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Campus Planners Release 'Blueprint’By Jack Wilbcrgcr Staff WriterA comprehensive blueprint for development and growth of the University of Richmond through the year 2000, including a new University Commons, Science Complex ami library learning Resources Center, has been presented by the Campus Planners Perkins and Will, Inc.The 50-pagc report provides guidelines for the physical do* vclopmcnt of the University, either by extensive renovation of existing facilities or new construction, and deals not only with buildings hut also with athletic fields, roads, parking areas, housing, as well as environmental aspects.President K. Bruce Heilman pointed out that all findings in the report arc subject to changes during a review period that will last through January. Not until the Board of Trustees, which meets on February 21, gives its approval will the draft become a “university plan, be said.A major concept of the campus plan is an attempt to physic-ally unify the Westhampton and Richmond College campuses even though the planners recommend that the two division remain essentially coordinate with increases sharing of certain facilities and services.With physical unification as the goal, the planners proposed that a new academic area, which will include the new Science Complex, he established between the Chapel and the Fine Arts Building. They recommend that the existing sciencebuildings he extensively renovated and turned into an administrative .Service Complex where all theUniversity administrative functions could he localised. The space presently utilised by the ndminis'ration would he converted into classrooms.The report goes on to say the University Commons will he located a' the east end of the lake andcombines with the adjacent Administrative .Services Complex, Library-Lcarinng Resource Center and Chapel will causi! this area to become the crossroads of the campus.11“The nddl'ion of a major academic area between the chapel ami the FAB will act as n unifying element of the two campus arens and rrente .1 pedestrian 'mains1 red' extending from the Law School to North Court.Perkins and Will feel that construction of these new facilltues adjacent to the Lake, “if executed pro* perly, will he compatiUc with the natural environment and can onlyserve to enhance the overall visualimpact of the Lake. They suggest that they have be improved to allow for recreational and instructional uses.The planning report provides ter the renovation and expansion of Boatwright Library into a vinb'e learning resource renter, equipped with every kind of learning tool and designed to accommodate a book collection of .500,000 volumes. The plans also calls for the cons'ructlou of a football stadium on a site adjacent to Gambles Mill Road on the southeast corner of the campus.President Heilman estimates that $100 million would ultimately he required to carry out the emerging development program set forth by the planners, and characterized their findings as a “steady guess at what we are going t« do The University is currently engaged in a fund raising campaign which has as its goal 50 million over a 10-yenr period.The entire University community including students faculty, administrators and alumni as well as localcity and county authorities were consulted by the planners in preparing their blueprint which also calls for expanded instructional facilities for Westhampton College, and renovation of Ryland Hall for classroom and office use. It is also recommended that interaction between the Schools of Law ami Business Administration be encouraged through joint use of some facilities.Among highest priority of all campus improvement projects in the report is the correction of inadequacies in building and Fire protection codes in North Court and Thomas Hall Dormitories. The planners recommend that the other dormitories be extensively renovated to contemporary standards with Jeter Hall being remodeled and returned to residential use.The planners see no appreciable increase in enrollment for the University in the next years and therefore do not propose the construction of any additional housing facilities.(to be concluded in next issue)
Newspaper Details
Richmond Collegian
Richmond, Virginia, US
Thu, Nov 30, 1972
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
National G.
USA 14 Feb 2024
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