Construction was completed late in 1897 and the first students entered the building in 1898. A bronze bas-relief of the elder Havemeyer faces the front portals. Chandler gave the Department of Chemistry not only a building but a method of instruction. He introduced a system in which a professor and mentor trained a group of students, who then set up their own laboratories, first at other universities and later in industry. The building, an annex to Havemeyer completed in 1928, houses the Chemistry Library as well as faculty labs.
More commemorations await.
The American Chemical Society has designated Havemeyer a National Historic Chemical Landmark, because of Columbia's early role in setting education standards for both undergraduates and Ph.D. chemists. A ceremony and symposium are scheduled for October 9, 1998.