Villanova University has finished its $65 million renovation of the Finneran Pavilion, combining hoops with the program’s storied history, writes Jon Marks for Forbes.

The original plans for the project hit a bump when the Wildcats won two of the last three NCAA titles. This meant that the designers of the privately funded project had to do a quick rethink and decide how to celebrate this run of victories in style.

So they convinced the 1,069 donors to refurbish the palace in the heart of the Main Line with a history of basketball. With the help of a donation of $22.6 million from William B. Finneran, and about 20 gifts of $1 million each from donors, the new project was born.

Amazingly, the entire renovation, including the last-minute design change, was completed in less than two years.

“Winning helped but I think we would’ve gotten there whether or not we had the championships, because this community cares so much about basketball,” said Mark Jackson, Villanova’s athletic director.

Read more about Villanova’s renovation of Finneran Pavilion in Forbes here.

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