As CSHL's tiny mouse house became increasingly inadequate, funding and architectural drawings for a new animal building were sought in 1978-79. The National Cancer Institute provided the main funding, matched on a one-to-three basis by a major gift from the Maxwell C. Fleischmann Foundation's Trustees. The foundation provided the labs with a needed $350,000 for the Animal Facility. In addition, the parcel of land on which Harris is situated was purchased from the Carnegie Institution using Long Island Biological Association's $200,000 campaign.