New Polytechnic University buildings dedicated. (Transcripts).

The transformation of Brooklyn's Polytechnic University moved rapidly forward with the recent dedication of a new academic building/athletic center and the university's first residence hail on its MetroTech campus in downtown Brooklyn on June 13. J.A. Jones Construction Group served as construction manager for both projects.

"It was a great honor to be part of such a dramatic building expansion and renovation project," said Milo Riverso, president of J.A. Jones Construction Group.

Project executive Dave Hailer of J.A. Jones Construction Group oversaw both projects, one of which was the new $43 million, 8-story, Joseph J. and Violet J. Jacobs Building, named in honor of the school's greatest living benefactors. It houses advanced laboratories, state-of-the-art "smart" classrooms wired for the latest Internet and multi-media technologies and a full multi-purpose gymnasium.

Polytechnic president Dr. David C. Chang noted that the opening of the new residence hail and academic building positions Polytechnic to join the ranks of the nation's elite science and engineering schools. "This is a new era for Polytechnic," Chang said. "Today's celebration marks a major step in the transformation of Polytechnic into a premier university that will educate and support the leaders of tomorrow in a world that is increasingly driven by technology."

Speaking at the dedication, Dr. Jacobs, 85, a Polytechnic lifetime trustee, who grew up in Brooklyn and holds four degrees from Polytechnic, recalled his student days. "This university," he said, "gave me the intellectual foundation and the drive to achieve my American dream."

Jacobs, the son of Lebanese immigrants, is an author, philanthropist and founder of Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., one of the world's largest engineering companies, based in Pasadena, Calif.

The new building construction is part of a $130 million capital improvement project, including a $23-million renovation of Rogers Hall, the University's academic hub, and an $8-million communication systems upgrade.

The university also dedicated its first residence hail on its MetroTech campus, a $45 million, 20-story, 400-bed building honoring the school's greatest benefactors, Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer. In 1998, the Othmers' bequest of $175 million was the largest cash gift ever to an American university. Donald Othmer, a famed chemical engineer, taught at the school for over four decades. J.A. Jones Construction Group received an Honorable Mention award at the Construction Management Association of America Annual Awards Banquet on June 14 for its work on Othmer Hall.

Stewart G. Nagler, vice chairman and CFO of MetLife Inc. and chairman of Polytechnic's Board of Trustees, lauded the Jacobses for their support of Polytechnic, including their $20 million gift to the $275 million Campaign for Polytechnic, Fulfilling the American Dream, completed last year. The gift, the second largest contribution ever to Polytechnic, included a $10 million challenge in which Jacobs matched new campaign gifts from other donors.

"The Jacobses gift gave the capital campaign a tremendous boost," Nagler said. "It inspired an outpouring of gifts from thousands of Poly alumni and friends that culminated in the most successful fundraising campaign in Polytechnic's history."

Representatives from the public and private sectors participated in the dedication ceremony, including Brooklyn Borough president Marty Markowitz; Charles A. Gargano, chairman and commissioner of Empire State Development; Andrew M. Alper, president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation; and Bruce C. Ratner, president and chief executive officer of Forest City Ratner Companies.