Rain can’t dampen celebration as Columbus State opens Brown Hall downtown

More than 500 people crammed into the entrance of Frank D. Brown Hall on Friday afternoon as the rain moved the opening of Columbus State University’s newest downtown building inside.

Brown Hall, on the site of the former Ledger-Enquirer building at the corner of Broadway and 12^th Street, will house the university’s School of Nursing and much of its education program, which operates under the College of Education and Health Professions.

Brown noted the education and nursing programs are longstanding, critical disciplines taught at Columbus State.

“Our graduates in health professions and teacher education have helped to build this city in vital, even indispensable ways,” Brown said. “They have helped make Columbus and the region better than it would have been without their hard work.”

Then Brown, who spent much of his two decades as president building critical public-private partnerships and giving the credit to others, downplayed having his name on the $27 million building that opens to students Monday.

“When all is said and done, however, it should be noted that what hangs on the outside of building is not nearly as important as what is done in the building,” he said. “This is the building for education, and that is the point we take great pride in recognizing.”

Brown’s service and distinction was recognized by Kessel Stelling, president and chief executive officer of Synovus and member of the Board of Regents, which governs the University System of Georgia. Stelling joined the Board of Regents in 2008, the same time Brown was retiring after 20 years a president of CSU.

“My service as a regent has only deepened my admiration for what Frank accomplished here, and the legacy he established not just as a university president, but also as a community leader,” Stelling said. “Frank was, and is, the embodiment of servant leadership, and no one is more deserving of this honor than he is.”

Many of the key players over the years who spearheaded the private infusion of money into the public university were inside Brown Hall to tour the building. Retired Synovus Chairman Jim Blanchard, retired Synovus Chairman and CSU graduate Jimmy Yancey, retired TSYS Chairman Phil Tomlinson, businessman Marvin Schuster and retired Columbus City Manager and CSU administrator Carmen Cavezza sat on the front two rows as the ribbon was cut.

“It is amazing what private money can do for a community and a university,” Brown said. “I think we have built a model in this city for showing how that can happen. ... When private funds are used, you have the ability to be more flexible in the construction process and to put some innovations in you might not have otherwise. And that has surely happened in this building.”

More than $110 million in private funds have flowed into CSU’s RiverPark campus, helping ignite the economic development that has gone on around it.

“As a regent, I’m reminded almost every day that private support of higher education in Georgia is not optional,” Stelling said. “Financial contributions from individuals and companies are absolutely essential for the competitiveness of our university system — and therefore for the competitiveness of our state. The University System of Georgia is committed to providing the best possible graduates in in-demand fields such as education and healthcare, and a state-of-the-art facility such as Brown Hall contributes to that effort.”

Marc Olivié, a member of the CSU Foundation Board of Trustees and the president and chief executive officer of the W.C. Bradley Co., said the partnership between the university and the community is the envy of other institutions and communities.

“With the opening of Brown Hall, a huge leap is made in the future development of CSU and uptown,” Olivié said. “About 1,800 faculty, staff and students will be working and studying here on a daily basis. It will no doubt have a major impact on the businesses — large and small — here in uptown. In fact, it has already started. You only have to look at what has happened in the 1200 block in the last year since this project started.”

Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson noted the dual role CSU plays in the development of the city.

“We just have to stop for a minute and see how this has evolved to be not only a mighty, respected higher education institution, but also quite frankly a catalyst of our economic development, a very important part of our quality of life in Columbus,” Tomlinson said.

The mayor also noted the historical nature of the new CSU site, which housed the Ledger-Enquirer starting in the early 1930s and ending two years ago when the publishing company moved to the Hardaway Building two blocks south.

“We have gone from one iconic and honored use to another,” Tomlinson said.

CSU President Chris Markwood said naming the building for Brown was an honor well deserved.

“I think he will be most remembered for two things: No. 1 is his service to people, the faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends and partners of Columbus State University,” Markwood said. “Because of that servant leader philosophy, he created extraordinarily strong partnerships that have benefited CSU and this community. I can tell you first-hand that Dr. Brown is held in the highest regard as an educator, as a leader, as a community member, and as a person.”

Brown and wife, Joann, have been in Columbus 36 years.

“We intend for it to be our home forever,” Brown said. “This building is a key part of making us feel connected, as we are delighted to be, to the RiverPark campus, the community and CSU.”

This story was originally published January 6, 2017 at 7:11 PM with the headline "Rain can’t dampen celebration as Columbus State opens Brown Hall downtown."