Topping off ceremony marks halfway point in research building construction
October 29th, 2004
Top: President James Ramsey signs a beam to cap off the entrance to the Belknap Research Building as Shirley Willihnganz, executive vice president and university provost, and State Rep. Joni Jenkins look on. Bottom: The beam is put into place.
A crowd of about 100 people cheered as workers installed a beam to cap off the entrance to the Belknap Research Building Friday, Oct. 29.
U of L President James Ramsey, U.S. Rep. Anne Northup, and local, state and university officials took part in the “topping off” ceremony, which marks the halfway point in the construction of the $42 million, 117,000-square-foot building.
When it opens in winter 2006, the Belknap Research Building will be the only research facility of its kind in the region. Officials expect it to mark U of L as a major player in several new scientific fields and to spark economic development in Louisville and the state.
The structure will be home to researchers from U of L’s College of Arts and Sciences, Health Sciences Center and Speed School of Engineering and will encourage interdisciplinary research in cutting-edge fields such as nanotechnology, electro-optics, bioengineering and microfabrication.
The facility will be home to the state’s largest controlled-environment laboratory, or “clean room,” needed for fabrication of miniature devices. It will allow U of L researchers to fabricate, package and test microelectronic devices and circuits and will serve as a catalyst for high-tech startup businesses in the area.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky provided $25 million toward its construction, and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell secured $7.7 million for the facility. The remaining money will be funded by private and corporate donations and a bond issuance by the university. Already several area companies have expressed interest in the facility.
