Bishop/Favrao Hall

Bishop/Favrao Hall was completed in December of 2007. The 31,600 square foot building resides on Perry Street. The Department of Building Construction and the new Myers-Lawson School of Construction occupy the building.

Bishop-Favrao Hall is named after Richard Bishop, 1967 graduate of the building construction program and key alumni donor for the building, and William Favrao, founder of the university’s construction program in the mid 40s.

The building houses the department of Building Construction’s administrative and faculty offices, and provides much needed classroom space, seminar rooms, and studios, as student enrollment has doubled the past five years. The new facility also provides state-of-the-art laboratory spaces, include testing labs, wet labs, material handling, tool and welding labs, and workshops for assembly of construction systems.

A Christiansburg native, Bishop’s generous financial contributions have had a great impact on the university and the department through scholarships and other major gifts. Bishop currently serves on the Myers-Lawson School of Construction’s Industry Board and the College of Architecture and Urban Studies Advisory Council. He is also a charter member of the President's Circle and a Lifetime Golden Hokie. Previously, Bishop served as a member of the overall campaign's steering committee in the last fundraising campaign, he chaired the Baltimore regional campaign and he has served on the Virginia Tech Foundation Board. Bishop retired from Columbia Builders in 1994 where he was founder and partner.

Bishop Favrao Hall

Bishop credits the late Professor Favrao as the person who made the most difference in his life. "I respected him. He was tough, but I admired him and he inspired me to get through school." Favrao founded the building construction program in 1947 and served as chair until his death in 1977. He was a member of American Institute of Contractors, the National Association of Home Builders, the Home Builders Association of Virginia, and Sigma Lambda Chi. Favrao was also a founding member and organizer of the Associated Schools of Construction. In 1972, he was the recipient of the William E. Wine Award, the University's top honor for teaching, and in 1974, was inducted into the Academy of Teaching Excellence.