Lally Hall
Introduction[edit]
Lally Hall is a three-story building with a basement and is located between the Greene building and the Amos Eaton building. It is home to Information Technology & Web Science and Computer Science.
History[edit]
Built in 1932, the building was originally known as the Union Club House. It was built as part of the Ricketts campus and cost $125,000. It served as the headquarters for the Rensselaer Union until 1967 when the Rensselaer Union and its student activities moved to the Rensselaer Student Union building located on the corner of 15th Street and Sage Avenue. The Rensselaer Union housed the Rensselaer Polytechnic newspaper, the book committee and the transit committee. At the time, the Rensselaer Union also had student lounge, billiard room, reading room, and a large hall for general meetings and dances. After the Rensselaer Union had moved to the new Rensselaer Union in 1967, the building became known as the Management Center.
The building was later named the Lally Management Center in 1980, which was named after Kenneth T. Lally (1914-2008) and Thelma P. Lally (1913-2005) for their $1 million contribution to Rensselaer on October 1, 1980. At the time, the Management program offered both a B.S. and a minor in Management, a joint Program in Engineering and Management, an accelerated Management-Law Program, and an M.B.A. Other programs were also offered.
In 1998, Kenneth and Thelma Lally pledged $5 million towards the $7.5 million renovation project of the Pittsburgh building. They also provided $10 million to support the programs offered by the Lally School of Management (located in the Pittsburgh building). Thus, the Management program transitioned to the newly renovated Pittsburgh building, which was only made possible due to the generous contribution from the Lally’s and additional support provided by Rensselaer alumni.
Currently, the building once known as the Union Club house is now recognized at as Lally Hall.
References[edit]
https://archives.rpi.edu/institute-history/building-histories/union-club-house
https://archives.rpi.edu/institute-history/building-histories/pittsburgh-building
https://archives.rpi.edu/blog/2013/10/31/50-years-of-management-at-rensselaer