Marymount Manhattan Unveils Urban Oasis: College Dedicates The Lowerre Family Terrace Sept. 8

The Lowerre Family Terrace will be dedicated at 6 p.m., Sept. 8, 2008 at Marymount Manhattan College, 221 East 71st Street, on the Upper East Side of New York City. Speakers will include New York State Assemblyman Jonathan L. Bing (D-Manhattan), President Judson R. Shaver, Paul C. Lowerre ’81, and Campaign Chair Judith M. Carson ’03. 

 
The image above offers a sneak peak at The Lowerre Family Terrace, which will be unveiled September 8. The terrace, which features a water wall, heated trellis and garden areas, is the first major facilities project of This is the Day, the campaign for Marymount Manhattan. The terrace will provide the MMC Community with a new area where students, faculty and staff can interact.

The Lowerre Family Terrace, the College’s new 5,000-square foot quad, offers a respite in a natural setting and features a water wall, heated trellis and garden areas that foster the community interaction essential to student-centered learning. The dedication ceremony will include the official unveiling of the spectacular water wall, designed by New York Architect Lori Kupfer.

The terrace, which connects the third floors of the MMC’s Main and Nugent buildings, is the first major facilities project of This is the Day, the College’s $25 million comprehensive campaign to increase need-based financial aid for students, provide capital improvements to enhance facilities, and advance academic excellence through the creation of fixed-term academic chairs.

The Lowerre Family Terrace, designed and built through independent efforts by New York-based architects and engineers, enhances the original structure built by John Russell Pope in 1929 and serves as an outdoor venue that complements its New York City metropolitan surroundings. The Marymount Manhattan College Board of Trustees approved construction of the terrace, which is an important facet of the College’s facilities Master Plan. The trustees believe that the terrace supports MMC’s mission to provide a quality liberal arts education to a diverse student population and offers a new venue for students, faculty and staff to interact.

“This unique space offers a beautiful oasis to our College community,” said Paul Ciraulo, Executive Vice President, Administration and Finance. “The terrace integrates a park-like venue with the College campus and offers a wonderful setting for all members of our community to gather.” 

The idea to convert the rooftop into a community gathering space was of particular interest to Paul C. Lowerre ’81, who said that as a student, he “hung out” wherever he could find space. Paul, his wife Ursula and their family donated $1 million for the construction of the terrace through This is the Day, the campaign for Marymount Manhattan. 

In December 2007, The Kresge Foundation awarded a $1.5 million challenge grant to Marymount Manhattan to support the construction of The Lowerre Family Terrace. The Kresge grant encourages contributions from a broader pool of individual donors to help complete the campaign, and increases Marymount Manhattan’s visibility and impact within its community. In order to meet the Kresge challenge, the College must complete the campaign by securing gifts and pledges totaling $25 million by June 30, 2009. 

Marymount Manhattan College is an urban, independent, liberal arts college. The mission of the College is to educate a socially and economically diverse population by fostering intellectual achievement and personal growth and by providing opportunities for career development.

Published: September 02, 2008