New research building officially opened
Saunders Research Building at UR Medical Center — named after local entrepreneur E. Philip Saunders — was officially opened on Friday, Apr. 8. Dedicated to turning the results of research into practical care for patients, the building will increase the regularity and efficiency of such a process.
According to URMC CEO Bradford C. Berk, the facility was created with the understanding that the future of medicine will be driven by institutions that create the environment necessary to follow through on discoveries and make them relevant in terms of improving health. UR officials, Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy and New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver were present at the opening ceremony of the building. The investment made by New York State in the construction of the facility was essential to its completion.
Chemical spill at Gavett
At 8:14 p.m. on Sunday, Apr. 10, a minor chemical spill occurred at Room 219 of Gavett Hall — the lab of chemical engineering Professor Hong Yang. UR Security officers were called to the scene, and the area was evacuated immediately.
The chemical spill came from a broken waste bottle that emptied its contents onto the floor. The bottle had contained common organic solvents, such as hexane and ethanol, which quick evaporated. The residue was cleaned up within minutes, and the waste container used to collect the spill was removed by waste management staff members the next morning. A graduate student was working in the lab when the incident happened. The Rochester hazmat team responded to the scene and identified that the spilled chemical was not a serious hazard to anyone. There were no injuries reported and the lab was closed for the night.
Eastman to develop land on East Main Street
The land on 420 E. Main St, across the street from the Eastman School of Music, is currently used as a parking lot. It may, someday soon, turn into a cultural attraction of Rochester and the Eastman school.
The City of Rochester’s Cultural Center Commission has recently approved the sale of the land to the University for $640,000. The University intends to develop the land in partnership with a private developer, much like the work in progress on Mt. Hope Avenue between Elmwood Avenue and Crittenden Boulevard. Once the city and county legislative bodies approve the sale, the University will pay property taxes based on the assessed value of the parking lot. UR has five years to undertake the development of the project, but the timing will depend on the planning process and market conditions.
The goal of the commission was to implement the Cultural District Plan and to revitalize the area around the Eastman School and the neighborhood. Past projects that have been completed under the plan were the Symphony Terrace, the Sagamore on East and the Metro YMCA, among others.
Lim is a member of the class of 2014.
