$4.2 million in construction planned this summer at Paul Smith's - 2009-06-01

Work on three projects worth $4.2 million will begin this summer at Paul Smith’s College, providing growth for both the campus and community.

The projects will include construction of the Countess Alicia Spaulding-Paolozzi Environmental Research and Education Center; a new three-story climbing wall and renovated swimming pool at the college’s Saunders Sports Complex; and an upgraded sawmill. The sawmill will open in July, with the other two projects scheduled to open in time for the spring 2010 semester.

“Each of these projects will bolster our core mission of providing our students an experiential education second to none,” said John W. Mills, president of Paul Smith’s College. “In addition to their importance to the college’s future, these projects are also good for the North Country – both in the lasting impact they’ll have in attracting students here, and the immediate stimulus they will provide for our local economy.”

Countess Alicia Spaulding-Paolozzi Environmental Research and Education Center

The $2.4 million, 5,600-square-foot Paolozzi Center will be the home of the Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) at Paul Smith’s College, which monitors the health of Adirondack waters and conducts outreach programs to keep them vital. The building is expected to be the college’s first to qualify for LEED certification, a designation awarded to projects that meet the highest environmental standards. The Paolozzi Center will be heated and cooled using four 300-foot-deep geothermal wells, a method expected to yield significant energy savings over conventional methods.

The building will be built on the shore of Lower St. Regis Lake and designed to reflect the historic nature of neighboring properties that were part of the original Paul Smith’s Hotel complex. In addition to the AWI, the Paolozzi Center will also house the college’s Center for Adirondack Biodiversity and the Adirondack Research Consortium, a group of academic researchers and leaders of not-for-profit groups focused on the park.

Climbing wall and swimming pool in Saunders Sports Complex

This $1.6 million project, the latest phase in a multi-year renovation of the college’s athletic center, will feature a three-story glass-enclosed climbing wall and updated swimming pool. The pool will incorporate an innovative, environmentally friendly chlorine-free purification system as well as a dehumidification system that will help heat the pool’s water, a technique expected to generate significant energy savings. The climbing wall, to be in the Buxton Annex, will be overlooked by an observation deck.

A $1 million Empire State Development Corp. matching grant will pay for most of the work; the rest was contributed by six supporters of the college.

This phase comes on top of nearly $2 million in other recent improvements at Saunders. A new fitness center and movement studio, as well as an updated gymnasium and extensive infrastructure work, have already been completed.

Renovations to sawmill

Significant upgrades are planned for the college’s 25-year-old sawmill, which is an important component of the college’s forestry program. The $200,000 project will upgrade several mill components and its infrastructure. A custom-designed operator’s cabin large enough to accommodate multiple students and a faculty member will be installed, providing a safe learning environment.

Paul Smith’s is among just a handful of colleges in the Northeast with a stationary sawmill. The timber to be processed at the mill comes from the college’s 14,200 acres, all of which are sustainably managed. Some of the timber is harvested by students.

“This project reinforces that we are what we say we are: We value experience and a hands-on education,” said Andrew Egan, dean of the college’s Division of Forestry, Natural Resources and Recreation. “Students get experiences here that they couldn’t pick up otherwise.”

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CONTACT: Kenneth Aaron, director of communications, (518) 327-6297

ABOUT PAUL SMITH'S COLLEGE

At Paul Smith’s College, it’s about the experience. We are the only four-year institution of higher education in the Adirondacks. Our programs, in fields including hospitality, culinary arts, forestry, natural resources, entrepreneurship and the sciences, draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere.