POTSDAM -- SUNY Potsdam broke groud Friday for what it describes as "a new, state-of-the-art greenhouse."

The school marked the beginning of construction for the new Wagner Institute for Sustainability and Ecological Research Greenhouse in a ceremony. Students, faculty, staff and members of the Potsdam College Foundation board of trustees were on-hand.

The lead donors, Robert Wagner and his wife Wendy, were in attendance.

"Today is a wonderful day for my wife and I to present this gift to the college. Today, we break ground to start the construction process for a 2,400-square-foot greenhouse that will be connected to the south side of Stowell Hall, with a completion date of April 2016," Wagner said. "I'm told that there is a pretty big birthday party that's going to happen in 2016. As luck would have it, the new greenhouse will be dedicated on Potsdam's 200th anniversary."

The fully donor-funded WISER Greenhouse at SUNY Potsdam will provide the campus with a research-grade facility with four growing zones, the school said.

"This new greenhouse will provide our campus with a focal point for initiative that build a greener campus and community," college President Kristin G. Esterberg said. "WISER programs will support creative scientific research and learning opportunities around sustainability and ecology. So, after several years of planning, we are excited for construction to commence."

Frederic Pratt and Jana Pratt also donated. In addition, the Alcoa Foundation gave grant money to support Wagner Institute programs that will take place in the new facility.

Along with the new greenhouse space, WISER will allow students to investigate issues of climate change, sustainable agriculture and biodiversity. Through the new institute, biology faculty and students have spearheaded a campuswide Healthy Plant Initiative, and are also working on educational outreach regarding sustainability practice in the North Country and urban farming research, the school said.

Biology and environmental studies major Michal Weaver, who served as the very first WISER intern last semester, also spoke at the ceremony, along with Department of Biology chair Glenn Johnson and faculty member Robert Ewy.

School officials expect onstruction will wrap up in April.

To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/AAS/biology/wiser.