History

History: 1960 to 2009

Campus discussions and concepts for a student center at Frostburg State College (now Frostburg State University began in the early 1960s but it was not until 1966 that the idea took off and a student fee to fund the building was established. An architectural firm was selected in 1969 followed by the ground breaking in May of 1971. Construction took more than two years and the Lane Center officially opened its doors in August of 1973 and was dedicated later that year on October 26. The original building was 61,000 square feet and cost 2.9 million dollars.

The name of our facility was confirmed in December of 1971 when students elected to name the new student center in memory of Dr. Franklin C. Lane, a beloved professor who died earlier that year. Dr. Lane was a biology professor, Chair of the Department of Biology, Chair of the Division of Natural Sciences, and acting Dean of the College. He was devoted to the college and according to one source was quite popular among the students.

Dr. Franklin C. Lane was born on January 6, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York. In 1949, he graduated cum laude from Wheaton College and in 1951 and 1954, respectively, was awarded a master’s and doctor’s degree in botany from the University of Illinois. He began his teaching career at Northland College in 1954, serving as professor and head of the department of biology, and chairman of the Division of Natural Sciences there until 1959. Dr. Lane joined the Frostburg State College faculty in 1960. Dr. Lane was dedicated to seeing Frostburg State College improve and prosper and was committed to students and their success.

Dr. Franklin C. Lane passed away on January 3, 1971. He was survived by his widow Mary Richards Lane, and four children, Diane, Linda, John and William.

History: 2009 to present

The Lane University Center underwent a major renovation and expansion beginning in 2009. The building was closed for nearly 18 months while virtually every facet of the facility was renovated and an additional 13,000 square feet of new space was added. The renovation and expansion of the Lane University Center strived to make the facility, once again, the focal point of campus life by providing a state of the art student center equipped with cutting edge technology and services. The newly renovated Lane University Center reopened in January of 2011, at a cost of $21 million dollars.

Over the last four decades, the building has fulfilled its design; it has become the “living room” and “community center” of Frostburg State University by creating a centralized location for student life programs and services and campus and community events. It is a gathering place for our faculty, staff, alumni, students and the community. Today, the campus community enjoys the friendly, warm and welcoming environment of the Lane University Center. The facility experiences over 2,700 patrons a day during the academic year and the most utilized space, the Game Room, experiences nearly 34,000 students per year.