Prominent Allentown businessmen Ignatius Billera and his brothers, Patrick, James, and Anthony, provided the funding for the building in honor of Ignatius' son, Joseph J., who was killed in a car accident in 1950 when he was 22 years old. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the athletic center were held on September 16, 1967, and the building was dedicated on November 24, 1968. Billera Hall underwent a huge renovation in 1996.
