In recent years, SUNY Cortland has been moving toward even greater economic integration and civic engagement with the surrounding Cortland community. A major step in this direction came with a Housing and Urban Development grant in 1999 to develop a Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC).

The three-year COPC project directed college resources--especially technical expertise and student involvement-to address needs identified by the community.

Among COPC's initial accomplishments were
-- establishment of the Cortland Counts community assets
  and needs assessment process
-- initiation of a children's museum
-- consolidated housing plan
-- activities in support of the college's Institute for Civic    Engagement.

A second, two-year COPC New Directions project targeted
the city's East End neighborhood and included support of the East End Community Center run by the City Youth Bureau.

As these partnerships evolved, so did the expressed desire on the part of community members to have an even greater college presence in the community. Main Street SUNY Cortland is the next step in bringing the educational resources of the college into the local community.

Located in the "Beard Building," on Main Street opposite the Community Restaurant, the building's owners, McNeil Development Consultants, are presently making extensive renovations according to college specifications.

The first floor will house the office of the Institute for Civic Engagement's Community Outreach Partnership Center and
the office of a new Downtown Manager who is being hired by
the recently organized Downtown Partnership. The COPC Coordinator will be responsible for scheduling various educational, community and cultural meetings and events for
the first floor space.

By serving as a base for student volunteer activities, service learning projects and internships, the facility will encourage
even more civic engagement among SUNY Cortland students.

The first floor will also provide space to develop research projects directed at community needs.

On the second floor there will be two classrooms where both graduate-level and undergraduate classes will be scheduled.
By having late-afternoon and evening graduate classes taught
in Main Street SUNY Cortland, commuting students who might not normally visit downtown may be more likely to visit stores and restaurants.

 
Top Floors of Beard Building,
Main Street, Cortlandmm

 COPC I
Cortland Counts
Children’s Museum
Consolidated Plan for the City of Cortland
Groundwork for the Institute for Civic Engagement

COPC II: New Directions
East End Community Center (Partner: Cortland City Youth Bureau)
Partnering with Institute for Civic Engagement and the American Democracy Project
Main Street SUNY Cortland project.