Commerce West / Wohler's Hall

The College of Commerce and Business Administration was founded in 1915, based on the Courses in Business Administration that had been established by the State General Assembly in 1900 to "establish courses of training for business life". [1] Throughout its existence, the College has occupied numerous buildings, including the current Henry Administration Building and David Kinley Hall, [2]where it still retains a presence. [3]

In May 1964 the College added a new building to its list of homes, [4] the $3,257,00 Commerce West, which construction had begun on in 1962. [5] The Gregorian building was so-named because of its position directly west of David Kinley Hall, [6] which was then known simply as the Commerce Building. [7] Designed by Jameson and Harrison in conjunction with University Architect Ernest L. Stouffer, and built by Kuhne-Simmons, Inc., [8] its three floors contained 98,206 square feet that were built, furnished, and landscaped for $3,361,710 and housed more than 100 offices. [9] It also featured a 350-seat auditorium [10] and an IBM computer, a rarity in those days. [11] Its former site was the home of the 1950's Illini Union Coffee House, a student cafeteria spawned out of a need to feed the influx of students after World War II. [12]

On September 21, 2000, the building was renamed Wohlers Hall in honor of Albert H. and Jane L. Wohlers, [13] who funded the nearly $6M renovation. [14] In the rededication proceedings, it was noted that the building provided an "interesting social commentary" in that when the original building was constructed, there were no female graduate students or staff in the College and so the fourth floor, which housed faculty and graduate offices, had no women's restrooms. [15]

On October 28, 2000, the Neil G. Bluhm Lecture Hall and the Judd D. Malkin Dean's Suite were dedicated, the result of twin $1M gifts from the two long-time friends. [16]