Everything was ready:

       

But first--to Davies Auditorium in Becton Center for the ceremony, where President Richard Levin arrived, wiping his glasses from the rain:

(left to right) Prof. D. Allan Bromley, former Dean of Engineering and Professor of the Sciences, Mr. Cesar Pelli, architect of the new building, President Richard Levin, Prof. Victor Henrich, Chair of the Building Committee

Waiting for the festivities to start:

Prof. Mark Reed, former Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Prof. Roman Kuc, Director of Educational Affairs, Prof. James Duncan, Director of Undergraduate Studies for Biomedical Engineering, Prof. Mitchell Smooke, Director of Undergraduate Studies for Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Emeritus Werner Wolf, who had headed the Council of Engineering, been Chair of the Department of Applied Physics, Director of Undergraduate Studies for Applied Physics, Director of Graduate Studies, etc.

Cesar Pelli's Design Team team for the new building:

Mr. Takahiro Sato, Ms. Mariko Masuoka, Design Team Leader,
and Mr. Christopher Herring 

Provost Susan Hockfield, Ms. Pamela Delphenich, University Planner,
Office of Facilities, and Mr. Michael Marsland, University Photographer, 
getting ready for another historic occasion:

Ceremonies in Davies Auditorium, Becton Center, preceding the Groundbreaking:

Prof. Henrich is figuring out how a hard hat works, Prof. Bromley is already donning
his, Provost Hockfield and Dean Fleury are still hard at work, and Ms. Delphenich
is thinking about it:

Mr. John Giovannone, Vice President, Whiting Turner Contracting Company, 
is ready for action, but Mr. Richard Bascom, Senior Administrator in Engineering,
and Provost Susan Hockfield are still figuring out how hard hats work:

Groundbreaking:

Andrew Hamilton, Deputy Provost for Science and Technology, Dean Fleury, Mr. Pelli, 
President Levin, Provost Hockfield, Prof. Bromley, Ms. Delphenich, Mr. Giovannone,
Mr. Bascom, and Prof. Henrich

Dean Fleury proposed a toast to the new Engineering Research Building:

Mr. Pelli, Prof. Henrich, President Levin, Mr. Giovannone

Dean Fleury cut the cake which...

...featured the new building:

Everyone had an engrossing time:

(to the right of the new building on Prospect Street is the red-brick Watson 
Hall and on its right is the Becton Center, not in the picture)

Mr. David Spalding, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Facilities Project 
Management, Dr. Bruce Carmichael, Assistant Provost for Science and 
Technology, Mr. Archibald Currie, Director, Facilities Project Management,
and Prof. Andrew Barron, Chair of Statistics

(foreground) Mariko Masuoka, new building Design Team Leader, and 
Prof. Werner Wolf, Cesar Pelli and Provost Hockfield (back to camera), 
and President Levin (in the back)

Construction timetable