In the 1920’s George S. Cohen, a Houston business man and owner of Foley’s department store donated $125,000 to Rice University to build a faculty club in honor of his parents Robert I. and Agnes Cohen. The faculty club was the first building to be built on campus by a private gift and officially opened at homecoming in November 1927. The building was enlarged in 1958 when the main dining room and terrace were added. The cost of this renovation, which was also funded by George S. and his wife Esther Cohen, was $260,000 and brought the size of the building from 7,100 square feet to 13,600 square feet. In 1976 a major renovation took place and in 1980 the Esther M. Cohen Memorial Garden and the fountain were dedicated. In 1983 the employee restrooms and locker rooms were renovated and the air-conditioning was updated. In 1985, crown molding and new wall coverings were added. In 1993 and 1994 more renovations took place to add wheelchair ramps as well as new club offices and restrooms. In 2006, further renovations replaced the ceiling in the dining room and placed early photographs of campus reprinted byGeoff Winningham from the original glass plate negatives.
From the guide to the Rice University Cohen House records UA 128., 1920-1971, (Woodson Research Center, )
