Chancellor King Celebrates Ribbon Cutting For $40 Million SUNY Geneseo Milne Library Renovation
April 28, 2025
Nearly 60-Year-Old Structure Revitalized As State-of-the Art Academic Hub for the Campus Community
Project Minimizes Carbon Footprint Through Upcycling Materials and Eliminating Fossil Fuel Usage
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. celebrated the completion of a $40 million, five-year renovation for SUNY Geneseo's Milne Library. The nearly 60-year-old building, the most widely used on campus, was transformed into a state-of-the art academic building for the campus community, and is now the first building on campus to fully eliminate the use of fossil fuels for its energy needs in line with the Governor Kathy Hochul's climate goals.
"Milne Library is at the very heart of the educational excellence for which SUNY Geneseo is known," said SUNY Chancellor John King. "This library renovation was a massive undertaking and well worth the result for our students, faculty, and staff who will benefit. This is a win-win-win project that shows how smart design can improve sustainability, lower energy use, and create beautiful and inspiring spaces for our students to thrive. My thanks to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their ongoing commitment to our critical infrastructure and to SUNY's vital mission to serve students and New York State."
SUNY Trustee Robert J. Duffy said, "SUNY Geneseo's Milne Library is a tremendous resource for our students and faculty – winning numerous awards for the services provided and the top-notch librarians there to assist. This renovation will ensure that the campus can do even more for the local community and New York State, and will help generations of students succeed in achieving an excellent education."
The project was managed by the State University Construction Fund, and made possible by State funds appropriated to SUNY for critical maintenance.
The iconic building was designed with extensive input from students, faculty, and staff to improve accessibility, enhance research opportunities, and provide flexible, technology-driven study spaces, including:
- 15 flexible study rooms and team collaboration spaces,
- expanded open seating,
- four classrooms and seminar rooms,
- the Writing Learning Center and Teacher Education Resource Center, and
- two multipurpose rooms for campus and community events.
The project minimizes Milne Library's carbon footprint through upcycling materials and minimizing carbon emissions from producing and transporting building materials, as well as fully electrifying the building's systems. Eighty-two percent of the original wall, floor, and roof assemblies were reused. Moving forward the Milne Library will have a 12% reduction in total energy consumption through sustainable features, in line with SUNY's Climate and Sustainability Action Plan, including:
- new plumbing fixtures that reduce water usage by 38%;
- high-efficiency upgraded building heating, ventilation, cooling systems, and air circulation systems;
- improved energy efficiency through new insulation and roofing materials, and
- energy-saving floor to ceiling glass windows that increase natural light and high-performance low-energy use lighting systems to reduce electricity needs.
SUNY Geneseo President Denise Battles said, "The Milne Library renovation is more than a construction project; it reflects our commitment to academic excellence, sustainability, and civic engagement. Completed on time, on budget, and within scope, this project has sparked an overwhelmingly positive response from our campus community—one student commented, ‘makes me want to study—it's so peaceful and beautiful.' Beyond serving our students, Milne has also contributed to regional economic development by creating jobs and supporting local contractors. I am deeply grateful to everyone who played a role in making this transformative and successful project a reality."
State Senator Pam Helming said, "The renovation of Milne Library is more than a facelift—it's a strategic investment in SUNY Geneseo and our region's economic future. The improved library provides a state-of-the-art learning environment that will help meet the evolving needs of area students, instructors, and community members. This renovation created local job opportunities and symbolizes New York State's commitment to maintaining SUNY Geneseo as a vibrant educational institution and central hub for community engagement."
Assembly Member Andrea K. Bailey said, "I'm thrilled to celebrate the renovation of SUNY Geneseo's Milne Library—a transformative investment into the future of students who make Geneseo their home, even if just for a short time. This state-of-the-art academic hub is a beacon of progress, providing students with modern resources and opportunities that will prepare them for the challenges and innovations of tomorrow. Today, we honor a project that embodies advancement, community, and investment in our shared future."
Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest said, "As an alumna of SUNY Geneseo, I am proud to congratulate them on the renovation of the Milne Library. This much-needed renovation will create a beautiful and inviting space to serve students for years to come, as well as responding to our state's increasingly urgent climate needs."
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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