Story and photos by Monty Siekerman
Today (Friday) was a momentous day in the history of Ohio Northern when about 300 people gathered for a groundbreaking  ceremony at the site which will become a $30 million College of Engineering building located just east of pharmacy.

- MORE PHOTOS BELOW -

The facility, which will serve twice as many students as the current Biggs Engineering Building, is designed to keep pace with the engineering field, placing emphasis on collaboration and teamwork. The 105,000 square foot building will provide the space and facilities needed for graduates to thrive and continue to assume leadership roles in the profession.

Already, ONU's engineering college is considered to be among the 30 best in the nation.

Construction is scheduled to begin after commencement in May 2018 with completion set for the fall of 2019.

More than $13 million in private funding has been committed toward the building. The effort is supported, in part, by a $67.2 million loan the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded to ONU to support several initiatives.

The architect in the design phase is BHDP Architecture with offices in Cincinnati and Columbus. The design, although quite different from other West Campus buildings, takes into account that the building will be facing south to take advantage of the sunlight, making the structure more environmentally friendly. The front of the structure includes a lot of glass.

The name Biggs will remain on the current structure. The future building has not been named in honor or in memory of anyone at this time. The general contractor is yet to be selected.

The ceremony took place on the weekend of the fall meeting of the ONU board of trustees.

ONU President Dr. Daniel DiBiasio remarked, "We are here ceremonially to mark a new beginning for the college  and to eagerly embark on a long-awaited opportunity to build impact in a new building. We do so with a firm conviction that the learning will be enhanced with a more modern facility, and we do so with faith and resolve to sustain the tradition of excellence for which our College of Engineering is well known."

PHOTOS BELOW:

• President DiBiasio stands before an image of the soon-to-be-built engineering building.

• Bruce Burton (left), retired dean of engineering who came to ONU in 1958, chats with Kevin Freese of Cleveland, an ONU graduate who is chairman and CEO of Groovy Candies. Freese serves as Campaign for Engineering co-chair, helping to raise millions of dollars for the new building and its furnishings.

• Dignitaries break ground.

• Overflow crowd of about 300 people attend ceremony. The new structure will be built just east of the pharmacy building (pictured in background).

• A future engineer? Dr. Bryan Boulanger, chair of environmental engineering, with daughter Eala, 2.

• Barb Meek, director of alumni affairs, with Klondike.