When the class of 2015 prepares to turn its tassels, classrooms may look a little different and campus may be a little more crowded than it is now.
In the next four to 10 years, students will witness more construction and renovations as the University moves forward with its master plan.
After finishing new residence halls Falcon Heights and Centennial Hall, Sarah Waters, Residence Life director, and Steve Krakoff, associate vice president for capital planning and design, plan to focus on upgrades to Kreischer, McDonald and Offenhauer halls.
“We know that some of our other facilities need attention too, and we want to give them that attention so everyone can have the best experience possible,” Waters said.
Residence halls aren’t the only housing on campus that will see a big change throughout the next 10 years. The University is planning to build new Greek housing units as more funding becomes available.
The University is currently looking to move Greek housing to a different location on or off campus, Krakoff said. The cost to relocate it would range from $1 million to $1.5 million, according to a document from the May 6 Board of Trustees meeting.
Funding for such construction projects can come from the University, the state and donations, Krakoff said.
Along with housing changes on campus, Krakoff and the University plan to renovate University, Moseley, Hanna and South halls throughout the next four to 10 years.
“We’re finishing up what has really been a bold change,” Krakoff said. “We now want to turn the ship and focus on academic areas.”
The University also plans to build a new College of Business next to the new Carillon Place Dining Center and also demolish West Hall and the Administration building.
After demolishing the Administration building, the master plan will call for a new “campus gateway” to be built in its place. The University plans to begin focusing more on landscaping as it constructs this gateway and other renovations in the future, Krakoff said.
“We now have the opportunity to really look at it [the University] closely and really rethink a lot of our open spaces,” Krakoff said. “The site of the administration building becoming a prominent gateway is really one of the more exciting transformations you’ll see on campus.”
New buildings and renovations such as the University’s two new dining centers, the Stroh Center, the Wolfe Center for the Arts and two new residence halls help raise enrollment, said Gary Swegan, director of admissions.
“Any kind of construction on campus speaks to potential students and their families,” Swegan said, “We’re finally seeing the master plan … beautiful buildings like our new ones have a significant impact.”
With the completion of Falcon Heights and Centennial Hall, Krakoff and Waters hope renovations and construction will bring a more “positive energy” to campus.
“New residence halls bring a lot of energy and life with them and the new halls are definitely doing that now,” Waters said.
Although some of the larger construction projects on campus may be finished, the University will continue with smaller scale projects, like the renovations to the academic buildings, Krakoff said.
“We’re really making steady improvements on everything,” Krakoff said. will be an exciting time at the University.”
