Seward Secures $17.8 Mill Suny Coby Aid

The legislative budget agreement includes $17.8 million in critical rehab funding for SUNY Cobleskill’s Wheeler and Frisbee Halls in the college’s original quad, Senator James L. Seward announced today.
The funding in the SUNY capital budget will pay for additional laboratory space in the college’s Wheeler Hall and renovation of Frisbee Hall for administrative office and general classrooms use.

"Setting aside money for improvements to SUNY Cobleskill is an investment in the college’s future, its attractiveness to prospective students, its academic standing and the lives of present and future students," Senator Seward said. "As a member of the Senate Higher Education Committee, I am keenly aware of the need for ongoing refurbishment of the facilities on our SUNY community college campuses, and these two projects at Cobleskill certainly need the upgrade. I am glad we could secure the funding in the state budget."

Seward is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which helps assigns funding in the budget.
The addition to Wheeler Hall will be 23,125 square feet and cost approximately $11.3 million. Wheeler Hall, opened in 1964, houses the college’s liberal arts and sciences division, including labs and classrooms for biology, chemistry, humanities and the social sciences. The project will reconfigure interior walls, address poor lab ventilation, and improve safety and accessibilty.

Improvements to Frisbee, the college’s first building, will cost $6.5 million and will include mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades to provide improved administrative office space and classrooms.

Seward has visited the campus numerous times and met with college administration and faculty. He has represented the college since 1993, and has secured previous state funding for the campus.

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