Construction has officially begun for the new Engineering Teaching and Research Complex at Iowa State. A ceremony was held Saturday south of the College of Design to begin construction.

Excavation for phase I of the complex (located north of Beyer Hall) began in June.

Speakers at the event included ISU President Martin Jischke, Engineering Dean James Melsa, President of the Engineering Student Council Stacy Edler, Stanley and Helen Howe and Gov. Terry Branstad.

The ETRC will cost $61 million to build and is one of the largest capital improvement projects ever at ISU.

Melsa said in a press release, “[the construction of the ETRC] is a clear signal that engineering will continue to play a crucial role in the university into the next millennium.”

Melsa said the State of Iowa and legislators support the ETRC project.

“The State of Iowa also has gotten behind this project and legislators have shown through the commitment to ETRC that engineers in Iowa will remain on the cutting edge of their profession.”

The ETRC is a two-phase project which will include phase I, Howe Hall, on the west side of Bissell Road and phase II on the east side of Bissell Road. A skywalk and tunnel will connect the buildings of the two phases together.

Howe Hall is named in recognition of Stanley and Helen Howe from Muscatine, Iowa, who donated $6 million toward the construction of the ETRC.

Stanley Howe is a 1946 engineering graduate of ISU who is currently chairman emeritus and a member of the board of directors at HON Industries.

Stanley Howe said engineers are in great demand because many companies do not have enough engineers employed.

“[The ETRC] is going to be a great help to students in the College of Engineering,” he said.

Howe Hall will be a 98,000 net square feet building completed by early 2000.

A few of its features will be four high-tech classrooms, two high-tech lecture halls, faculty, staff and graduate student offices and a 275-seat auditorium.

Phase II will be a 60,000 net square feet building.

Construction for Phase II will begin next summer and is expected to be completed by December 2001.

It will feature environmental and aerodynamic wind tunnels, multi-disciplinary teaching and research laboratories and a 400-seat auditorium.

Jischke said the ETRC will benefit ISU engineering students by ensuring them of a world class education at a university which will have an improved reputation.

Edler, a senior in civil and environmental engineering, made reference to comments made by other engineering students.

One student told her, “New buildings bring a sense of enthusiasm to students, make students feel more welcome on campus and encourage learning.”