Master Plan for Facilities

During 2005-06, Cornell developed a campus-wide master plan to address the needs of a growing and evolving college. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and community members meet repeatedly to guide our immediate development and to provide a multi-phase plan for the next 20 years.

We are currently working on Phase I of the plan. The list below outlines our progress to date.

Clock Tower Hall
Our newest residence hall opened in the fall of 2007. Clock Tower Hall houses 96 students in 4-person suites, each consisting of two singles, a double, a living room, a bathroom, and a storage room. The building features wonderful natural light via large windows, kitchens on each floor, and heating/air conditioning controls for each suite.

Pfeiffer Hall
The exterior of this residence hall, built in 1930, was refurbished during the summer of 2006, and the interior will be remodeled during the summers of 2008 and 2009. The building will gain an elevator, all new electrical service, new heating system, and new plumbing. It will also sport more spacious bathrooms, great lounge and study spaces, a building conference room, and office space.

The Commons
The 7,000 sq ft addition to the front of our campus hub will bring in much-needed openness and natural light to the top floor, as well as a larger and more convenient bookstore, three meeting/dining rooms, and lounge and conversation spaces. The 14,000 sq ft rear addition features a 200-person multi-purpose room which can be divided in half. Two classrooms will be replaced, and we will add four new and spacious classroom/meeting rooms, three private dining rooms, and a meeting room for 60. The modest remodeling plan will upgrade building utilities and reorganize and expand student activity and organization space on the Orange Carpet level.

Cole Library
The minor library project will consolidate all the Center for Teaching and Learning studios on the first floor, construct a 25-station computer classroom, and install a coffee & snack shop looking out to the pedestrian mall.

West Science
We are still in the planning phases of this project slated to begin no sooner than 2010. We're designing a new addition to house expanded teaching and research labs, especially wet labs. In the existing building we will update utility systems and refurbish labs for lighter-duty uses. The project will include reconfiguration and addition of offices, classrooms, specialty lab facilities, and spaces for studying, meeting, and relaxing. We are looking to make both the addition and the remodeling as green as possible, both in materials and in operations.

King Chapel
We have refurbished the entrance stairs and are renovating the organ. More extensive structural, utility, and cosmetic work, including installation of an elevator, will take place over the next few years.

Rood House
This residence hall will be converted to office space in the near future. We have an architectural/structural plan which lays out what needs to be done and estimated costs and time lines. Details are being worked out in anticipation of a proposal for funding.

Sports Center
We have tripled the size of the wrestling room by reclaiming the pool area, and doubled the size of the weight room in the process. We’ve also replaced the arena floor, including a purple Olympic-quality surface for the running track. We are evaluating which steps to take next.

Property acquisition
The master plan suggests that the college sell a few of its Mount Vernon properties which are not adjacent to the college in order to purchase properties which are. We have already purchased a house and an apartment building to serve as short-term faculty and staff housing. And we will remain alert for opportunities to purchase other properties that fit the college’s longer-term interests.