University Park, Pa. -- Penn State's master plan rapidly is moving from a theoretical document to a physical reality as several new buildings and revamped street/pedestrian walkways near completion in time for the students' return.
The changes are altering the face of Penn State University Park as well as the way automobile traffic is routed around and through the campus.
"We're about midway through a $769 million capital plan," said Paul Ruskin, customer services coordinator for the Office of Physical Plant. To see the University's master plan, go to http://www.opp.psu.edu/upmp/upmp.htm
Ruskin said the completed work will have a major impact on campus transportation.
"It's changing the campus so that we have a multiplicity of transportation methods," he said. "Pedestrian safety is given a very high priority. Many of the changes to the transportation system are to give more choices in getting from Point A to Point B. That involves buses, walking and bicycles. "
Topping the list of new construction is the Eastview Terraces undergraduate housing complex, located at the southeast corner of the campus along College Avenue. The first major addition to undergraduate housing at University Park since the 1980s, the seven buildings provide about 800 single rooms with private baths. It opens this week (Aug. 23-27), in time for student arrival for this fall semester.
Associated with the Eastview Terrace is the Redifer Commons addition in nearby South Halls. Upgrades and an increased serving capacity at the existing commons will accommodate the residents of Eastview Terrace. The project added 385 seats to the available dining area, for a total of 885, as well as a new snack shop, mailroom, storage space, computer lab and office and meeting spaces.
Classroom space will be augmented by the opening of the Life Sciences Building. Situated between Eisenhower Auditorium and Thomas Building, it will have 154,000 gross square feet of space available. It includes classrooms, videoconferencing capabilities, a 182-seat auditorium and 38 laboratories organized around four research clusters: animal developmental biology, neuroscience, molecular toxicology and plant biology.
Elsewhere on campus, the Blue Band will get its own rehearsal building. The new facility includes a 9,000-square-foot practice area, faculty offices, storage space for instruments and uniforms, and display cases for the band's historic memorabilia. Blue Band staff and administration currently are moving in.
In addition, more parking is available at the Subcampus Parking Deck and Chiller Building, located Bigler Road across from East Halls. The new 1,275-space east parking deck includes an 18,600-square-foot chilled water facility to provide air conditioning for the new buildings on the east subcampus. The building opened Wednesday, Aug. 11.
Meanwhile farther from the core campus, another new project is nearing completion — the addition of 150 rooms to The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. The expansion means doubling the number of guest rooms available to 300, as well as adding 3,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, according to Fran Levin, director of sales and marketing. The new area opened Aug. 23. The hotel entrance has been moved to the northeast side of the building. A limestone tower will greet visitors and mark the entrance to the hotel. The new lobby will feature a large limestone fireplace and comfortable furnishings. The gift shop is being moved to the new lobby and the old gift shop space will be turned into a cafe featuring coffee and sandwiches. More parking and improved pedestrian pathways have been added.
The completion of several maintenance projects and upgrades means the return of traffic to Bigler Road, which was closed between Curtin Road and Park Avenue over the summer to install a turning lane and new traffic lights on Park Avenue. Curtin Road was closed between Bigler Road and the Pasture Research Lab to allow replacement of steam lines and installation of new water lines underneath Curtin Road.
Related to that is the ongoing work on the Shortlidge Mall. Shortlidge Road is permanently closed from Pollock Road to the new Chemistry and Life Sciences Buildings. In accordance with the University Master Plan, the new Shortlidge Mall being created in this area is reserved for pedestrians only.
The area will be completed by early fall and also will provide outdoor student and faculty gathering spaces, outdoor event areas and new east/west walkways. It will add new green space and create a new pedestrian corridor in accordance with the campus master plan, as well as improve nighttime safety with new lighting.
For pictures of these construction projects, go to http://live.psu.edu/still_life/2004_08_12_construction/index.html