As听we听await听final听approval听from听New听York听state听to听begin听the听Ruth听S.听HarleyUniversity听Center听(UC) renovation, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the work of our Faculty Advisory Panels, Student Advisory听Panels, and the听many听other听faculty, staff and students听who offered their expertise and ideas for the project.
Dear听Colleagues,
As听we听await听final听approval听from听New听York听state听to听begin听the听Ruth听S.听HarleyUniversity听Center听(UC)听renovation, I听wanted听to听take听a听moment听to听acknowledge听the听work听of听听who offered their expertise and ideas for the project.
You’ll see here how their suggestions and input have been implemented in the design.
As a reminder, this project is much more than modernizing a campus building and bringing it up to code.听Our听University听Center听will always be a primary听hub of academic and听University听life for听our听entire community–so it is critical that this听renovation听embrace learning, academics and听University听life activities for听our听entire community. The suggestions brought forward were in that spirit. Thank you!
Although not every suggestion could be adopted, I think you will see that this input has had a substantial impact in making the听University听Center听an exciting听center听of learning and听University听life on听our听campus.
- Art Gallery:听In response to requests,听we听made the gallery 50 percent larger, with听new听lighting, independent climate control required for professional gallery space, and a听new听layout to maximize collections and viewing.听We听will also be incorporating additional space to host larger shows and exhibitions outside the gallery.
- Health听Center:听We听transformed this into a combined Health and Wellness听Center, with health services and mental health counseling in a single听state-of-the-art听center, taking almost the entire third floor.
- Interfaith听Center:听This has been expanded to better serve a more diverse community.
- Lighting and sound issues:听In response to input, lighting has been softened for those sensitive to this, and a sound engineer was brought in to help with noise abatement.
- Accessibility:听We听are now replacing the existing back elevator with a more accessible one. A wheelchair lift is also being added to the exterior of the building, so all have direct access to the听new听patio.
- Ballroom:听Although the footprint has not changed, attention was paid to make this a best-in-class facility for large academic conferences, fundraisers, full听faculty听meetings, etc. Better acoustics and improved technology and lighting were added.
- Meeting rooms:听In response to requests from both听our听Faculty听AdvisoryPanel and听Student听Advisory听Panel, additional meeting rooms with flexible seating were added to accommodate more meeting room requests.听Faculty听will have meeting size options with sliding acoustic听panels听to help with noise abatement.听Rooms can be booked in advance online.
- Amphitheater:听This provides听new听alternative space for听faculty听to use for class in good weather;听we听added electrical outlets so that听faculty听and students can use their devices.
- Green-building concerns:听We听have managed to retain quite a lot of the original brick to keep it out of landfills; you will now see it on interior walls as well. Window walls will be a tempered glass selected to reduce overheating in summer.听We听will be considering recycled听and biodegradable materials whenever possible.
Next steps:听We听will continue reaching out to the听Faculty听and听Student听AdvisoryPanels听as听we听begin听to look at food service, the bookstore, temporary locations for staff and events, along with听other听aspects of the听renovation.
Your input is changing the course of this historic听renovation. Thank you again for your help.
Sincerely,
James Perrino
Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration
Office of Finance and Administration
Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration
Office of Finance and Administration
For further information, please contact:
Todd Wilson
Strategic Communications Director听
p 鈥� 516.237.8634
e 鈥� twilson@adelphi.edu