University at Buffalo officials broke ground on what will soon be the Russell L. Agrusa Hall Tuesday.

The new student-focused engineering building on the school's North Campus will accommodate students in the schools of engineering and applied sciences. 

“Russell L. Agrusa Hall will have a transformative impact on our School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and our university community,” said UB President Satish K. Tripathi. “Consider the collaborations that will form there and contribute to economic prosperity and vitality in the region, state and well beyond; the students who will be educated there and go on to lead in their fields; the innovations that will take root there, producing the technologies of tomorrow. On behalf of all of us at UB, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to UB alumnus Russ Agrusa for this historic gift, and to Governor Kathy Hochul, U.S. Representative Tim Kennedy and the Western New York state delegation for their enduring support of UB and our mission of excellence.”

New York state is pitching in $68 million toward the project that is slated to cost $111 million. 

The building is being named after Russell Argusa who graduated from UB with an electrical engineering degree in 1976. He donated $40 million to UB last year. 

“The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has been a significant part of my life for many years. As a student, it instilled in me the knowledge and confidence to pursue my goals. As an alumnus, it has become an integral part of my identity, beginning when I and my late wife Paula were approached by Tim Siderakis and Mark Karwan over 24 years ago,” said Agrusa. “I’ve been supportive and involved with the school ever since. It is a privilege to support the university in establishing this new learning center for future thought leaders in engineering and computer science, and it’s my honor that my name will be associated with the school moving forward in this significant way.”

Argusa currently lives near Boston, Massachusetts and is the founder of software company ICONICS, Incorporated.