"The model that New York is working on, that Mario Cuomo started and Andrew Cuomo is continuing, is to have universities, in this case, SUNY Poly, own commercial hubs across upstate," Kaloyeros said.

SUNY Polytechnic Institute leader Alain Kaloyeros outlined a plan to build student services and said that the second phase of the Kiernan Plaza project in downtown Albany includes additional property purchases at a town hall Monday night.

Kaloyeros, founding president and CEO of SUNY Poly, answered more than 20 questions from an audience of about 200 people. He started the event with no preamble, opening the floor to questions after outlining a few rules for those asking questions. Questions ranged from economic development to applications of nanotechnology in various sectors.

Kaloyeros says the first phase for student housing will include three stories of housing and three stories of parking. An earlier plan to construct three floors of parking and three floors of state Department of Transportation offices fell through, he said.

More projects are in the works to build out student services. As companies move out of the NanoFab building and into a recently-constructed ZEN building during winter 2016, space will be rededicated for student lounges and classrooms.

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Nov 17, 2015, 7:19 am ES