The party’s over … but the Smith Building still shines
To see a gallery of photos from the Smith Building’s grand reopening, click on photo and continue by clicking “Next” or using the right arrow on your keyboard.
It seems only yesterday that a dumpster – a king-size dumpster — took up residency on Clay Street in front of the R. Blackwell Smith Jr. Building. But that was eight and a half months ago. Now just take a look!
The Smith Building’s Oct. 12 grand reopening showcased its renovated first, second and fifth floors with tours, comments, presentations and hors d’oeuvres.
For a first look at what happened that evening, check out this story on the VCU News Center: “School of Pharmacy Celebrates ‘Spectacular’ Renovation of the Smith Building.”
And to see photos taken by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, click here.
But wait, there’s more! Here are a few special moments you missed if you weren’t in attendance:
Sheldon Retchin, the university’s vice president for health sciences, introduced alumnus and Virginia Del. S. Chris Jones by pointing out that Jones still runs a pharmacy in addition to keeping up with his legislative duties. “That’s small business!” said Retchin. “That’s the core platform for economic recovery.”
When Jones took the lectern, he said, “You renovated a building that didn’t even exist when I was here! I think they were driving the pilings. I’m not sure if I’m old or time is just moving fast … .”
Concluding his comments a few minutes later, Jones said, “When I look at the vision for Virginia, we want to be the best state for education.”
Jones’ fellow Virginia delegate and alumnus Harvey B. Morgan told the crowd how, as a “southpaw,” he had trouble with the desks in pharmacy school. One day, he realized if you scraped off the gum and turned over the desktops, they would work for lefties.
Morgan explained his dilemma to the dean – who was the Smith for whom the Smith Building was named. Morgan thinks Smith might have sympathized because his own son was left-handed.
“A week later,” Morgan laughs, “there were all these left-handed desks [in the classroom], a whole row of them. I caught a lot of grief from my right-handed friends!”
Commenting on plans for the school’s future, Dean Victor Yanchick noted that a donor wall has been planned in conjunction with the next fundraising campaign. “We’re excited about having that done in the next few months,” he said. The donor wall will be located along the wall behind the school directory, across from the former 12th Street entrance.
In appreciation for the leadership and perpetual good humor shown by Charles Little, project superintendent for Clancy & Theys Construction, the dean presented a portrait he had painted of Little’s horse, Gabe. Kimberly Shivers, who served as office manager for the renovation project, had shared with the School of Pharmacy’s Bill Smith that her father’s favorite horse had died at age 26. She and her 3-year-old son, Garrett, were on hand for the presentation. (By the way, Little still owns Gabe’s son, Rain.)
Yanchick also presented an original pharmacy-themed painting to Smith, who served as in-house coordinator for the renovation. “Bill did a fantastic job leading this effort,” he said.
At Smith’s suggestion, a poster that included names of many of the “movers and shakers” on the renovation project was displayed in the first-floor lobby area. It will remain there, for the time being, to acknowledge their contributions.
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