Weinstein Hall
Site: Southwest corner of Stern Plaza, adjacent to the Jepson School of Leadership Studies
Dedication: October 26, 1951 (as the Richmond College Student Activities Building)
Architect: Carneal & Johnston
Original Size: 17,250 square feet
Original Cost: $300,000
Renovations: At least two interior renovations between 1952 and 1997
Weinstein Hall: Project duration 2001-2003
Architect: Scribner Messer Brady & Wade
Size: 53,000 square feet
Cost: $12.1 million
Dedciation: October 16, 2003
Weinstein Hall has undergone a major transformation in its recent history. Incorporated in the current building is the former Richmond College Student Activities Building which opened as a stand alone structure in 1951. This earlier structure was also sometimes referred to as the Alumni-Student Center, since the Richmond College alumni offices were located there. Eventually it was known simply as the Student Center, or SC on campus maps
There had long been a need for a student center on the north side of campus. Originally it served primarily male students but was open to all students. The project was delayed by World War II, during which time the number of male students decreased while the number of female students increased. In 1943, a fundraising effort asked Richmond College alumni to contribute the final $10,000 (of an estimated cost of $100,000) needed to build the student center, suggesting that donations could be made in War Bonds as well as cash. It was not until summer 1947 that The Alumni Bulletin was able to announce that “Student Center Gets Green Light.” The new building was described as a student center, a headquarters for student organizations, and also the site of Richmond College’s alumni affairs office. As with Westhampton’s Social Center, the building was meant to be of particular benefit to day or commuting students, allowing them to engage in campus life beyond the classroom. Lockers would be installed where day students could leave their books and personal property. The expected date of the building’s completion was September 1950.
The building was actually dedicated on October 25, 1951, during Homecoming Weekend. However, except for the College Shop, the building was not fully functional until February 1952, when all the furniture had been installed. The final cost for the building, including furnishings, was $300,000.
A brochure written to promote the Student Center describes the amenities and rooms in the four-story building. The first (ground-level) floor contained the post office and the College Shop, which included a luncheonette called The Dry Dock. The College Shop was described as “a cool place where you may eat a snack, drink a ‘coke’ or buy a pencil or notebook.” The second floor of the building had a barber shop, lavatories, a faculty lounge, and alumni offices. The third floor had a memorial lounge (presumably to honor Richmond alumni), a recreation room, a conference room for student meetings, and the office of the director of the building. The fourth floor contained offices for student publications. The campus radio station was eventually located in the building as well.
After the Tyler Haynes Commons opened in 1976, the former Student Center as converted to a primarily academic building and was referred to as the Political Science/Military Science Building, or PS/MS. Beginning in May 1997, the building was extensively renovated and fitted with new classrooms and office space for Political Science. Military Science was relocated to Millhiser Gym. Human Resources moved from Maryland Hall to the Political Science Building, taking over the space that had been occupied by the campus police department. The latter moved to the Special Programs Building, where the School of Continuing Studies is located.
On October 2000, the Board approved a plan to significantly expand the Political Science Building creating the Center for the Social Sciences. The newest part of the structure would be located on the south side of the original building.
Weinstein Hall, which was dedicated on October 16, 2003, is named in honor of its generous benefactors – the Weinstein family. The philanthropy of Richmond’s Weinstein family grew to over $14 million during the course of the project. Marcus Weinstein, R’49; his wife, Carole, W’75 and G’77; their daughter and University trustee, Allison Weinstein; and son-in-law Ivan Jecklin together made the new center for the social sciences possible. Philip D. Weinstein, brother of Marcus Weinstein, gave $1 million for construction of a memorial garden. Allison Weinstein and Jecklin announced an additional gift of $500,000 for a Speech Center. Mr. and Mrs. Jay M. Weinberg pledged $250,000 for creation of a Debate Center. Mr. and Mrs. Claude R. Davenport Jr. pledged $250,000 for an Integrative Journalism Center.
“The generosity of the Weinstein family and its friends will create a legacy of educational excellence and service to this campus, the Richmond area and the country,” said President William E. Cooper at the groundbreaking ceremony. “It is a magnificent demonstration of their faith in the power of higher education to contribute to the life of the community.”
The 53,000-square-foot building provides state-of-the-art quarters for the university's journalism, political science, sociology-anthropology and rhetoric-communication studies departments. The facility also houses the university's Speech Center, Debate Center and Integrative Journalism Center. Among Weinstein Hall's unusual features are a sunken entry garden, restoration of an original commons room and state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and research in the social sciences. The exterior features cloistered walks, carved limestone and Oriel windows. A central tower unifies the architectural composition.
Situated at the southwest corner of Stern Plaza, the structure is adjacent to the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. An arched passage through the building aligns Whitehurst Hall with the statue of E. Claiborne Robins. When a planned expansion of Boatwright Library is completed, the resulting academic plaza will be among the most distinctive quadrangles to be found among the world’s great colleges and universities The new structure incorporates the former Political Science building and added 38,000 square feet of new classrooms, labs, research suites, meeting rooms and faculty offices, all in the university's signature collegiate gothic architectural style.
Marcus and Carole Weinstein, daughter Allison Weinstein, son-in-law Ivan Jecklin, and Phillip Weinstein, Marcus Weinstein’s brother, took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Weinstein Hall opened for classes with the start of the fall semester in 2003.
The university followed guidelines of the U.S. Green Building Council and earned LEED (Leadership, Energy and Environmental Design) certification on this project. Among its environmentally friendly features are a system that monitors and adjusts fresh air entering the building to improve comfort and save energy; special parking spaces for carpool and alternative fuel vehicles, including plug-ins for recharging electric motors; and special mats at major entrances to remove dirt from shoes. The contractor also used recycled steel and other recycled contents. All materials, such as paint and carpeting, were selected for their low volatile organic compounds, which reduce allergy-related problems for people working in the building.
Marcus Weinstein is the son of Abraham H. and Minnie Roth Weinstein. He is an alumnus of the University graduating in 1949. Mr. Weinstein majored in Psychology. Mr. Weinstein is married to Carole Louise Weinstein, daughter of Morris J. and Bertha J. Milstein. She is a university alumna graduating in 1975 and earning a Master’s Degree in 1977. Carole Weinstein formerly taught at St. Catherine’s School in Richmond and has served as an adjunct professor of English at the University. She served on the University’s Board of Trustee’s from 1988 to 1992. Marcus Weinstein is the chairman and former president of Weinstein Management, a large real estate and land development company in Richmond, VA. Allison Page Weinstein, daughter of Marcus and Carole is the current president of Weinstein Management. Allison Weinstein is married to Ivan Jecklin. Allison currently serves on the University Board of Trustees. Marcus Weinstein has served as a chairperson for the University’s annual fund, has served on the Board of Associates and is a member of the Rector’s Club and Founders. Both Marcus and Carole have been awarded honorary degrees, Marcus, the Doctor of Commercial Science degree in 2002, and Carole, the Doctor of Letters degree in 2004.
The Weinstein family has supported the University of Richmond for nearly 30 years, funding the Minnie Roth Weinstein Scholarship and the Carole M. Weinstein Chair of International Education, the Weinstein Family Endowed Chair in Social Sciences, establishing the Lind Lawrence Scholarship in memory of Marcus’ friend and benefactor, and donating the Chancellor's home. Along with fellow Richmond residents Fannie and Gilbert Rosenthal, the Weinsteins also established a chair in Jewish and Christian studies at the university.
In addition, the Weinsteins have contributed toward the Wilton Interfaith Center, Joseph A. Jennings Chair in Business, the Burhans Civic Fellows, community service activities in the chaplain’s office, and the public radio program "A Moment in Time," which is produced and nationally syndicated by Richmond history professor Dan Roberts. The Weinsteins also provided key support that brought acclaimed opera diva Roberta Peters to the campus for a performance.
Sources:
UR website
VBHS building file