology. The university's Speech Center, a training facility for students and others seeking help with preparation and delivery of presentations, will relocate to the building. The Integrative Journalism Center will be equipped to give undergraduates experience with the latest communications technology and provide them a competitive edge in their careers. And, the Debate Center will serve the development of the university's intercollegiate debate team.
The new Richmond Research Institute will house programs to connect the university to the city of Richmond and surrounding counties, while providing expertise to policymakers in the state government, Washington and other capitals around the world.