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In Time for the Start of the Fall Semester, Students Gain New Residence Hall, Complete with State-of-the-Art Classroom, Study Spaces, and Multipurpose/Game Room
ALBANY, N.Y. – Gerrard P. Bushell, Ph.D., President & CEO of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), announced today work has completed on a $16 million project to renovate Bishop Hall at SUNY Buffalo State College. This project is part of roughly $59 million in capital renovation projects DASNY is completing on SUNY campuses statewide.
The upgrades were financed through DASNY’s SUNY Dormitory Facilities Program, which issues low-cost, tax-exempt bonds supported by student residence hall fees.
Recognizing a need for additional student housing at the campus core, SUNY Buffalo State, with help from DASNY, transformed Bishop Hall from an academic building back into a residence hall. The residence hall features a state-of-the-art classroom with seating for 24 students, a multipurpose/game room, study spaces and laundry on each floor, printers for student use, and a kitchen.
“The improvements to Bishop Hall provide students with 21st Century residences that will enhance their learning experience,” said Dr. Bushell. “DASNY is proud to partner with Buffalo State College to deliver an energy efficient facility that will provide students the environment they need to achieve success.”
Originally built as a 44,688 square-foot residence hall in 1958, Bishop Hall was repurposed in the 1970s to house various academic department offices and computer labs. After careful review of the costs associated with building a new residence hall, the college determined it would be more cost effective to renovate Bishop Hall and return it back to its original use as a residence hall.
Today, Bishop Hall provides an additional 207 beds on campus in a traditional, double-loaded corridor setting. The renovation also includes energy efficient mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, architectural improvements and safety-related enhancements. The building received all new finishes, furnishings, and a reconfiguration of the bathroom footprint to allow for individual bathrooms. Exterior façade improvements give Bishop Hall a new identity as well as enhance its connection to the Porter Hall and Neumann Hall quad.
The project was constructed to LEED-Silver standards under the sustainability and energy efficiency guidelines of the U.S. Green Building Council. As of March 31, 2018, 42 DASNY projects have received a rating of LEED Certified or better, helping to reach statewide energy goals to build a clean energy future for all of New York State.
SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson said, “With 40 percent of state buildings under our ownership, SUNY has a significant footprint in New York State, and therefore a sizeable opportunity to build on energy sustainability. We are thankful for DASNY’s partnership to retrofit our facilities to be more energy efficient, while at the same time providing a safe and healthy environment for our students.”
Buffalo State President Katherine Conway-Turner said, “We were thrilled to open to doors to Bishop Hall earlier this month for move-in day. Students from our honors programs, as well as other academically high-achieving students, will have the privilege of living in what is now one of our premier residence halls on campus. Buffalo State thanks our partners at DASNY for their continued support of our campus community.”
Mayor Byron W. Brown said, “I am pleased with Dormitory Authority of the State of New York’s investment at SUNY Buffalo State College, which is a pillar in the higher education framework in the City of Buffalo. Bishop Hall has never looked better. This $16 million project is another example of our continued commitment to providing students with the best possible living and learning environments Buffalo has to offer. Here they will grow into the leaders of tomorrow and help New York’s economy thrive.”
State Assemblyman Sean Ryan said, “SUNY Buffalo State College’s campus just added another jewel to its crown. With these upgrades to Bishop Hall, students will be able to live and learn in the most up-to-date facilities available, putting them in the best possible position to succeed.”
You can view project photos here.
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