Fordham Westchester Construction Earns Accolades

Fordham University's West Harrison campus will have a tough time in 2010 outdoing its first year of operation.

Although the University just celebrated it first anniversary in the fall, it's already received accolades. In 2009, it received the Building Owners and Managers Association Hall of Honor Award and the Office Building of the Year Award.

Set on 32 acres, Fordham Westchester's 3-storey building on Westchester Ave. has been open since September 2008, .

"It has been a wonderful first year for our students, faculty, and staff at our new campus," said Ron Jacobson, executive director of academic programs at Fordham Westchester. "This award further recognizes Fordham's continuing contributions to higher education and quality of life in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, and Fairfield counties."

The building showcases eco-friendly construction and advanced technological renovations, including the "smart boards."

According to BOMA judge comments the University received, it was these features that contributed to the campus accolades.

"[The] new, fresh campus and state of the art technology will attract students as well as benefit the community of Westchester," commented the BOMA Judges. "This recently renovated facility is a winner!"

The architects for the University were Kouzmanoff Bainton of New York, while C.W. Brown Inc. was the general contractor.

Now the third campus for Fordham, this decision to move to Westchester County came after Fordham agreed to sell its Tarrytown-based Marymount College campus to EF Education.

"The 400 Westchester project has really turned out to be a great campus for Fordham," said Marc Valera, vice president for Facilities Management. "We just passed our one year anniversary on the site in November, and we're finding that both the space and the location perfectly suit the needs of our graduate programs. Our students and faculty are very pleased with the high-level of classroom technology and the improved appearance and functionality of the facility."

According to Valera, the building was completed in less than six months from the start of construction.

Fordham Westchester offers adult undergraduate programs and graduate programs of the Master's level, with majors from business administration to social service and religious education. Fordham University's additional campuses include: the Louis Calder Center Biological Station in Armonk, Lincoln Center, and the Rose Hill campus in the Bronx.