The Office of Facilities, Safety and Physical Plant is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all the university's buildings and physical infrastructure. Over 100 custodial staff are employed in cleaning, event support, snow removal and minor repairs, plus more than 50 skilled trades staff maintain heating, plumbing, electrical systems and the vehicle fleet. Grounds staff also mow lawns, maintain gardens, and plow snow in the winter. A team of professional staff plans and executes capital improvements with a value of approximately $15M each year. Other professional staff manage our space, energy systems, health and safety & environmental compliance.
Facilities support the 280-acre University main campus, which has over 45 main buildings and approximately 2.4 million square feet of floor space. The Cooperstown campus on Lake Otsego is also supported as well as the Thayer Farm in Springfield, NY.
The main campus is like a small city, with 15 residence halls and approximately 3000 resident students. We use 60 million gallons of water annually and have a peak electrical load of 5 Megawatts. Infrastructure includes 15 miles of water pipes, 24 acres of parking lots, and over 3 miles of roads.
Facilities Master Plan
The University’s 2023 Facilities Master Plan is the second ten-year fully integrative planning document that provides a participative roadmap for campus development and a broad framework for decision making. in addition to and complimenting the Facilities Master Plan, a Clean Energy Master plan has been developed that provides a guide to campus decarbonization by 2050.
Green Facilities, Initiatives and Practices
We are committed to incorporating sustainability into our facilities operations through green purchasing, waste reduction, integrated pest management, and energy conservation. We are committed to environmentally sustainable design and adaptive reuse of buildings where possible rather than construction of more floor space. Our Clean Energy Master plan charts a roadmap to long term decarbonization of campus emissions related to facilities.
Experiential Learning
We look for opportunities to provide applied learning experiences for our students and have previously hosted interns in project management, graphical information systems (GIS), interior design, environmental health and safety & hazardous waste management. Internships are flexible and can be tailored to meet individual student needs, providing hands-on experience that allows students to gain practical skills and real-world insights while pursuing their academic goals.
Featured Projects
We have an active improvement program for residence halls and each year a residence hall is kept off-line for renovation and amenities improvements; minor renovations in other halls occur during the summer recess. Upcoming renovations are as follows;
Ford Hall renovations are planned to be completed the start of the fall 2025 semester. Upgrades include a refreshed lobby area, improved bathrooms, new floor kitchens and study rooms, as well as updated ceilings and lighting in the hallways.
Blodgett Hall will be offline for the 2025-2026 academic year for extensive renovations.Improvements will include a renovated lobby, upgraded bathrooms, and new floor kitchens and study rooms, Blodgett will also receive enhancements for ADA accessibility. The hall is anticipated to reopen in Fall 2026.
Grant Hall is scheduled for renovation during the 2026-2027 academic year, with plans similar to those of Blodgett Hall, including lobby improvements, updated bathrooms, new kitchens and study rooms on each floor, enhanced hallway lighting and ceilings, and ADA accessibility upgrades. Grant Hall is expected to be ready for students in Fall 2027.
These renovations reflect SUNY Oneonta's ongoing commitment to providing a comfortable, modern and inclusive living environment for our students.
Netzer Hall is set to undergo a major renovation beginning in Fall 2025, with completion anticipated in 2028. Once finished, the building will feature a consolidated student service center and updated administrative and student support offices. In line with sustainability goals, Netzer Hall will be heated and cooled using a geothermal heat pump system, similar to Alumni Hall. The renovations will also include ADA-accessible entrances and the addition of a green buffer between the building and Ravine Parkway.
Hunt Union will see updates to the Dragons Lair in Spring/Summer 2027, transforming the space to better serve gamers and expanding its capacity for eSports. Additionally, the project will bring cosmetic, lighting, and acoustic improvements to the Hunt Ballroom, enhancing its functionality and appeal.
SUNY Oneonta is upgrading the HVAC system in the Perna Science Building to energy-efficient heat pump technology. This enhancement reflects the university's commitment to sustainability while improving comfort and efficiency.
In addition to the HVAC upgrade in Perna Science, labs in the basement and on the first floor are being renovated to provide modern, state-of-the-art learning environments for students and faculty. The project, with an estimated cost of $3 million, is expected to continue through the fall.
SUNY Oneonta is undertaking a major infrastructure project to replace its underground electrical system in 2025 and 2026. This proactive upgrade is designed to enhance the campus's electrical capacity, ensuring reliable service and supporting future decarbonization projects. By addressing this critical infrastructure before issues arise, the university is planning for long-term sustainability, with the new system expected to serve the campus reliably for the next 30 years.
Extensive site work will take place along Ravine Parkway during summer 2025. This project underscores SUNY Oneonta’s commitment to maintaining a resilient and forward-thinking campus environment.
Contact Us
Facilities Planning
and Safety
Lachlan Squair
Associate Vice President for Facilities and Planning
322 West Street
Oneonta, NY 13820
United States
Maintenance
Brian Murray
Director of Facilities Operations
Service Building
108 Ravine Parkway
Oneonta, NY 13820
United States
Emergencies
Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Call the Maintenance Operations Center office at 607-436-2507.
After Hours and Weekends
Call University Police at 607-436-3550 - they will relay the call to our onsite second/third shift staff.
In the event of emergency responses on campus that may affect normal operations (water main breaks, storm damage, power outages... things like that) we will prominently post information on the website and also distribute email notifications as necessary.