Groundbreaking for the Ezra Taft Benson Science Building is planned for Friday, April 9, at 11 a.m. east of the Joseph Smith Building on the Brigham Young University campus.
The BYU Board of Trustees recently approved naming the 180,000-square-foot structure in honor of the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and chairman of the BYU Board of Trustees."I am grateful to the Board of Trustees that this much-needed building has been authorized and grateful also that it is named for President Benson," said BYU President Rex E. Lee. "For as long as I can remember, since my first days as a student here almost 40 years ago, President Benson has been actively involved and highly interested in this university. It is therefore very appropriate that his name be associated with this building, which will be one of the most prominent on our campus."
General authorities of the LDS Church, as well as members of the Benson family, are scheduled to attend the ceremony. The public is invited.
The design for the Ezra Taft Benson Science Building features three connected wings, according to Gene Libutti of BYU Physical Facilities. The east wing will house biochemistry facilities, and the central and west wings will have faculty and student offices, laboratories and classrooms for the other chemistry areas: physical, analytical, inorganic and organic.
The east wing will be two stories tall, with both stories above ground, and the central building will consist of four above-ground levels plus a basement.
The west wing's ample ground-level space will be devoted to classrooms and three auditoriums, two of which seat 250 and another seating 162.
A dramatic rounded glass-walled study area will offer a panoramic view of the campus and mountains to the north. Smaller classrooms with capacities of 25 to 60 students will be contained in this wing's basement; some of these classrooms will be used by disciplines outside the chemistry area.
The new three-part structure will add approximately 180,000 square feet to BYU's academic physical facilities and will be one of the largest buildings on campus, Libutti said.
Bidding for the building's construction is scheduled for the end of March.