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General News: SUNY Orange Renovated Building Opens
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| The renovated Tower Building sits on the corner of Broadway and Colden Street in Newburgh. |
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| Students in Linda Richichi's art class in the Tower Building. |
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| Student Adriano Randazzo of Cornwall says the food in the cafeteria is delicious. |
February 05, 2012
By Nancy Peckenham
The SUNY Orange Newburgh campus officially expanded this semester with the opening of a renovated Tower Building, which now offers classrooms, study nooks and a cafeteria to the 1,500 students – 800 of them fulltime – who study there.
Some $20 million was spent on the renovation of the five-story building that was once home to Key Bank. Mike Albright, SUNY Orange’s Director of Communications, said the college’s goal was to give the students a sense of campus life by carving out spaces for studying and just hanging out.
“Before the renovations the classrooms were small, we were kind of jammed in with no places for students to work,” Albright explained during a recent tour. The bright open classrooms, many with spectacular views of the Hudson River, change all that.
New Crime Lab and Art Studios
In Tim Zeszutek’s classroom and adjoining lab, the retired New York State Police Inspector can teach his criminal justice students the latest techniques for studying crime scene evidence, from fingerprint to fibers. “We are as up-to-date as any police agency,” Zeszutek said, describing the resources available to the 112 students in the program.
On another floor, artist Linda Richichi walked around coaching art students whose work may one day be exhibited in an adjoining gallery space. Prior to the renovations, art classes were held in the former YWCA building on Grand Street. That’s where physical education classes were held as well. Now PE classes are offered in two new spaces – one filled with workout equipment and one that is a studio for yoga and movement classes.
SUNY Orange students may take a mix of classes at the Newburgh or Middletown campus, with seven degree programs in Newburgh alone.
It’s a long way from 1990 when SUNY Orange (then known as Orange County Community College) first offered extension classes in Newburgh at the old Broadway school. From there, the school’s offerings expanded into the Tower Building, which shut down for renovation when the new Kaplan Hall opened in early 2011.
Day Care Program Offers Teaching Opportunities
One feature that will likely be attractive to young adults working toward a degree is a daycare center serving infants, toddlers and pre-school children, with a priority given to the children of SUNY Orange students. The center also will serve as a teaching resource for students of education.
Mike Albright says that as the student population keeps on growing, the school could expand again into the neighboring Maple Building that now houses social service offices and a branch of SUNY’s Empire State College.
To find out more about SUNY Orange and the programs offered in Newburgh and Middletown, visit www.sunyorange.edu.
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