UD renames NCR HQ for former president

Research institute renamed for nowretired Curran.

The University of Dayton has renamed the property once home to NCR’s world headquarters in honor of the college’s previous president.

The property, at 1700 S. Patterson, has been dubbed the Daniel J. Curran Place, the university’s board of trustees announced today. The former NCR world headquarters is also now home to the college’s research institute, UDRI.

Curran, who retired in 2016 as UD president, oversaw the purchase of 164 acres of land from NCR between 2005 and 2009. The purchases nearly doubled UD’s physical footprint and helped the university attract the $51-million GE Aviation EPISCenter and the $35-million Emerson Helix Innovation Center, according to the school.

The acquisition also included buildings with a total of roughly 1 million square feet of space. One of the buildings in the purchase was renovated and renamed for Raymond Fitz, who served as president just before Curran.

Curran told the university he was deeply honored by the decision to rename the property.

“So much of what goes on in that building is emblematic of the university’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit,” Curran said in a prepared statement from UD. “We have a world-class research institute, and it’s now in a world-class facility. The move allowed for the terrific growth we’ve experienced in research.”

Curran continues to teach, serves as UD’s president emeritus and is an executive in residence for Asian affairs for UD’s China Institute in Suzhou, China, according to the university. The university will formally dedicate the building this spring.

“By almost every measure, the University grew through Dan’s leadership — academics, endowment, research, enrollment, student success and contributions to regional economic growth,” David Yeager, chair of the university’s board of trustees said in a prepared statement.