Baltimore developer donates $10M to U. of Maryland

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - A Baltimore developer has donated $10 million to the University of Maryland to help his alma mater build a high-tech classroom building.

University President Wallace Loh said in a release that the gift from Edward St. John will go toward the construction of a building that will serve up to 10,000 students a day.

It will be the first new building on the campus in a half-century.

St. John graduated from the university in 1961 with an engineering degree.

He went on to found St. John Properties, a commercial real estate development firm.

Maryland's legislature must approve additional state funding before the proposed $63 million center can move forward.

The building will be named the Edward St. John Teaching and Learning Center and is slated for completion in 2016.

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