MERRILL LYNCH GIVES BMCC $500,000
September 18, 2002
Merrill Lynch recently gave Borough of Manhattan Community College $500,000 to help transform outdoor courtyard space into a bi-level student commons for study areas and student seating.
“This generous gift will help us restore some space to the students,” said BMCC President Antonio Pérez.
Borough of Manhattan Community College lost over 40 classrooms and laboratories last fall when one of its buildings, Fiterman Hall, was severely damaged in the attack on the World Trade Center. Fiterman Hall has been closed for a year and will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
In order to compensate for the loss of space, BMCC transformed most of the cafeteria, the student lounge, fitness center, dance studio, meeting rooms, and other study space into classrooms.
The campus at 199 Chambers Street was built to house 8,000 students, faculty, and staff. This fall, 18,000 degree-seeking adults enrolled at BMCC. Another 6,000 are enrolled in non-degree programs.
“We were crowded before, but now we are really tight, so we truly appreciate this gift from Merrill Lynch. It will help us enormously,” Pérez said.
The gift to BMCC is part of Merrill Lynch’s commitment to support educational and cultural institutions in lower Manhattan with the aim of restoring the economic vibrancy of lower Manhattan.
BMCC is still seeking public and private funds for the $3.5 million project.
Preliminary renderings of the BMCC student commons.
