A Time of Growth

St. Francis College Campus on Butler Street

Remsen Street 1961

In the early 1960s St. Francis was undergoing immense change.  The May 1960 edition of the college newspaper announced that the College (which had been formerly housed on Baltic and Butler Streets in Cobble Hill) had purchased the former headquarters of the Brooklyn Union Gas Company on Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights. 

The old campus would house the science facilities and the new buildings would house liberal arts, business administration facilities and administrative offices.  This move, prudent at a time when the college’s enrollment was growing, would allow the college to double its enrollment to 1100 students. 

Opening of the Frank and Mary Macchiarola Academic Center 2004

The new buildings, scheduled to be completed in 1963, would not be ready until after Frank graduated.  Ironically though, Frank would witness another major renovation at St. Francis, during his time as president in 2004. This time, not only would Frank oversee the process and use the new building but it would also be named for him.