UND President Robert Kelley, Law School Dean Rand and Lt. Gov. Wrigley take part in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the completion of its new addition and renovation on Friday, Oct. 9. Photo by Susie Bommersbach
The ribbon is cut, and the UND School of Law building addition and renovation project is officially complete.
Lieutenant Governor Drew Wrigley, University of North Dakota President Robert Kelley and UND School of Law Dean Kathryn Rand cut the ceremonial ribbon, formally dedicating the UND Law building addition and renovation project at a ceremony held Friday, October 9.
The ceremony led by Kelley, featured speakers Wrigley, North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle, North Dakota State Board of Higher Education chair Kathleen Neset, North Dakota State Representative and current UND Law student Kylie Oversen and Rand.
VandeWalle, referring to the unbelievable 15-month time frame involved in the project, dubbed the completion of the building addition and renovation the “miracle on University Avenue.” He said, “After the ground breaking ceremony one year ago, I told Dean Rand if you are in there by August it will be a miracle on University Avenue. Well it is a miracle on University Avenue in more ways than one. The fact that the building is here and on time is impressive.”
The project lead by Construction Engineers and ICON Architectural Group, moved along at a rapid pace and was completed on time and on budget creating a much-needed new and improved law school. The project includes a new 16,000 square foot, three story addition and a nearly complete renovation of the original 1922 law building and the Thormodsgard Law Library. The educational space improved significantly as additional classrooms were added featuring a state-of-the-art teaching courtroom, deliberation room and a high-tech “case study” classroom. Additional student study, collaboration and gathering space can be found throughout the addition and the renovated law library.
“Today we are in a much better place – a better place for our students, a better place for the legal profession, a better place for our law school community and a better place for the people of North Dakota because we are North Dakota’s law school,” said Rand.