Residence Hall to Be Named for William R. Greiner

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo will name its newest and most innovative residence hall after William R. Greiner, who devoted 42 years of service to the institution as president, provost and longtime Law School faculty member.

Jeremy Jacobs, chairman of the UB Council, announced the special tribute today at a public memorial for Greiner that drew nearly 1,200 people to the Center for the Arts on UB's North Campus. At a reception following the formal program, guests were invited to sign a structural beam that will become an integral part of the building honoring Greiner, who died late last year.

The 600-unit, 198,500-square-foot William R. Greiner Residence Hall, formerly known as the South Ellicott Suites, is under construction on the North Campus and scheduled to be ready for occupancy for the fall 2011 semester.

The $57 million project will enhance student learning by blending residential, academic and recreational areas. The residence hall, a model for future campus housing, will contribute to "Building UB" plans to make the North Campus more dynamic, lively and attractive. Environmentally friendly features should qualify it for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certification.

"The entire first floor of the building will demonstrate the vibrancy of 24-hour-a-day academic activity, a key principle in the learning landscapes concept," says Joseph J. Krakowiak, director of University Residence Halls and Apartments. "The first floor has a wide variety of settings for classroom spaces for study groups and for individual study, and features a 2,000-square-foot Market Café with seating for 50 people."

The spirit of the project reflects Greiner's vision of the university as a place where students should enjoy a vibrant intellectual and social life. As UB's 13th president, his leadership transformed student life, heralding the development and construction of five state-of-the-art student apartment complexes.

Greiner died surrounded by family members in the Cleveland Clinic on Dec. 19 due to complications from heart surgery. He was 75.