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University Archives: St. Thomas Building History

Buildings at St. Thomas

Bold = Current Buildings
Italiacs = Former Names of Buildings

Normal = Buildings No Longer Standing

 

30  & 32 Finn
1984 Purchased by St. Thomas for additional office space.  Number 30 initially housed the English Department, the Writing Center; Number 32 initially housed Admissions, Public Affairs and the Credit Union.

Administration Building (New)
   see Aquina
s Hall

Administration Building (Old)
1876 Constructed as the Catholic Industrial School
1886 Remodeled and expanded for use of the St. Thomas Seminary (later the College of St. Thomas)
1930 Razed

Air Force Building
1946? Constructed
1957 Razed

Albertus Magnus Hall
  see John Roach Center for the Liberal Arts


Alumni House
1965 Acquired by the College

Alumni Center
  see Mennith Hall 

Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex
May 2009 – August 2010 Constructed by Opus Corporation. 
2010 Sept 1 Officially opened
2010 Oct 20 Dedication. Named for Lee and Penny Anderson.

Anderson Parking Facility
February 2009 Opened for use.  Constructed by Ryan Companies US, Inc. Named for Lee and Penny Anderson.

Anderson Student Center
2010 – 2012 Constructed by Opus Corporation. 
2012 Jan 17 Officially opened
2012 May 10 Dedication. Named for Lee and Penny Anderson.

 

Aquinas Hall
1932 Constructed as the Liberal Arts Building. Maginnis & Walsh of Boston, architects
ca. 1959 Renamed Aquinas Hall
1964 Remodeled

Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library
1949/1950 Constructed

Armory-Field House
      see also Foley Theater
1914 Constructed by a Mr. Butler as two-part building: an armory and a clubhouse. The clubhouse section contained meeting rooms on the first floor for use by student clubs; the second floor contained an auditorium. The basement contained a shooting gallery for indoor target practice. When constructed, the armory was the second largest hall in the Twin Cities.
1958 Clubhouse section remodeled to provide theater space.
1980 The Armory section razed.

Arts Building
     see Aquinas Hall


Barracks
1946 Fall Constructed
1956 C Barracks Razed
1959 Summer A & B Barracks Razed

Bernardi Campus Building
1999 November - property purchased in Rome, Italy to house study abroad students
2000 October 6 - dedicated as the Bernardi Campus of the University of St. Thomas in Rome.  Named in honor of the family of Antonio and Maria Bernardi.

Binz Refectory
1978 Constructed on the St. Paul Seminary campus

Brady Educational Center
1968 Constructed as a classroom building and auditorium for the St. Paul Seminary

Brady Hall
1967 Constructed as a Residence Hall. Designed by Ellerbe Architects, Inc. Named for Archbishop William O. Brady. Stands on the site of the St. Thomas Military Academy Building.
1967 Oct 22 Dedicated
1985 - Two additional floors constructed on the building.

Building X
1946? Constructed
1957 Razed

Byrne Retired Priests Residence (Old)
1978 Constructed
1995 Razed to make room for Frey Science and Engineering Center

Byrne Retired Priests Residence (New)
1995 Constructed as a 29-unit apartment building for retired priests. Opus Architects and Engineers designed the building

Cafeteria
1946? Constructed
1957 Razed

Catholic Digest Building
     see Mennith Hall

Catholic Industrial School Building
     see Administration Building (Old)

Center for Well-Being
2004-2005 Constructed
Sept 15, 2004 - Groundbreaking
April 2005 - Child Development Center staff move into the building
2019 - Renovated to become the Center for Well-Being
2020 February 12 - Grand re-opening of building

Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas (New)
1916 October 11 Construction began.  E. L. Masqueray, Architect
1918 Construction completed
1919 May 29 Dedicated as a part of the Homecoming Day celebration.
1944-1945 Decoration completed (including painting and stained glass work)
1978 Renovated
2008-2009 Renovated
2019 - 2020 Iversen Center for Faith added.  Interior of the chapel remodeled.

Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas (Old)
1891 Constructed
1917 Razed

Child Development Center
     see Center for Well-Being

Chiuminatto Hall
     see Sitzmann Hall 


Christ Child Hall
1955 Constructed as the Christ Child School for Exceptional Children. Gift of I.A. O'Shaughnessy. Ellerbe and Co. Architects
1976 When the school closed, the property reverted to the Archdiocese who in turn gave it to the College of St. Thomas.
2005 - Razed

Classroom Building (Old)
      see St. Thomas Military Academy Building


Classroom Building (St. Paul Seminary)
1894(?) -- Constructed on St. Paul Seminary Grounds. In addition to classrooms, contained a large auditorium (Aula Maxima). Designed by Cass Gilbert.
1972 -- Razed.

Convent
1951 Constructed as a memorial to the John J. Bell Family. The building was used as convent and chapel for the Sisters of St. Joseph who ran the Seminary infirmary and dining hall.
1995 Razed to make room for the Frey Science and Engineering Building.

Coughlan Field House 
      see Shoenecker Arena - Coughlan Fieldhouse

Cretin Hall
1894 Constructed as the south student residence for the Seminary. Designed by Cass Gilbert.
1913 Renamed for Bishop Joseph Cretin, first bishop of the Diocese of Saint Paul.
1987/1989 Acquired by UST. Renovated for use as a residence hall for undergraduate students.
2024 June Razed

Dormitory Building
      see Science Building


Dowling Hall
1959 Constructed.  Harold Spitznagel and Associates, architects

1985  Two additional floors constructed on the building

Facilites and Design Center
2014 Constructed. Ryan Companies architect and contractor. Built as laboratory space for the Engineering Department and some Physical Plant operations.

Faculty Residence
1974 Constructed. Gerald A. Rauenhorst, Architect
2019 Razed

Father Charles Froehle Administration Building
1988/1989 - Constructed as the St. Paul Seminary / School of Divinity Administration Building. Complex includes 1-story administration building and a 5-story student residence. Designed by Griswold, Rauma, Egge and Olson Architects
2015 April 30 - Named in honor of Fr. Charles Froehle, rector of the St. Paul Seminary/School of Divinity from 1980 to 1993.

Fine Arts Building
      see Sitzmann Hall

Flynn Hall
2004/05 - Constructed as a residence hall by Opus Corporation.  Designed by Opus Architects & Engineers with assistance from Ellness, Swenson and Graham Architects.
2005 Sept 6 - Dedicated
2009 May 7 - Renamed in honor of Archbishop Harry Flynn

Foley Theater
     see also Armory-Field House
1914 Built as the clubhouse portion of the Armory-Field House
1958 Remodeled into a 280 seat theater
2009 Razed

Frey Hall
2019/2020 - Designed and constructed by Ryan Companies to primarily house second-year students. Originally named Tommie East
2022 May 11  - Renamed and dedicated in honor of Mary and Gene Frey

Frey Science and Engineering Center
1995/1997 Constructed.  Designed by Holabird & Root (Chicago, IL).  Composed of Owens Science Hall and O'Shaughnessy Science Hall.
1997 Sept 18 Dedicated

Gainey Conference Center
1953 - 1957 French-Norman style residence constructed on farm outside of Owatonna,MN.  Designed by Daniel C. Gainey and Edwin Lundie.
1979 - property bequeathed to the university upon the death of Daniel C. Gainey.
1981 - conference center constructed adjacent to the original Gainey home.
2014 - Property sold by the university

Gleason House
1870 (?) Constructed
1900 Occupied until this year by the Gleason family who "farmed" the campus for the college. Used after that as a home for the Sisters of St. Joseph who ran the college infirmary and as a storehouse.
1950 Razed

Grace Hall
1913 Constructed as residence for St. Paul Seminary students. Designed by Emmanuel Masqueray.
1987/1989 -- Acquired by the University of St. Thomas and renovated for use as an undergraduate residence hall

Grand Apartments
1981 Acquired

Grotto
1917 - Saint Paul Seminary students begin construction of a grotto in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a ravine near the St. Paul Seminary Administration Building.  The grotto included stone crosses to mark the Stations of the Cross.
1919 May - Grotto dedicated
1930 May 25 -  a statue of Mary was placed and dedicated in the grotto
1993 - 1994 - the grotto was renovated using a design by Scott Mindas of Barton-Aschman Associates, Inc.  Artwork for the prayer stations was designed by Peter Lupori.
1993 September 13 - groundbreaking for the renovation
1994 May 1 - grotto is rededicated

Guy '49 and Barbara Schoenecker Residence Hall North
2019/2020 - Designed and constructed by the Opus Group to house first-year students. Originally named Tommie North
2024 September 19 -  Renamed the Guy '49 and Barbara Schoenecker Residence Hall North


Gymnasium Building
    See Armory-Field House

Gymnasium/Heating Plant (St. Paul Seminary)
     see Service Center


Heating Plant
      see Physical Plant Building

Herrick Hall
    see Murray-Herrick Hall


Industrial School Building
    see Administration Building (Old)


Infirmary
    see Mennith Hall

International House
1976 -- Acquired

Ireland Hall
1912 Constructed as a residence hall. E.L. Masqueray, architect. Built by Mr. Brady.
1924 Named after Archbishop John Ireland
1945 Remodeled. Ellerbe and Co, architects

Irish American Cultural Institute
1947 -- Constructed
1995 Nov -- Razed

Iversen Center for Faith
2019-2020  Constructed as an addition to the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas.

John Bell Building
    See Convent


John Paul II Hall
1978 Constructed as a residence hall. McGuire, Corteau and Lucke, architects
1979 Named in honor of Pope John Paul II
2019 Razed

John Roach Center for the Liberal Arts
1946/1948  Constructed as science classroom building. Ellerbe Brothers, architects. McGough Construction Co., builders.
1948 Dedicated as Albertus Magnus Hall.  Named for St. Albert the Great, scientist, and St. Thomas Aquinas' teacher.
1963 Greenhouse addition. Built by Albert Lauer
1999/2000 Renovated by McGough Construction Co. for $9.8 million.
2000 Sept 21 Rededicated as the John Roach Center for Liberal Arts

Koch Commons
1997 Constructed as a multipurpose facility to house the Wellness Center, a computer lab, fitness center, lounges and administrative offices.
1998 Feb 19  Dedicated. Named in honor of David and Barbara Koch.

Lake Mennith
1887 - created when a dam was built across a stream which ran through the southeast part of the campus.
ca.1910 - disappeared from the campus landscape after the construction of a sewer line by the City of St. Paul across the campus in 1909.

Liberal Arts Building
    See Aquinas Hall


Loras Hall
1894 Constructed as north residence for St. Paul Seminary students. Designed by Cass Gilbert.
1913 Renamed for Bishop Mathias Loras, the first bishop of the territory.
1943/1945  Housed St. Thomas Academy Students
1970's -- Housed St. John Viannney Students
1982 Acquired by College of St. Thomas to house undergraduate students
2021 - Razed

McCarthy Recreation Building
1968 Constructed as gymnasium for the St. Paul Seminary
1987 Acquired by the University of St. Thomas
2010 - 2011 - Renovated 
2024 - Razed

McNeely Hall (Old)
       see Summit Classroom Building

McNeely Hall (New)
2005-2006 Constructed
2006 October 18 - dedicated.  Named for Harry and Adelaide McNeely parents of St. Thomas Trustee Harry McNeely, Jr.

Mennith Hall
1905 Constructed for use as the College Infirmary. Herman Kretz, architect (?)
1967 The Catholic Digest offices moved in when the infirmary is moved to Brady Hall.
2005 Renamed Alumni Center
2021 Renamed Mennith Hall

Minneapolis Campus Building
     see Terrence Murphy Hall


Morrison Hall
1997 - 1998 Constructed as a student apartment residence hall.  Designed by McGuire Corteau Luck Architects Inc.  Constructed by Opus Corporation.
1998 September 24 - dedicated
1999 May 13 Named for UST trustee John Morrison and his wife Sue Schmid Morrison

Morrison House
2007 - property given by UST trustee, John Morrison to be used as the home of the president of the university.

Murray Hall 
       see Murray-Herrick Hall

Murray-Herrick Hall
1960 Murray Hall constructed. Ellerbe and Company, architects
1977 Two floor addition added as a residence hall for female students
1988 Expanded.
1989 Nov 2 Herrick Hall addition dedicated

Music Building
    See Sitzmann Hall


Old Administration
    See Administration Building (Old)


Old Classroom Building
   See St. Thomas Military Academy Building

Old Chapel
    See Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas (Old)


Old Industrial School Building
    See Administration Building (Old)


Old Main

    See Administration Building (Old)


Old Science Hall
    See Science Building


Opus Hall
1997- 1999 Constructed. Designed by Opus Architects and Engineers
1997 October 8 - Official groundbreaking
1999 September 23 - Dedicated

O'Shaughnessy Educational Center
1970 Constructed. Patrick F. McGuire of Haarstick, Lundgren and Associates architect
1971 September 23 - Dedicated

O'Shaughnessy Hall
1939 - Constructed. R.C. Reinecke or Ellerbe and Co., architects
2010 - Razed 

O'Shaughnessy Library
    See O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center


O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center
1959 - Constructed as O'Shaughnessy Library. Lang and Raugland of Minneapolis, architects; McGough Construction builders.
1991 - Remodeled, expanded and renamed (Frey addition). Constructed by Opus Corporation of Minneapolis; architects are McGuire, Courteau, Lucke Architects Inc., of St.Paul

O'Shaughnessy Science Hall
    see Frey Science and Engineering Center

O'Shaughnessy Stadium and Athletic Field
1908-11 -- Field laid out. Hugh Vincent Feehan, Landscape Architect.
1940 -- South wall constructed
1947 -- Stadium Constructed. Ellerbe & Co. Architects. Built by Edward Dunningan Co.

Owens Science Hall
    see Frey Science and Engineering Center

Parking Ramp (McNeely)
2005 -2006 - Constructed as a part of McNeely Hall (New)

Parking Ramp (Morrison and Selby)
1998 -- Constructed as a part of Morrison Hall
2004-2005  - Addition constructed as a part of Selby Hall

Physical Education Activities Center
    See Schoenecker Arena / Coughlan Field House


Physical Plant Building
1939 Constructed as Heating Plant. Designed by Ellerbe & Co., Architects.
1979 - 1980 Addition to building added

Portland House
1976 - Acquired by the College; at 2057 Portland Avenue.

President's House
       see Morrison House


Recreation Center
    See O'Shaughnessy Hall


Refectory Building
1894/1895 - Constructed as a dining hall for the St. Paul Seminary. Designed by Cass Gilbert
1978 -- Razed

St. John Vianney Seminary
1982/83 - Constructed. Griswold and Rauma, Inc. Architects
1983 Sept 11 - Dedication
2022/2023 - Addition constructed 


St. Mary's Chapel

1901 to 1905 - Constructed. Clarence H. Johnston, Architect
1905  May 24 - Dedicated
1929/1930 -- Decorated
1988 - Renovated

St. Paul Seminary Administration Building (Old)
1894 - Constructed. Designed by Cass Gilbert
1987 - Razed

St. Paul Seminary Residence
       see St. Paul Seminary / School of Divinity Administration Building.

St. Thomas Military Academy Building
    1903 Constructed by E. J. Daly.  Originally known as the Classroom Building.
    1965 Razed

St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (New)
      see Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas(New)


St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (Old)
     see Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas (Old)


Schoenecker Arena-Coughlan Field House
1981 - Constructed
2009 - Razed

Schoenecker Center
2022 - 2024 Constructed.  Designed by RAMSA and BWBR Architects ; McGough Construction, design-build contractors.

2022 May 12 - Groundbreaking

2024 February 1 - Opened

2024 May 8 - Dedicated

School of Law Building
2002/2003 - Constructed by Opus Corporation.  Designed by Opus Architects & Engineers assisted by Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbot of Boston, MA.
2003 Oct 17 - Dedicated

Schulze Hall
2004-2005 Constructed; Designed by Opus Architects and Engineers
2004 June 10 - groundbreaking
2005 October 20 - dedication.  Named for UST trustee, Richard Schulze

Science Building
   1900 Constructed as the Dormitory Building. Herman Kretz, architect. Built by Timothy Reardon
   1966 Razed

Selby Avenue Residence
     see Flynn Hall 


Selby Hall
      see Flynn Hall


Service Building
    see Refectory Building

Service Center
1894(?)- Built as Gymnasium and Heating Plant for the St. Paul Seminary. Designed by Cass Gilbert
1968 - After McCarthy Gym was constructed, became center for the Seminary's Physical Plant
1987 - Acquired by the University of St. Thomas
2024 March - Razed 

Shooting Gallery
1916 - Constructed
1980 - Razed

Sitzmann Hall
1943 - Acquired by the College as a faculty residence and to house of some STMA boarders; known as Summit Hall.
1946 - Became known as the Fine Arts Building. Housed the Music Department offices and classrooms.
1976 - Remodeled and renamed in honor of Anthony Chiuminatto, long-time chair of the Music Department
2002 - Remodeled to house the Catholic Studies Department. Renamed in honor of Eugene ('47) and Faye Sitzmann.
2009 - Addition to building constructed adding classroom space, faculty offices and a chapel.

Student Apartment Residence
    see Morrison Hall


Summit Classroom Building
1957 Constructed as the William Mitchell College of Law
1977 Acquired by the College of St. Thomas.  Named for Adelaide and Harry McNeely Sr.
2006 - Renovated and renamed Summit Classroom Building 

Summit Hall
     see Sitzmann Hall

Terrence Murphy Hall
1992 - Constructed as the original Minneapolis campus building
2000 - Renamed in honor of Msgr. Terrence Murphy, president of UST from 1966 to 1991.

Tom Town Huts
1946 - Constructed
1957 - Razed

Tommie East
     see Frey Hall

Tommie North
      see Guy '49 and Barbara Schoenecker Residence Hall North


White House
1976 - Acquired; at 44 N. Cleveland Avenue


William Mitchell Building
    
see Summit Classroom Building

 

rev. 09/19/2024