Marshall Magazine Autumn 2022

construction of the new baseball sta dium,”Williams said. “I amenthused that we can take on big projects that will benefit our university, city, state and region.” “This is why this university and community are so special,” Spears said. “We don’t back down, we don’t quit. We partner, we collaborate, we include, we find a way, we believe. We are ready to move forward with a new location, timeline, budget and plan. Now we need many to give.”

BREAKING NEWS

West Virginia’s Office of Economic Development will contribute $13.8 million toward the baseball stadium project. Gov. Jim Justice came to the site especially to make the an nouncement and to throw out a cer emonial first pitch. Here he is shown presenting the check to President Brad D. Smith and Athletic Director Christian Spears, surrounded by members of the baseball team.

former Intuit CEO Brad Smith and his wife, Alys. It marked one of the top three gifts to Marshall University in its history. Future development that is envi sioned along Fourth Avenue will be a collaboration among Fairmount Properties, Marshall University, PJ Dick Construction and architectural firm Perkins Eastman. Fairmount Properties plans to develop a vibrant, mixed-use district where one can live, work, dine, play and recreate, anchored by and adja cent to the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation. In addition to sophisticated urban resi dential units geared toward Marshall faculty, staff and medical and other professionals in Huntington, the district is expected to include new restaurant and retail options curated to help recruit and retain Marshall graduates. This “Marshall Business and Innovation District” will be strategically located where down town meets Marshall University’s Huntington campus, presenting opportunities for strategic connec tions, idea sharing and catalytic growth and leading to broad and sustained economic effects.

The Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation is on track to open in 2024.

The Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation One of the university’s largest development projects in years is un derway with the construction of the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation. Steel beams went up in April at the 1400 block of Fourth Avenue in Huntington — the site of the former Uptowner Inn and later the Flats on 4th apartments. The sprawling facility will be 77,000 gross square feet and is ex pected to welcome its first students in January 2024. Along with class room space, the center will feature a forumand auditorium, computer and finance labs, office space, meeting rooms and study spaces for students. It will be equipped with confer ence capabilities for small and large

business gatherings and serve as an incubator for both management and practice. Officials say the facility will allow for more interdisciplin ary collaboration among students and faculty, concurrently advancing research, 21st-century learning and community engagement. “This is the realization of a long cherished dream for our univer sity to have a world-class facility for our business students,” said Dr. Avinandan “Avi” Mukherjee, pro vost and former dean of the Lewis College of Business. “The economic impact of the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation on the state, the region and the city will be incredibly significant.” The building project is the re sult of a $25 million gift in 2018 to the Lewis College of Business from

Jack Houvouras is publisher of Marshall Magazine .

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