Wash U. Gifts Fuel $90M Project

Lead gifts totaling $25 million by two of Washington University in St. Louis' most dedicated benefactors will support the university's Olin Business School and its plans for two new innovative facilities for graduate education.

The gifts - $15 million from Charles F. and Joanne Knight and $10 million from George and Carol Bauer through the Bauer Foundation - will provide the capital foundation for the construction of two new buildings for the business school.

Groundbreaking on the combined $90 million project is scheduled for around June 1, 2012, provided sufficient progress has been made to secure the required additional funding. Construction of the two new buildings, which will total 166,000 square feet on five levels, is scheduled to be completed by December 2013.

The design of the business school complex is a collaboration among two architectural firms, Moore Ruble Yudell, architect-of-record, and Mackey Mitchell Architects, associate architect, and two mechanical engineering firms, Buro Happold and William Tao & Associates.

Tarlton Corp. has been selected as the pre-construction services provider.

The buildings, to be built on the current site of Eliot Hall and adjacent to the Charles F. Knight Executive Education Center, will include seven classrooms, an auditorium, 75 faculty offices, a glass atrium and numerous forums, lounges, offices and other spaces for interaction and collaboration.

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