▁campaign . ▁The ▁proposed ▁building ▁would ▁be ▁about ▁ ▁in ▁area ▁and ▁would ▁have ▁an ▁adjacent ▁out door ▁science ▁park . ▁ ▁Ph ase ▁ 1 ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁Ph ase ▁ 1 ▁Const ruction ▁of ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁was ▁accomplished ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁valuable ▁contributions ▁by ▁a ▁ste ering ▁committee , ▁corpor ate ▁lead ▁support , ▁individual ▁and ▁community ▁don ors , ▁challenge ▁grant ▁campaign , ▁and ▁community ▁volunte ers . ▁Em erson ▁Power ▁Trans mission ▁Corporation ▁and ▁Weg mans ▁Food ▁Mark ets ▁don ated ▁c ash . ▁A ▁$ 9 0 , 0 0 0 ▁demonstr ation ▁project ▁grant ▁for ▁the ▁he ating ▁system ▁was ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁Electric ▁and ▁Gas ▁Corporation . ▁Many ▁other ▁local ▁business es ▁assist ed ▁with ▁don ations ▁of ▁building ▁materials ▁or ▁deep ▁disc ount s ▁on ▁products ▁and ▁services . ▁R estaur ants ▁provided ▁food ▁during ▁the ▁building ▁periods , ▁as ▁did ▁many ▁individuals . ▁Corn ell ▁fund ra iser ▁Sher ri ▁Berg man , ▁anxious ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁challenge ▁of ▁creating ▁a ▁community - built ▁science ▁center , ▁was ▁h ired ▁to ▁help ▁with ▁the ▁project . ▁The ▁c ash ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁campaign ▁was ▁c apped ▁with ▁a ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁challenge ▁grant ▁from ▁the ▁K res ge ▁Foundation . ▁A ▁major ▁commit ment ▁to ▁a ▁volunte er - built ▁project ▁was ▁a ▁first ▁for ▁the ▁foundation . ▁Gr ound bre aking ▁officially ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁a ▁ceremony ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9