A major new science complex is taking shape in Geneva as Hobart and William Smith Colleges finalize plans for the Fish Center for the Sciences, a four-story facility designed to bring multiple STEM disciplines under one roof.
With design work nearly complete, the $25 million project marks one of the largest academic investments in the colleges’ history and reflects a push toward interdisciplinary teaching and research. Construction is expected to begin this spring, with the center scheduled to open in fall 2027.
A hub for collaboration
The Fish Center will house 15 teaching and research laboratories serving biology, chemistry, geoscience, physics, math and computer science, environmental studies and psychological science. Rather than separating departments into traditional silos, the building is designed to encourage shared lab space, instrument rooms and collaborative research.
College officials say more than 200 meetings with faculty shaped the design, balancing the distinct needs of each discipline — from chemical storage and eyewash stations to live organisms and sensitive equipment.
About 25 faculty members will move into the Fish Center once it opens, while another 40 to 45 science professors will see their classrooms, labs or offices relocated as part of the broader reconfiguration of campus science spaces.
Designed by faculty, for faculty and students
A science faculty working group was formed nearly two years ago to guide the design process alongside Suffolk Construction, the Boston-based design-build firm overseeing the project. The group included representatives from multiple departments and focused on making shared spaces functional, safe and flexible.
Faculty involved in the planning said the process revealed how differently each discipline operates. Chemists, geoscientists and biologists, for example, each face unique regulatory requirements and logistical challenges, from storing hazardous materials to transporting large rock samples or caring for live animals.
Those differences drove changes to early design concepts and reinforced the importance of thoughtful separation where necessary, even within a shared building.
Making room for science and living organisms
Preparing for construction has already reshaped campus life. More than 160 plants were moved off campus to Cornell AgriTech for temporary care, while dozens of live frogs were relocated into a converted office space outfitted as a temporary vivarium. Other specimens, including quail and an extensive mounted bird collection, required specialized handling and storage.
Officials say those moves highlight the complexity of transitioning to a new, centralized science facility without interrupting ongoing teaching and research.
Investment in Geneva’s academic future
The Fish Center is supported by a $25 million lead gift from honorary trustee Cynthia Gelsthorpe Fish ’82 and her husband, John F. Fish. The building will rise near Rosenberg Hall, replacing Eaton Hall, which is slated for demolition to make room for construction.
College leaders say the project will strengthen Hobart and William Smith’s ability to attract students, faculty and research opportunities while reinforcing Geneva’s role as a hub for higher education and innovation in the Finger Lakes region.
Once complete, the Fish Center is expected to anchor science education on campus for decades, offering students hands-on learning in a space designed to spark discovery at the intersection of disciplines.
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