December 3, 2010 - We are excited to welcome three new tenants to the CNY Philanthropy Center. The combination of these leaseholders, comprised of some of our region’s largest philanthropic foundations and important community organizations, will encourage collaboration and open dialogue on Central New York’s unique resources and needs. We are proud to welcome the following organizations to the Center!

The Allyn Foundation - Founded in 1954, The Allyn Foundation is a private, family foundation that provides grants to charitable organizations primarily in Central New York. The Foundation’s funding priorities are a reflection of the generous legacy of William N. Allyn, founder of Welch Allyn, and his son, William G. Allyn. Through its work and the organizations it funds, the Foundation seeks to reflect its family value, “Be Always Kind and True.”

Community Health Foundation of Western & Central New York - The Community Health Foundation is committed to improving the health and health care of the region’s people and communities. The Foundation collaborates with community partners to strengthen the health care system, bolster community supports, promote education and advocacy, and encourage individual behavior change. With its headquarters office in Buffalo and two full-time staff in its Syracuse office, the Community Health Foundation maintains three core funding areas: (1) creating options for dignified living among the frail elders; (2) young children living in poverty; and (3) growing the capacity of community health care systems.

Junior League of Syracuse - The Junior League of Syracuse is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The organization is a recognized leader for developing and supporting projects that provide programs for women, children and families.

November 29, 2010 - November was quite a month for the new Central New York Philanthropy Center, with a grand opening ceremony and beginning of our operations on site. The Center’s official opening marked the start of a new era for the Community Foundation - which has been promoting the importance and impact of local philanthropy since 1927.

Community Foundation staff and the Center’s tenants began to move in and utilize the new space even before all the boxes were unpacked. The building’s large ballroom and multiple meeting spaces provide the perfect community space for convening to further our mission and that of our partners.

The striking three-story Greek Revival building, built in 1917, received an extensive makeover over the past year to fit our needs and that of the Center’s tenants. A small, enclosed stair tower addition was built onto the building’s east side. This resulted in a more open floor plan for our office space, increasing useable square footage. A formal board room and a number of smaller meeting rooms will allow our staff to hold multiple meetings at one time. Outside, a new seating area, rain garden and a "green screen" feature at the east elevation of the new stair tower will present an inviting site for many years to come.

Technological improvements will also expand our capabilities. Projectors, screens and flat panel displays now allow for visual interaction in several of our meeting spaces. Sound and telecommunication systems with wireless capabilities were installed to maximize presentation capabilities.

The building features numerous sustainable design elements, including energy-efficient climate controls, increased ventilation, water efficient landscaping and energy-efficient windows and doors. Our new floor plan incorporates the strategic placement of windows, an open two-story atrium and lower cubicle walls to allow more natural light to penetrate the space. In addition, the original paved parking lot was replaced with a pervious paving system to mitigate storm water runoff.

Thanks in large part to these innovative "green" techniques, we are in the process of applying for LEED certification. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that provides third-party verification that a building has decreased its environmental impact across all metrics of design, construction and maintenance.

Throughout the renovation process, we valued the architectural integrity of this almost century-old building and strived to preserve and enhance its original character. Although most of original historical elements were removed in prior renovations before our purchase, some signature items still remained. The second-floor ballroom’s terrazzo floor was brought back to its original luster and the decorative woodwork above the front door underwent an extensive restoration.

The project’s design concept was created by King & King Architects. VIP Structures served as design builder and C&S Companies provided project management.

To learn more about the CNY Philanthropy Center and the long history of this building, visit www.cnyphilanthropycenter.org. Although renovations are now complete, the Center’s construction blog at www.cnycf.org/blog is still available for you to follow the renovations as they progressed over the past year.