USGS, CU build new relationship -- and new building -- at technology park

Ground was broken Wednesday at the Cornell Business & Technology Park for a new building that will be home to the subdistrict office of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The 23,000-square-foot building at 30 Brown Road also represents a new agreement between Cornell's Center for the Environment and the USGS to support collaborative work in the areas of hydrology and water resources.

Building construction is slated for completion late this summer, with occupancy by USGS set for late September. Other tenants in the building, which includes incubator space for firms involved in technology transfer, will be announced shortly. Integrated Acquisition and Development Inc. of Ithaca is the developer for the project.

The USGS Ithaca Subdistrict Office has a staff of 20 scientists and technicians and covers approximately 70,000 square miles in western and central New York state, from the Watertown area south to Binghamton and west to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Grady Moore, New York district chief for the USGS, said: "We're excited to be building a new relationship with Cornell University along with this new structure. The public will greatly benefit by the enhanced work that will result by sharing some of the resources of the USGS with the Center for the Environment."

The cooperative research agreement between the USGS and Cornell will support Cornell graduate students who will work on USGS projects and in conjunction with USGS scientists.

"This more formalized partnership between the Cornell University researchers and USGS scientists will promote new and exciting work on earth science and environmental problems throughout western New York state," Moore said. "In addition to funding graduate research assistants, we look forward to supporting technical seminars and other educational programs."

Walter R. Lynn, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering and former director of the Center for the Environment, said: "The groundbreaking today is tangible evidence of long-standing mutually attractive interactions between the USGS Water Resources Division and the water resources research community of Cornell University. The research contributions and accomplishments of both organizations will benefit greatly from the cooperative agreement that now formally binds us together."

The Cornell Business & Technology Park, located in the village of Lansing, is a 200-acre office park development that is home to 1,300 employees in 79 companies with an annual payroll exceeding $40.2 million.

Said Frederick A. Rogers, Cornell senior vice president and chief financial officer: "This new building represents the essence of the business and technology park for Cornell University. One of the primary missions of the park is to facilitate cooperative efforts between the university and the private and non-profit sectors. The work that will be done by our Center for the Environment and the U.S. Geological Survey will do just that. In addition, providing quality office space to USGS and all of the other 79 tenant companies in the park helps ensure these companies remain in our community with their jobs and the related economic benefits."