Bradley University held a ceremony to celebrate the final beam being placed on the $100 million Business and Engineering Complex on Monday afternoon.
The beam sat in Founder’s Circle Thursday and Friday for the Bradley community to sign before it was lifted by a crane to the building.
“This is an exciting time for us and a milestone we thought was worth celebrating,” university president Gary Roberts said. “Hopefully this summer, we will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony in much nicer weather.”
The building, which will house both the Foster College of Business and the Caterpillar College Engineering and Technology, is planned to open next fall. Roberts said the goal of the new building is to create opportunities for students and faculty from both colleges to collaborate.
“This, what we’ve called a convergence center, facilities and symbolizes the interdisciplinary and hands-on education that Bradley has emphasized,” Roberts said.
Senior marketing major Kelsey White spoke at the ceremony about her senior project, in which she is working with a team of students from the engineering school. White said this building represents the teamwork across colleges that takes place in her project.
“I see this building as symbolizing that project, two disciplines being brought together in order to accomplish things we never expected,” White said.
Peoria city manager Patrick Urich spoke in place of Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis, who was sick and unable to attend. Urich talked about the significance Bradley University has in Peoria.
“This is a great testimony to the importance Bradley plays in the community,” Urich said. “Bradley is vital institution in the city of Peoria.”
The construction of the building is expected to create $14 million in wages for the community, according to Clint Drury, executive director of the West Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council.
