It is now commonplace to see construction workers, project managers and contractors at 431 East Fayette Street in downtown Syracuse. That is because renovations have begun at our future home! The CNY Philanthropy Center, designed to serve as a collaborative space that will bring together the community and a diverse group of nonprofits dedicated to serving our region, is slated for grand opening this fall. The Center will allow us to increase the visibility of our work and the impact of philanthropy in the community. In addition, the community space that the building provides will bring people and groups together to review and address community issues: to learn, share knowledge, find common ground and identify solutions.
RENOVATIONS ARE UNDERWAY
C&S Companies serves as project manager for this project. King & King Architects created the design concept for adaptive reuse of the building and VIP Structures was selected to serve as design-builder. King & King Architects presented an exciting renovation design to our board of directors that will transform the structure’s interior and exterior features into an efficient workplace and a comfortable, effective public meeting space.
Their innovative concept involves moving the interior stairs outside. Climbing the new stairs won’t need to involve a raincoat or a shovel, though. We will be constructing a small, enclosed addition to the building’s East side that will hold the new stairs. This frees up more room to open up the floor plan, maximizing the use of natural sunlight and increasing usable square footage.
The modern side entrance addition, including a two-story glass atrium on the building’s east side, will partner with the historic front façade on the building’s south side to represent the balance of tradition and innovation that we hold true in all of our activities - from stewardship to grantmaking.
Most of the historic elements of the 1916 building were removed in prior renovations in the late 1980s and 1990s. However, one signature feature remains in the former ballroom on the second floor: a terrazzo marble floor was discovered under layers of glue and carpet that will be restored.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Before our move, construction projects like roof replacement, new windows and brickwork will be completed. Interior renovation of the former ballroom space on the second floor will create a community meeting space and the first floor will hold the Community Foundation’s offices. The remaining second and third floor space will be available for nonprofit tenants. The new floor plan will incorporate the strategic placement of windows, an open two-story atrium and office components like lower cubical walls to allow more natural light to penetrate the space. This process is called “daylight harvesting” and is part of our effort to ensure energy efficiency and secure LEED certification for our new home.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that provides third-party verification that a building has decreased its environmental impact across all metrics of design, construction and maintenance. Many techniques will be incorporated into the renovations to gain LEED certification such as thermal comfort and lighting controllability, increased ventilation, water efficient landscaping and the use of recycled and regional materials for construction.
One sustainable technique that has already been implemented is the recycling and reusing of demolished materials. Building elements that can be reused (such as ceiling tiles, doors, sinks, windows, wood framing, etc.) are donated to our local Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore for resale to the community. Much of the rest of the waste that leaves the building can be recycled – we have a goal of diverting 75% of our demolition debris away from landfills. So far, more than 22,000 pounds of material has been reused or recycled.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH US!
Throughout this renovation journey, the one thing that never waivers is our excitement over how this new building will symbolically represent our organizational values –permanency, sustainability, stewardship, transparency and community engagement. We hope you will join in our excitement as we near our big move.
Follow along with the construction progress at the Philanthropy Center blog at www.cnycf.org/blog. To learn more about the building, including its long and storied history in downtown Syracuse, visit www.cnyphilanthropycenter.org.