October 22, 2004: Volume 62, Number 7

'Insane' and 'ridiculous', more praise for College Park Hall

Students have praised their new home as "insane" and "ridiculous."

Parents and city leaders who have toured the building say they want to go back to college.

And last week, the Chamber of Schenectady County chimed in on the newly renovated College Park Hall by presenting the College with the Outstanding Appearance Award.

The College was cited at the Chamber's 16th annual Business Awards Dinner on Oct. 14 for the redevelopment of the former Ramada Inn and the environmental cleanup of the former American Locomotive site on lower Nott Street.

Union President Roger Hull has led a number of tours through the building, including one on Oct. 4 with local government and business leaders. He thanked contractors and their employees at a reception on Oct. 11, acknowledging their fast work in one of Union's largest construction projects.

Hull has acknowledged the contributions of Diane Blake, vice president for finance; Loren Rucinski, director of facilities; Fred Puliafico, assistant director; and Paul Matarazzo, capital projects administrator. Blake accepted the Chamber award on behalf of the College.

MLB Industries was the general contractor. Architects were Jim McKinney and Geoff MacDonald of Sacco McKinney Architects.

The seven-floor building, with stylish furnishings and matching paint and carpet schemes, was fully renovated at a cost of $15 million.

Among the renovations were the replacement and reconstruction of the roof, repairing and repainting the building's exterior, new heating and air conditioning, increased fire protection, a security camera system, and a new entry. The building also houses the College's Campus Safety Office.

Some of the views from the building are stunning, to the northwest a sweeping vista down the Mohawk Valley, to the southeast a look at campus and the Nott Memorial. But most of the raves from students are about two things: climate control in each room and a bathroom in every room, 110 singles and 60 doubles.

The conversion to athletic fields of the former American Locomotive property south of College Park Hall was made possible by a federal grant to support environmental remediation of the site, removing some petroleum residue and replacing it with 18 inches of new soil on which the field was built.

The project brings Union's investment in the College Park neighborhood west of campus to $26 million. In 1998, Union launched the Union-Schenectady Initiative, a redevelopment project that featured renovated student apartments and incentives to promote home ownership.

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