He was a Slippery Rock University (SRU) philosophy professor, pastor, father,
husband, mentor, and friend. Moreover, he had an intensely practical way of
putting ideas into action. He had a dream to develop a “project in which
people from all walks of life and all ages could begin to work out the dynamics
of the ‘new’ story.” This new story was that people would be a part of a
community and work t
oward a “healthier and more self-sustaining style of life”
for not only themselves but also for future generations. He challenged SRU
students, faculty, staff and community members to become a part of this
dream. For he believed that each and every one of them were a necessary part
of bringing this dream into fruition. From this dream, he created the ALTER
(Alternative Living Technology & Energy Research) project. The ALTER project
was in need of a place to grow and flourish. Originally, the dream was to
develop a giant $30,000,000 complex that would sit on 300+ acres of land. This complex was to be completely self-sustaining and would house around
150 students, staff, and visiting expert workers and researchers. After a few
years, Dr. Bob Macoskey found it necessary to scale down this vision. He and
his team concluded that it would be more feasible to renovate and retrofit the
Patterson house, which was an old 1920’s farmhouse located on SRU’s property. After several renovations over the course of 25 years, the Harmony House
became LEED-certified silver. Since 1990, this 70-acre homestead has served as
a resource for sustainability education, demonstration, and research for SRU
faculty, staff, students, and community members. Today, The Macoskey Center’s vision is to fulfill SRU’s educational,
sustainability, and strategic mission by integrating campus and community
resources to inspire and create an environmentally, socially, and economically
sustainable and just future. We will achieve our vision through offering a
variety of hands-on, educational programming and outdoor recreational
experiences that aim to transform the capacities of SRU faculty, staff, and
students as well as community members to meet the needs of present and
future generations. Through the management and maintenance of our 70-
acre homestead, we demonstrate sustainable, cost-effective strategies and
enhance physical facilities. We also create mutually beneficial partnerships to
enhance learning, educational programming, and interdisciplinary research. Our site features organically-managed gardens, a community garden,
greenhouses, chickens, hiking trails, aquaponics, indoor/outdoor classroom
spaces, and more. We regularly offer sustainability education workshops,
programming, and tours. There are also opportunities to get involved
through volunteering, student worker positions, graduate assistantships, and
our on-campus farm stand! Please PM us to learn more!
