Farmingdale State College Begins Construction on New Campus Center

Despite Long Island's continued economic woes, has experienced steady growth in the past few years, with student enrollment leading the way.

In an effort to meet the school's growing expansion needs, the college recently began construction on a new campus center that will be the first new, non-residential building at the college since 1983.

"The campus never really had a center where everyone could meet, relax, buy books and eat," said Kathy Coley, director of communications for the college. "The campus center will serve as a focal point for the campus."

Slated for completion in the fall of 2012, the new campus center - part of a $185 million capital campaign - will include student, faculty and staff dining facilities, a campus bookstore, additional space for lectures and special events as well as a student lounge.

"The new center will be a campus hub-it will help to build a stronger sense of campus community," Coley said.

The center will help the college to communicate more easily with large amounts of students. "Having the students congregate in a central area will help me when I need to get information out," she said.

Noting Farmingdale's aging infrastructure, Coley added that the multi-year capital improvement project will also provide for a new School of Business, renovations of academic buildings and research labs in addition to expansion of athletic facilities and reconfiguration of roadways.

School officials credit both New York State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., R-Merrick, and New York State Assemblyman Bob Sweeney for securing nearly $55 million to help build Farmingdale State's new campus center.

"Farmingdale's student enrollment continues to climb and the college is now one of Long Island's major higher education institutions," Fuschillo said.  "Without a modern infrastructure, it won't be able to sustain that progress and serve the needs of students, staff, and the community. This new student center is a critical part of Farmingdale State's growth and will benefit students and faculty for years to come."

"Both Senator Fuschillo and I saw Farmingdale's campus center as a major priority," Assemblyman Sweeney said. "After all, Farmingdale's campus is one of the oldest in the SUNY system."

Coley agreed, noting that most of the buildings on campus are "very mature."

Calling the campus center a "hub of activity for the college," Farmingdale State President W. Hubert Keen said the center will represent the school's rapid growth in crucial areas such as enrollment, student quality and research.

The 50,000 square foot campus center will remain true to the school's commitment to environmentalism and will feature a roof made of energy-efficient materials. The center will also boast enhanced student capacities including a multi-purpose room that can accommodate 400 for lectures and events as well as 220 for dinner.

Moreover, a unique architectural feature of the building will be an oculus or rounded skylight that will serve to help fuel student and faculty discussions.

Recalling the early phases of the center's construction, Coley said that some long-standing residents of the 380-acre campus, maple trees, were treated to their own lesson in environmental sustainability.

"There were about a dozen maple trees that were moved toward the Orchard Hill area," she said. "It was nice that the campus took the time to move those trees instead of just getting rid of them."