BILL WARREN/Journal Staff Cornell University President Jeffrey Lehman listens to his introduction from Michael Stamm before his speech to Tompkins County Area Development Monday at the Country Club of Ithaca. Lehman's speech was titled "Technology transfer, economic development and the mission of Cornell University."

ITHACA -- From a downtown hotel and office building, to an ongoing $500 million academic investment, the countless projects that Cornell University is a part of should not see any bumps from the unexpected resignation of university president Jeffrey Lehman, officials said.

"The only difference will be that Hunter Rawlings will probably be back for the grand opening, rather than Jeffrey Lehman," David Chiazza, vice president of Ciminelli Development Co., said of the Seneca Place on The Commons building set to open in late June.

The hotel and office complex on Seneca Street will house 300 Cornell employees and include retail space.

"It's nearing completion, and it's the institution that stands behind the project, not one individual," Chiazza said.

Lehman, Cornell's 11th president, announced that he'll step down from his post at the end of June, to the surprise of hundreds of alumni gathered at his alumni weekend address on Saturday in Bartels Hall.

Cornell initiatives

Despite many unanswered questions regarding Lehman's pending departure, university officials are confident that nothing will grind to a halt as a result, whether academic or town gown-related in nature.

"I would expect very little impact," said Vice Provost for Life Sciences Kraig Adler, who is heading Cornell's Life Sciences Initiative. A massive academic investment that promises a new building, faculty hires and other changes, the initiative has been in the works for years, and began under the administration of former university president Hunter Rawlings.

Rawlings will serve as interim president until a successor is named, according to university officials.

Adler said the construction of the life sciences building is beginning and will last through the summer.

"All of these initiatives are the result of a long, deliberative process involving faculty, deans and administrators, and vetted over long periods of time," Adler said. "You wouldn't expect something that has developed in such a long and thoughtful way to be impacted by one single person's departure."

City and Cornell

A similar sentiment rang true for city and county officials who have brokered deals or nurtured relationships with Cornell, either before or after Lehman took office.

One of the first overtures between Lehman and the City of Ithaca was the 2003 signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for Cornell to increase its annual voluntary financial contribution in lieu of taxes to the city.

A promise of $1 million in 2004, up to $1.1 million in 2007 with increasing payments thereafter for several years, was made and approved by Lehman, the Cornell Board of Trustees, and Ithaca's Common Council just weeks after Lehman took office, after a deal was initially negotiated between Lehman and then-mayor Alan Cohen.

City attorney Marty Luster said there's no indication of a change in that agreement now that Lehman is leaving.

"The MOU is what it is," he said.

He added that since Lehman is in office until the month's end, no changes will likely occur between the city and university until after July 1, if at all.

"We know who (Lehman's) interim successor is, and we've had a relationship with Hunter Rawlings before," Luster said. "I doubt there will be any significant changes anyway."

Airlines agreement

Cornell is married to a recently negotiated agreement to back the arrival of Northwest Airlines to the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, according to Cornell and county officials.

In a mutual effort to bolster the county's airport, Tompkins County, Cornell, Ithaca College and local businesses pledged thousands of dollars in revenue guarantees to get Northwest to come to Ithaca.

The first year of the agreement, signed earlier this year, had Cornell pledge $500,000 in spending on international flights. The university promised another $100,000 of a $250,000 revenue guarantee also provided by local businesses and Ithaca College.

"Cornell is going to stand by the financial commitment it's made," said Charles Hamilton, a Cornell Business Services employee and consultant for the local Air Service Task Force that helped bring Northwest to Ithaca. "We're hopeful that whatever administrative changes that happen won't change Cornell's commitment."

Tompkins County Legislature Chairman Tim Joseph said since Cornell already has a legal commitment to support the airport, he's not nervous about the university backing out as a result of administrative turnover.

"But it does make me nervous about the future, because the airport is an important issue to us," Joseph said, pointing to the uncertainty that comes with changing leadership for Cornell, a major economic player in the county.

"Jeffrey Lehman has shown us, in the time he was here, that he has a real commitment to the community and being partners with us," Joseph said. "The fact that we were able to work so closely and effectively with him on the airport project was really a wonderful thing."

One future initiative Joseph hopes Cornell will back is the county's comprehensive plan, which conceptualizes dense, core development and walkable communities.

"Cornell is certainly an important player, and we hope they would join with us in a common vision," he said.

Contact: aju@ithacajournal.com

Originally published Tuesday, June 14, 2005