Muhlenberg College President Kathleen Harring and other officials turned dirt with ceremonial shovels to commemorate the plan to construct a new building on campus.

“The Parkway Boulevard Building will house the innovation and entrepreneurship program,” said Harring.

Scheduled for completion in September 2022, the three-story building will be constructed on the hillside between Chew Street and Parkway Boulevard, with a view toward Lake Muhlenberg, Cedar Beach Park.

A $7.5-million bequest from an anonymous alumnus and his wife was made toward the building’s cost. An estimate of the project was not immediately available.

The building is to be the new home for the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program, Institute of Public Opinion, School of Graduate Studies, School of Continuing Studies, Office of Community Engagement and students’ art studios.

The new structure will be on the site of the empty Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity building, which will be demolished.

The environment-friendly plan of the three-story, 20,000 square-foot building is said to make it special.

“In keeping with Muhlenberg’s commitment to sustainability, the Parkway Boulevard Building is being constructed to meet LEED Gold and Living Building Challenge Core Standards,” said Harring.

Scott Kelly of Re:Vision Architecture, Philadelphia, said the new structure meets the Living Building Challenge standard, which is “set far above LEED standards.”

Kelly said it will put the new Muhlenberg building among 10 such buildings worldwide. The building is said to be one of the first 20 projects in the world to pursue LEEDS Core Certification.

Kelly said the design is “hard, rigorous and no joke.” The new building will have 70 percent more energy efficiency than that of a standard municipal code.

“Deep-green buildings when well-designed may cost five to 10 percent over traditional methods,” said Kelly.

Roof-mounted solar panels will provide the energy to power the building’s needs. Storm-water run-off will be used to flush toilets in the building.

Kelly said the building design will make “responsible use of toxic-free materials” and ensure that occupants “have access to daylight, high-quality fresh air and a connection to nature that keeps us happy and productive.”

“But beyond merely being sustainable,” said Harring, “the building will demonstrate sustainability in very visible ways, making elements available for our community and visitors to see along with information about the elements of sustainability that are part of the structure.”

She said the building will have bird-safe coating on the windows.

“I had no idea of the amount of planning effort required to make this type of project a reality,” said Richard Crist, Chair of the Muhlenberg College Board of Trustees.

“As a former chair of the buildings and grounds committee, I now have a true sense of the commitment and coordination required … and frankly, this building is no small task,” said Crist.

“I’d like to express the board’s appreciation to all who have worked so hard to bring us to this exciting day,” Crist said.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Allentown Mayor Ray O’Connell and State Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-132), the latter a Muhlenberg College alumnus.