The University of Cincinnati Foundation has announced an $11 million gift to the Carl H. Lindner College of Business from the family of the college's namesake and American Financial Group, Inc.

The largest gift ever to the college — $6 million from the family of the late Carl H. Lindner, Jr. and $5 million from AFG — will support construction of a four-story, 225,000-square-foot facility to accommodate the school's continued growth. Expected to be completed by the fall of 2019, the new building will feature glass facades, a grand atrium and lobby, open workspaces, a courtyard and café, lecture spaces, and a teaching lab. To date, the university has raised $20 million for the $120 million project.

Lindner, who died in 2011, and his family are longtime supporters of the university and have also provided gifts to foster or establish the Lindner Honors-PLUS Program, the Lindner Center of HOPE, Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village, the Richard E. Lindner Athletic Center, and the Carl H. Lindner III Center for Insurance and Risk Management. After dropping out of school during the Great Depression, Lindner expanded his family dairy business into United Dairy Farmers, a large chain of convenience stores, then founded AFG and served as the firm's CEO. From 2000 to 2005, he was controlling owner and CEO of the Cincinnati Reds.

"Carl H. Lindner, Jr. and his family have been instrumental in positioning our business school as one of the best in the nation, and with this transformational gift, they are ensuring our rise to preeminence with a best-in-class campus to educate the world's next business leaders for generations to come," said David Szymanski, dean of the college. "Our innovative and inspirational facility will be leading edge and will meaningfully advance the college and the university by creating new learning possibilities and solution-driven outcomes for students, faculty, alumni, and corporate and community partners. We are grateful for the Lindner family's leadership support and look forward to continuing the extraordinary legacy of our college's namesake."