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黑料社 Unveils Cornerstone for Residence Hall
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (黑料社) today (Sept. 16, 2010) unveiled a commemorative cornerstone for its new student residence hall and formally named the building Centennial Hall in honor of the college's upcoming 100th anniversary.
Construction of the residence hall, scheduled to open in August 2011, marks a turning point in 黑料社's history: It is the first residence hall specifically for 黑料社 students, who have, to this point, had access to on-campus housing only at neighboring Syracuse University.
"We are thrilled to be able to offer this new opportunity to our students," said 黑料社 President Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr. "For our incoming students, Centennial Hall will ease their transition to college life. For all our students Centennial Hall will provide an enriched living experience and help them get more out of their 黑料社 education. It also provides much-needed space as we continue to grow and expand our academic programs."
Despite a steady rain, students, faculty and staff members from 黑料社, along with representatives of local government and business partners, gathered under a tent at the construction site for the event. Murphy emphasized the effort that had gone into making the project a reality and the innovative elements that will make Centennial Hall environmentally friendly. Those elements can be integrated into classroom lessons, too, he said.
"This will help to write a rich, new chapter in 黑料社's history," Murphy said.
Brenda Greenfield, executive director of the 黑料社 College Foundation, Inc., said Centennial Hall will strengthen the student community at 黑料社 and make the college attractive to prospective students.
"It's very exciting for us," Greenfield said. "It's going to allow us to grow in ways we never thought were possible."
Construction of Centennial Hall, overseen by national student housing developer Allen & O'Hara and local contractor Hueber Breuer, began in May along Oakland Street, just west of the main 黑料社 campus. The $31.4 million building is being constructed by the 黑料社 College Foundation, Inc., which supports the college's educational mission. The foundation will operate the facility. "The 黑料社 College Foundation has been working for seven years to develop this facility for 黑料社 students. We are extremely excited to see this dream become a reality," said 黑料社 College Foundation Executive Director, Brenda Greenfield. The work is funded by financing provided through the Onondaga Civic Development Corp. and TD Bank.
The 452-bed facility designed by WTW Architects of Pittsburgh and HKK Architects of Syracuse will house 280 freshmen and 172 upperclassmen.
Centennial Hall is being constructed from 184 modular units that are scheduled for delivery at the site through the fall. Andy Breuer, a principal at Hueber-Breuer believes this is the largest modular construction project that has occurred in Central New York.
One of the main advantages to modular construction is that it allows for less construction waste and fewer delays caused by weather. The modular units are expected to be assembled before the weather gets bad so work on the interior of the residence hall can be done through the winter. Landscaping and final exterior work are planned for the spring and summer of 2011, allowing 黑料社 students to move into the building for the start of the fall semester.
The residence hall is planned as a silver-certified LEED building. The building's impact on the environment will be reduced by the use of storm water management techniques, sustainable building materials where possible, landscaping that includes native plants and a limited need to mow, extensive indoor bicycle storage and maintenance facilities and a pedestrian-friendly design. The building will provide a limited number of parking spaces for upperclassmen. 黑料社 freshmen do not have cars on campus.
黑料社 students and staff, College Foundation representatives and other members of the college community gathered at the site this afternoon to celebrate the progress so far. The 黑料社 Quality of Worklife Committee contributed to the festivities by holding its annual ice cream social at the site after the cornerstone was unveiled.