Syracuse University’s new law building will open for classes for the first time on Monday after more than two years of construction.

Dineen Hall, a 200,000 square foot building, will be home to all law students and faculty. The College of Law will host a ceremony celebrating the opening of the building on Sept. 12.

The university announced the creation of Dineen Hall on Nov. 5, 2010. The building was paid for by the Dineen family to honor the legacy of Robert Emmet Dineen L’24 and Carolyn Bareham Dineen L’32. The groundbreaking ceremony for the hall on Irving Avenue was on May 10, 2012.

After two years of construction, students and faculty are eager to begin the semester in the new space.

“The first time I walked through the building, I was truly blown away,” said Kevin Belbey, an SU law student. “Dineen Hall is so impressive that it has inspired me and made me feel much more pride in being a Syracuse law student.”

Dineen Hall is also the only law school in the country with a fireplace, which will prove to be beneficial once winter hits Syracuse, Belbey says. The building is also close to the Carrier Dome and Marshall Street.

The building is situated on Campus West, a new expansion of campus.

“I know for a large number of students, Dineen Hall is quite convenient,” Ian Guthoff, a first year law student, said. “Many students live in Campus West, so the commute to their courses will be under five minutes away.”

Dineen Hall has many environmentally friendly features. Students walking to and from classes will be able to look outside and see a view of the city as well as the garden and native plants of New York that SU has planted.

The building will be flooded with light, even on overcast days. It is a cheerful, happy, almost whimsical building, said Christian Day, associate dean for academic affairs.

As well as the view and landscape, the indoor hallways feature bright and colorful walls so students and faculty get a lively vibe of the building. Simulating a natural environment, on the first level, there is a bright green carpet, while sky blue walls rise to the ceiling where the light fixtures are arranged in a way that imitates a flock of birds, Day said.

Dineen Hall was constructed by the Hueber-Breuer construction company and is made out of concrete, brick, aluminum and glass materials, said Otey Marshall, the company’s vice president, in an email. The building contains large open spaces to accommodate large groups, as well as intimate classrooms to encourage collaboration between faculty and students, he said.

Day added that there is no comparison between the old law building and Dineen Hall.

“This is a great building,” Day said. “I expect it will win prizes for design and landscape architecture.”

The College of Law had previously been housed in White Hall since 1954.

Nina Kohn, the associate dean for research, said in an email the College of Law’s facility now has the potential to teach students the right way. It features large spaces for interaction and classrooms that accommodate students’ needs.

“Overall, Dineen Hall is a remarkable place to teach and learn. It represents a new era for the law school,” Kohn said. “But it also builds on our historic strength as a school that truly values teaching, and as a school that prioritizes a high level of engagement among students and faculty.”

Published on August 25, 2014 at 12:01 am