The structure will house the University's Center for Networking Excellence. It will be equipped with the most current technology and high-speed computing access capabilities to support researchers' efforts in developing solutions to the future challenges of evolving network and communications systems.

UK President Charles T. Wethington Jr. said the building and the academic ventures that will occur in it constitute "major assets in UK's academic portfolio that we will leverage in the university's quest toward top-20 public research university status."

University Board of Trustees members voted unanimously last Tuesday to name the building in honor of Hardymon, a UK graduate who recently retired as chairman and chief executive officer of the Textron Corp. headquartered in Providence, R.I.

Hardymon, who holds bachelor and master's degrees in engineering from UK, is a member of the UK Board of Trustees. He and his wife, Gay, recently committed $2 million to the university that will be used for engineering scholarships and endowed chairs in the College of Engineering.

The Hardymons' gift, when matched with funds from the Kentucky research challenge fund, will actually translate into $3.5 million for UK academic efforts.

UK selected D.W. Wilburn as the contractor for the new building. Construction is expected to begin immediately with completion set for July 2000.