The College of Engineering is taking a giant step forward after receiving a $1 million donation from a private donor to further construction on the college’s teaching and research complex.

“This money will support the construction of Hoover Hall,” said James Melsa, dean of the College of Engineering.

Hoover Hall is the second part of Iowa State’s Engineering Teaching and Research Complex.

The first phase of the complex, Howe Hall, was completed last year.

Melsa said the donation came from an engineering alumnus, who lives in Iowa. He declined to name the donor.

“We’ve almost completed our fund-raising campaign; we hope to be completed by December,” said J. Lance Cavanaugh, senior development officer for engineering administration in the College of Engineering. “This is a huge boost for us.”

Construction of Hoover Hall was put on hold until the necessary funds could be raised. Melsa said the college wanted to be certain they could both start and finish the project before starting construction.

“The donation puts us over the top and brings fund raising fundamentally to a close,” he said.

Melsa said Hoover Hall, which will be located across the street from Howe Hall on the west side of campus, will cost close to $30 million. Together with Howe Hall, the teaching complex will cost about $64 million to construct.

Hoover Hall is named in honor of Gary and Donna Hoover, who donated $3 million last year to help aid in the construction of the engineering institution.

Gary Hoover graduated from Iowa State in 1961 with a degree in mechanical engineering. The couple currently lives in Omaha, Neb.

Upon completion, Melsa said the new building will house the Material Science and Engineering Department and the Office of Engineering Computing Support Services. It also will house an auditorium that will be open for lectures to all university students.

It will have several smaller classrooms for 80 to 100 students and computer and research facilities.

Melsa said three engineering buildings — Hoover Hall, Howe Hall and the Black Engineering Building — will eventually be connected by sky walks.

Construction on Hoover Hall is tentatively scheduled to begin in July, Melsa said.