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January 22, 2006
CSI's $80M dorm plan hits a snag
Last month, CSI unveiled an $80 million conceptual plan to construct residency halls on a portion of state-owned land, currently occupied by buildings and vacant property under the jurisdiction of the state Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD).
That announcement led to a heated debate between a college trying to expand its services and a passionate people determined to preserve the legacy of the former Willowbrook State School....
"We believe that we have an extraordinary opportunity for CSI and the disabilities community, and for Staten Island overall," said Robert Huber, CSI's communications director, in response to the state spokeswoman's comments. "At the moment, we are engaged in the process of defining the concept of student housing on the CSI campus. We could follow the conventional approach of constructing dormitories for students at the campus that would mirror the basic way student residences are done at virtually all other colleges.
"However, we also would like to explore a broader, more progressive and innovative use of residential housing that would benefit not only our students but people with special needs, as well," he continued, reiterating that the plan calls for units for OMRDD's clients.
Posted by Michelle at January 22, 2006 07:03 PM