Construction of the Science Library staircase in the Holcomb Research Institute

Description:	The Science Library stairs, inside the Holcomb Research Institute (HRI), are under construction. A capital funds campaign was launched in 1968 to raise $21.8 million for improvements to campus facilities and to plan for an expected increase in student enrollment. At the time, it was the largest capital funds campaign in Butler University history. The first part of the campaign, the Science Building Fund, was devised to raise $6,125,000 for the construction of a science building to replace the outdated science labs and classrooms in Jordan Hall, which opened in 1928. Dorothy and Edward Gallahue donated more than $1 million towards this project, so the building was named in their honor. When the building opened in 1973, it freed up 40,000 square feet of space in Jordan Hall, which had previously housed the science departments. Gallahue Hall (not pictured) was one half of a new Science Complex and was built concurrently with the HRI. The dream of the late J. I. Holcomb, former President of the University Board of Trustees, the Institute was announced and approved by the Trustees in October 1958. Both Holcomb and his late wife Musetta left funds to build the HRI building and establish an endowment to support scientific research. A division of the University, the HRI conducted research in environmental biology and offered opportunities for students to assist with their research projects. The HRI closed in 1991 and today the structure is more commonly known as the Holcomb Building. Originally, the Science Library occupied a portion of the second and third floors of the HRI and the library was open to all Butler University students, faculty, and staff, including HRI employees. Science materials from Irwin Library, a botany library in Jordan Hall, and a pharmacy library in the Pharmacy Building were combined into this new space. The building also included a separate library for the HRI staff. The architectural firm of Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK) designed both buildings in the Science Complex and the general contractor for the project was the George Bahre Co. There are several marks on the photograph.
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BldgsGrnds/id/3039
Collection:	Butler University Buildings and Grounds Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Geography:	Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 39.840010, -86.173146 39.840010 -86.173146
Subjects:	Construction projects Construction equipment Stairs Handrails Academic libraries Butler University--Libraries Holcomb Research Institute Butler University--Buildings College buildings Butler University--History Indianapolis (Ind.)--History Science Complex Holcomb Building Science Library Ruth Lilly Science Library Fairview campus

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