Huntington Hall to Receive Four-Story Addition Complete with Fitness Room and Kitchen Areas for Students
Albany, NY – Gerrard P. Bushell, Ph.D., President & CEO of the Dormitory Authority of New York (DASNY) announced today DASNY and the State University of New York (SUNY) have begun work to renovate SUNY Oneonta’s Huntington Hall. The project budget is $20 million.
The residence hall project is part of more than $70 million in capital renovation projects DASNY is beginning this summer on SUNY campuses statewide. The renovation is being financed through the SUNY Dormitory Facilities Program, by which DASNY issues low-cost tax-exempt bonds supported by student residence hall fees. Construction is expected to be completed in July 2020.
“We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with SUNY Oneonta to provide its students with an optimal environment for living and learning,” said Gerrard P. Bushell, Ph.D., DASNY President & CEO. “It is important that students are comfortable, while residing in residences designed to inspire and improve their educational experience.”
“SUNY Oneonta is another great example of SUNY partnering with DASNY to expand and renovate campuses across the state to meet the demands of our growing student population,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “Our ongoing collaboration will ensure SUNY continues to upgrade and modernize our campuses to provide students with a comfortable, safe, and energy efficient spaces to learn.”
Huntington Hall will be modernized and reconfigured to provide additional bedroom space for approximately 80 students. All bedrooms and bathrooms will be renovated, complete with new, contemporary finishes. A 6,000 square foot, four-story addition, which will include a fitness room, community kitchens, and an elevator, will also be constructed.
Additionally, a new fire protection system, including a full-coverage sprinkler system, will be installed thereby enhancing resident safety. An upgraded and high-efficiency heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system also will be added to provide healthy and comfortable building conditions. All electrical and plumbing systems will be replaced as well.
The building’s exterior will be fully insulated and new energy efficient windows and doors will be fitted. The entire project will be constructed to LEED-Silver standards under the sustainability and energy efficiency guidelines of the U.S. Green Building Council. The project supports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s and SUNY Chancellor Johnson’s energy savings goals to cut emissions and reduce energy costs, while enhancing the quality of life for students.
SUNY Oneonta President Barbara Jean Morris said, “We think of residence halls as more than just living spaces. They are where students call home for the better part of the year, so a project like this takes a lot of care. I’m especially proud of our plan for this renovation because it demonstrates SUNY Oneonta’s aspiration to be an exemplar residential campus. I’m also excited for Huntington’s future residents. They are going to love living there.”
Summer Construction Projects
In addition, $1.2 million in further renovations are being made to SUNY Oneonta’s Grant, Sherman, and Tobey Halls. The work is part of the nearly $61.2 million in upgrades to SUNY campuses throughout New York State being completed by DASNY during the summer months, which will be ready in time for students to begin the fall semester.
Grant and Sherman Halls will receive new entryways and doors providing added security, as well as new flooring, ceilings and interior lighting in the hallways and lounges. Tobey Hall will receive WiFi upgrades, better enabling students to connect to the campus network.
The summer construction projects are also financed through DASNY’s SUNY Dormitory Facilities Program.
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About DASNY: Founded in 1944, DASNY – the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York – is New York State’s capital project development authority. It finances, designs, and constructs sustainable and resilient science, health and education institutions that help New York thrive. It is one of the largest issuers of tax-exempt bonds in the nation with an outstanding bond portfolio of approximately $56.7 billion as of June 30, 2019. DASNY is also a prolific public builder with a construction pipeline of more than 1,000 projects valued at more than $6.7 billion as of May 31, 2019.
About SUNY: The State University of New York (SUNY) is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, with 64 college and university campuses located within 30 miles of every home, school, and business in the state. As of Fall 2018, more than 424,000 students were enrolled in a degree program at a SUNY campus. In total, SUNY served 1.4 million students in credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs in the 2017-18 academic year. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Its students and faculty make significant contributions to research and discovery, contributing to a $1.6 billion research portfolio. There are 3 million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.