August 20, 1890 – Despite the controversy surrounding the loss of Iowa City’s first City Park, Harry C. Smith of Iowa City is awarded a contract to begin construction on the new SUI Hall of Pharmacy & Chemistry at an estimated cost of $41,983.
It was decided in 1890 to locate this new building, dedicated to the study of Chemistry and Pharmacy, in the City Park area – a controversial idea indeed! Once opened two years later, the facility began showing signs of faulty construction almost immediately. In 1922, it was remodeled into a library (East Hall Annex) and in 1930, the Electrical Engineering Department made it its headquarters until its demise in 1973. And even in its passing, there was more controversy!
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