Joe Veryser, Lawrence Tech architect for the project, Arthur Smith, lead architect and design principal with HarleyEllis, Charles Chambers, Lawrence Tech president, and Dennis King, HarleyEllis corporate chairman, with the last beam swinging into place behind them.

Editor’s note:  For downloadable images of A. Alfred Taubman and building renderings, and a livecam look at the building’s construction progress, visit www.ltu.edu/taubmancenter and click image download, or livecam.

The steel framework of Lawrence Technological University’s A. Alfred Taubman Student Services Center will be topped off Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m. The event marks the most visible milestone to date in construction of the $9.6 million Center – planned as a living laboratory of sustainable design, and one-stop center for all student support services. 

The “topping off” ceremony is a tradition in the building trades, and is usually marked by affixing an evergreen tree and American flag to the highest piece of steel framing as it is swung into place. The custom, said to date to the ancient Vikings, symbolizes pride of accomplishment, good luck, and a bright future.

Groundbreaking for the Taubman Center was Sept. 10 during a gala event that attracted some 600 students, alumni, and friends of the University, including Senator Carl Levin, Congressman Sander Levin, Michigan Attorney General Michael Cox, Michigan Senator Gilda Jacobs, Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence, and DTE Energy Chairman and CEO Anthony Earley, Jr.

Taubman, a former architecture student at the 5,000-student private university and founder of the Taubman Co., donated $4 million toward the 42,000-square-foot, three-story building that consolidates all the University’s student support services into a one-stop center at the heart of Lawrence Tech’s 120-acre campus.

Lawrence Tech President Charles M. Chambers said the building, to be completed this fall, will feature much of the latest in environmentally-friendly design as well as efficient, alternative energy technologies to qualify for the coveted LEED green building certification.         

“It will serve as a high-tech ‘living laboratory’ for students enrolled in our engineering and architecture programs, which are some of the largest in the Midwest,” he said.

According to Stephen C. Ragan, Lawrence Tech’s vice president for university advancement, “Fund raising is continuing for the Taubman Student Services Center, a major part of the University’s $32 million campaign for facilities, program, and scholarship support that was publicly launched in 2001. We’re extremely proud and appreciative that the Center will be completely supported by philanthropy.”

Besides Taubman’s $4 million gift, other major donors to the Taubman Student Services Center to date include:

• $2.5 million of a $6 million gift by Edward and Inez Donley
• $400,000 from MPC Computers
• Leadership support from ARAMARK Facility Services
• $275,000 from Steelcase Inc.
• $250,000 from the DTE Energy Foundation toward the one-stop center
• $100,000 from The Kresge Foundation’s “green building initiative”
• York International Corp., Lightolier, and Interface Carpet are providing in-kind contributions
• $75,000 from Michael Gillie for the technology learning lab

Architect for the project is HarleyEllis, and construction manager is Walbridge Aldinger.

Lawrence Tech has posted a live camera view at www.ltu.edu/taubmancenter that provides photos – refreshed every minute – of the construction progress.

Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, offers more than 50 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Management. Founded in 1932, the 5,000-student, private university pioneered the offering of day and evening classes more than 70 years ago, and today has a growing number of weekend programs. Lawrence Tech’s 120-acre campus is in Southfield, and executive education centers are located in Plymouth, Clinton Township, and Traverse City, as well as in Canada and Asia.