Governor Hochul, President Prezant Break Ground for New Computer Sciences Center
$75M FSC Building Will Address Growing Technology and Workforce Needs for the Region and Beyond
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul this week joined 51³Ō¹Ļ (FSC) President Robert S. Prezant, PhD, to officially break ground for the Collegeās new Center for Computer Sciences building.
Nearly 100 attendees gathered along FSC's Great Mall for the special event including FSC faculty and staff, Senior Vice President and Provost Laura Joseph, EdD, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Greg O'Connor, FSC President Emeritus John Nader, PhD, Empire State Development Board Chairman Kevin Law, Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg, ā02, the Office of Assemblymember Kwani O'Pharrow, and officials from the State University of New York (SUNY), organized labor, and Urbahn Architects.
āIn New York, we are shaping our students to be the next generation of leaders,ā Governor Hochul said. āOur SUNYs and CUNYs provide an exceptional and well-rounded education for New Yorkers to explore science and technology research ā the groundbreaking of the Computer Sciences Center at Farmingdale will uncover technological advancements and advance economic opportunities in our state; thatās how we build a better New York.ā
āOur SUNY campuses play an integral role in preparing the next generation of skilled professionals for New Yorkās advancing STEM sector," said SUNY Chancellor John B. King. "We applaud Governor Hochulās vision and commitment, and we are thankful for our partnership with Empire State Development, which has made the Computer Sciences Center at Farmingdale a reality.ā
āThis is a very proud day in 51³Ō¹Ļ history,ā said President Prezant. āWe are beyond grateful to Governor Hochul, the Empire State Development Corporation, the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, and the State University of New York for their support in the development of the Computer Sciences Center on the 51³Ō¹Ļ campus. So much more than a building, the Center will provide a hub of advanced technology education and programming, enabling interdisciplinary and collaborative innovation, research, and learning. It will also allow us to support increasing enrollment in our technology programs with a focus on workforce development.ā
The $75 million project, funded through $30 million from the Empire State Developmentās Long Island Investment Fund (LIIF) and $45 million from the SUNY Construction Fund, will address a vital need for the College and Long Island by positioning FSC to continue delivering talent that meets the growing digital technology needs of the area.
āThis new facility addresses key priorities of Governor Hochul, SUNY, and the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council,ā said President Prezant. āIt will attract students, with the potential to double program enrollment over the next several years and thus impacting workforce and economic development in our region.ā
Notably, the center will be the first zero net carbon ready building on FSCās campus as well as the first in the SUNY system. Complete with a geothermal HVAC system, advanced building materials, and highly efficient engineering systems, the facility will feature a leading-edge energy efficient envelope that will help meet New York State's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) targets.
āThe bio-conscious construction exemplifies what is achievable while supporting New York State environmental goals,ā said President Prezant.
The beautifully designed three-story structure will be located adjacent to Sinclair Hall along the campus ellipse, and will include classrooms, labs, seminar space, administration and faculty offices, student lounges, technical and lab support offices, and a collaborative space for industry-related vendors.
The new buildingās northwestern faƧade will feature light-colored concrete panels while the southeastern faƧade will feature a more traditional brick look that echoes the campusā architectural heritage, according to Urbahn Architects. A distinctive hook-shaped layout creates two wings joined by a light-filled 2,200-square-foot central lobby.
In addition, the building will house FSCās incipient Division of Computing which has experienced a 40% increase in enrollment over the past five years, demonstrating the demand for resources and facilities to integrate several closely related programs including Computer Programming and Information Systems, Computer Science, Computer Security Technology, in addition to Geographic Information Systems, Artificial Intelligence Management as well as the Collegeās graduate program in Technology Management.
āAt the end of the day, itās about our students, and providing them with state-of-the-art facilities, the most talented faculty, and the best opportunities to succeed, here and in their professional and personal lives,ā said President Prezant.
āThis extraordinary project is part of our larger efforts to reimagine and continue innovating the Long Island economy,ā said Governor Hochul. āAnd with this project and more students discovering Long Island they are going to stay here; they are going to build their families here and continue to enrich our local communities overall.ā
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