Pace University Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of its Pleasantville Campus and Breaks Ground on Major Transformation Project

Pace President Stephen J. Friedman is joined by State, County and Local Leaders for this milestone event

PLEASANTVILLE, NY– State, county and local leaders today joined with Pace University administrators to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Pleasantville campus and break ground on the first phase of a Master Plan to transform and revitalize the 200-acre campus.

“As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of our Pleasantville campus this year, we now prepare for the next half century with a major transformation of our campus. This project, together with new academic programs and related enhancements, represents a significant investment in and commitment to the future of the Pleasantville campus,” said Pace President Stephen J. Friedman.

Today’s formal groundbreaking ceremony, which was attended by more than 100 government and business leaders and members of the academic community, represents the culmination of more than four years of extensive planning resulting in a Master Plan designed to enhance the quality of the Pleasantville campus experience. The $100 million project is one of the largest construction projects under way in the Hudson Valley region. The planned improvements are anticipated to be completed over a period of five to eight years.

“Today, we break ground on a project that will make Pace even better, not just in terms of modern ‘green’ buildings, but in terms of what it will offer its future students. Apart from the Tappan Zee Bridge project, this is the largest construction project going on in our county today,” said Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino.

“This Master Plan is a vision for a modern and sustainable campus designed to improve the student experience,” said William J. McGrath, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Pace. “It will enable Pace to continue to attract and retain high quality students and to fulfill our educational mission. The plan, which is the result of extensive study and analysis, adheres to sustainable development standards in a manner that is sensitive to the existing environmental conditions of the site and the surrounding community.”

“By consolidating the athletics programs, we will offer a more competitive experience for our student athletes,” said Dean for Student Lisa Bardill Moscaritolo. “With new turf field and lights, will be able to offer more opportunities for women to play a sports by adding women’s lacrosse and field hockey.”

The project will enable Pace University to consolidate functions that are now split between campuses in Pleasantville and Briarcliff. Currently 690 students reside on the Pleasantville campus and 590 at Briarcliff. The 35-acre Briarcliff campus, which Pace opened in 1977, is for sale. While no classes are taught in Briarcliff, the plan will allow athletic and certain administration functions that are now there to be brought to Pleasantville.

The first phase of the project (Phase1A) will entail creation of two new residential buildings, an expanded student center, the relocation of the environmental center and athletic facilities necessary to replace those being vacated at the Briarcliff campus. Improvements to the infrastructure, more open green space and improving pedestrian accessibility are also part of the planned enhancements

The planned improvements will have minimal visible impact on the surrounding area and the 115-acre internal wooded buffer that wraps around the north, east and southeast portions of the campus will remain undisturbed.

The athletics department component includes reconstruction of the Peter X. Finnerty Baseball Field with a turf surface and lights. Pace Field, previously home to the football and lacrosse teams will transition to a multi-purpose field to accommodate needs of football, field hockey, women's soccer and men's and women's lacrosse. The new facility will be a synthetic surface with lights, 2,000 seats, and a new press box.

Other athletics-related improvements include the creation of a new softball field behind Dyson Hall to replace the field now at Briarcliff and construction of a varsity field house with locker rooms, administrative offices, a varsity weight room, sports medicine training facilities, along with concession and ticketing areas adjacent to the multipurpose field.

The Master Plan represents a significant investment by Pace University in the local and regional economy. As Westchester’s 13th largest employer, Pace contributes approximately $64 million annually to the county’s economy in direct and indirect spending. Of its total workforce, 934 live and work in Westchester; of that total 205 reside in the Town of Mount Pleasant. Additionally, some 18,384 Pace alumni live in the county with 1,900 residing in Mount Pleasant.

For updated on the Pace Master Plan, go to http://paceplvmasterplan.com.

The following is the projected timeline for the $100 million first phase of the plan.

Fall 2013- Construction begins on the relocation of the environmental center.
Spring 2014 – Construction begins on the first residence hall. Target completion is July 2015.
Summer 2014- Construction begins on new athletic field house. Target completion is March 2015.
Fall 2014 - Construction of new softball field on the Pleasantville campus begins. Target completion is December 2014.
Spring 2015- Construction begins on new multi-purpose turf field and related facilities. Target completion is August 2015.
Summer 2015- Construction of turf baseball field begins. Target completion is October 2015.

About Pace Athletics: Pace University is an NCAA Division II member of the Northeast-10 Conference that sponsors 12 intercollegiate sports. Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse will be added as varsity sports for the 2015 school year. Pace also sponsors a Spirit Squad which includes Dance and Cheerleading teams. In the Spring 2013 semester, 54% of Pace student-athletes achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or higher with nine recording a perfect 4.0 GPA. Pace finished tied with the fourth highest percentage in the 15-member conference.

About Pace University: Pace University is a comprehensive, independent University with campuses in New York City and Westchester County. Nearly 14,000 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the Lubin School of Business, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, School of Education, School of Law and College of Health Professions. http://www.pace.edu