Garner President's House Renovation Project

Aerial view of the Garner President's House. See a full gallery of renovation plans.

In 2011, the President's House was renamed the Garner President's House, in honor of President Emeritus Les and First Lady Katrina Garner. The new name is part of a plan to renovate and update the 161-year-old building that has served as home to the college's presidents since the 1860s.

John McGrane '73, chair of the Board of Trustees, and Martha Benson McGrane '73, gave the lead gift for the project and recruited architect Stephen Muse of Muse Architects in Bethesda, Md. 

"Cornell needs a fully functional home for its president, both to live in and to host alumni, fundraising, community and other events that are critical to Cornell's future," said John McGrane. "As we move forward under the leadership of our new president, Jonathan Brand, we want to have a facility that meets the ever-expanding requirements of a growing and vibrant college."

Work began in the spring of 2012, and the project is expected to be completed in early 2013.