Louisiana State University

[buckett5425]

Since i couldn't find an LSU thread, i thought i would create one. As we know, LSU has begun ravamping it's facilities and campus as part of the Forever LSU campaign. Construction has begun or been completeted on a new baseball and soft ball stadiums, Football Staduim, new dorms, new practice facilities for basketball and volleyball, student union expansion, music and drama building remodel, and a new business school. These are all great projects bringing LSU into the next century. Mind you though, most of them are sports related and not academic, lol.

The new Business school looks great, but it just dosnt keep in the style of the campus and its really bothering me that LSU isnt following the master plan they deveolped in 2003 as they expand and improve the campus facilities. Half of the things LSU has embarked on look great, but in no way follow the plan they paid for, what a great waste of money. here is a link to the 2003 master plan and here is a link to the new busniess school

[buckett5425]

Here are some pics of some of the new developments

LSU Master Plan

New Graham Hall

Student Union Expansion

New Alex Box

New Business School

Edited December 10, 2007 by buckett5425

[MobileLSUboy09]

I'm glad LSU finally recognizes they need to build buildings here that fit-in with the original campus. O'Keefe noted that there won't be anymore eyesores like Kirby-Smith, and hopefully CEBA (Patrick F. Taylor Hall)! When I bring visitors here, I don't even want to go to the south side of campus because it looks like a whole other campus compared to the area around the Quad! One would think this would have taken place a while ago since we are number one in the country for Landscape Architecture

Edited December 10, 2007 by MobileLSUboy09

[rcp11889]

I think that the new business school really does fit in with the old Italianate style. The terra cotta roof on the lower buildings fit in perfectly. Also, if you look closely, the main building almost looks like the the Coliseum in Rome.

[MobileLSUboy09]

I think that the new business school really does fit in with the old Italianate style. The terra cotta roof on the lower buildings fit in perfectly. Also, if you look closely, the main building almost looks like the the Coliseum in Rome.

yea, i definately like that design

[BRPJ]

Wow, those renderings are awesome, especially the business building.

And wow, LSU is SOOO big!

[buckett5425]

Just to make my point more clear. It is not that i dont like the design of the new business school, i think its awesome and will really bring LSU to the next level. My problem is where they have deicded to build the building. The are building it on the east side of taylor hall(ceba). If you look at the master plan picture i posted above, you see that the master plan recommends building a southern quad on the west side of ceba. Wouldnt the new business school make a great addition and begining to forming that new southern quad? Instead, LSU is contuning its traditition of randomly placing buildings around campus, the only difference is, is that these new buildings resemble the old itialian style. LSU continues to not look at the bigger picture and it wouldnt it be great if they built the new business school in an area that would better promote smart growth on campus?

[richyb83]

Hey buckett5425, thanks for starting this thread. Good job! Tell them what you told us! See why the building does not follow the 2003 masterplan?? No doubt plenty is happening! For some reason I just never started a LSU thread; Eventhough I took plenty of pics in and around the campus and started a Northgate thread.

Alex Box steel structure/grand-stand looks like it's nearly finished. Definetly some impressive looking projects and improvements all over campus! The Business Complex has a "wow" factor indeed! It has that Roman coliseum look. The Student Union will be a serious, much needed upgrade!

An addition for the north-side of the PMAC

The "newer" round-a-bout on Powerhouse Lane in the shadows of Tiger Stadium.

The infamous Kirby Smith Hall with newer housing in the front

I dig the terra-cotta Mediterreanean style around campus too.

Edited December 11, 2007 by richyb83

[richyb83]

This is a cool looking new building on the SE edge of campus; sorry thought I had a pic.

The next phase; Emerging Technology Center tenant blazing trail

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/15115291.html

The Louisiana Emerging Technology Center was designed to serve as the home for biotech companies that are commercializing discoveries made by LSU scientists, so it

[tombarnes]

I don't mind the colosseum, er business school at all. I'm in full agreement about using a master plan to ensure that the campus is functional and attractive. Has anyone ever given serious thought to the removal of the truly awful library? It wrecks the quadrangle completely. I know that General Middleton placed it there as a sort of tactical command, but it's a bad building any way one looks at it. The extension is now over twenty years old. Isn't it time they restored the Quad? As for Kirby Smith, blow it to bits and build something better on the site. I had friends who lived in there and it was always a grim place. If LSU adheres to some sort of organization in its plans, I think the campus will evolve nicely. Random placement of buildings hasn't helped.

BTW, what about the former President's House across from the Union? Is it still there? I recall a campaign by the university in the 80's to tear it down.

[buckett5425]

If you study the master plan, it is mentioned that the library is to small and will need to be renovated in the coming years. They make several suggestions of remodeling the outside of Middleton to match the campus, or tearing the library down all together and moving it to another location on campus and restoring the quad. Lets hope they tear it down! lol

Also, the old presidents house is still on campus, but now it is faceing a new threat. They are planning on building a parking garage behind it, and in order to build a larger parking garage, they want to tear down the back half of the old presidents house, which includes a garage and portico. These people are just plain dumb.

[richyb83]

I am in the process of mech. pencil drawing a "make-believe/ made-up" city. Now I have just reached the "university" section. It hit a mental bump; I have been unsure excatly how design the streets inside of campus weaving it into the urban fabric of the rest of the city. I have a super/broken grid and a University Blvd. running thru the 1/3>side. Where to implement university hospital(adjacent); Amphitheatre along side the small river (about the size of the Amite). Going to find a place to put the research park.

The LSU Campus had a pedestrian friendly walking program I almost posted awhile back. The Kirby Smith does look awful; but I like the height of the building. Many large universities in other cities have buildings that are as tall that on the edges of campus.

Edited February 8, 2008 by richyb83

[buckett5425]

The "pedestrian friendly" walking program is a joke. Its call "easy streets" and it's goal is to keep cars off of the university streets. But, it basically keeps students from driving on campus, so its an easier commute for the faculty. Students are required to walk half a mile to class(I have measured it on google earth) and faculty can drive right up to their building without students vehicles congesting the streets. In protest, many students jay walk now to annoy the faculty who get to drive to their building.

To make things fair, and to beautify the campus, ALL parking in the interior of the campus should be removed and placed on the outskirts of the campus. This idea was also outlined in the master plan, but I doubt it will be implemented, since the faculty will never want to have to walk 10 minutes to their class.

[cajun]

that business school is way nicer than CEBA.

I hate CEBA. Kirby Smith served it's purpose....I've stayed there before. It's a circus.

They need a major update or they need to tear it down. Hell, most of LSU's freshman dorms need an update. I wouldn't let my kids live in Kirby Smith or Hergett.

[richyb83]

Can't wait to see this when it's finished! Was this badly needed or what??

*Business Report Real Estate Property of the Week

The 40,000 square foot expansion at the LSU Union is starting to take shape. The $83 million project involves adding 30,000 square feet to the southeast corner of the building and 10,000 square feet to the area between the main building and the LSU Union Theater. This is the first comprehensive renovation to the student center since it opened in 1964. The project should be complete by early 2010. Buquet & LeBlanc is the general contractor and Grace & Hebert are the architects.

[richyb83]

LSU set to build parking garage

LSU will begin construction next year on a 750-car garage east of the LSU Student Union on Raphael Semmes Road, just off Highland Road. The $26 million garage is expected to be completed in August 2010 before the fall semester starts, David said.

It is being designed for much more than just parking cars while visiting campus or attending a performance at the expanding Student Union.The facility also would hold the LSU Women

Edited June 12, 2008 by richyb83

[cajun]

Anyone have pictures of the new and old Alex Box?

It's been years since I've been there.

[richyb83]

I'm going to try and work on that cajun

I like this rendering of the new $14 million state-of-the-art basketball practice facility with Tiger Stadium in the background. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Tuesday; this should be open by the 09'-10' season. No longer will the two basketball teams have to share the main court in the PMAC for practice.

http://lsu.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=823281

[byrde]

Happy to see LSU make this commitment in basketball.

[richyb83]

Me too Bryde. Some say the LSU basketball program is a "sleeping giant". This new practice facility is great timing for new head Johnson. I think he was a needed breath of fresh air.

That was bad timing for former-coach Brady.

[richyb83]

This is a new article about the new Alex Box with a few updated pics......

http://media.www.lsureveille.com/media/sto...e-3386796.shtml

[richyb83]

Construction at the new Alex Box

pardon the lighting; the clouds were playing tricks

Tiger Stadium in backgound

[nquint1]

LSU considers overhauling Nicholson housing

LSU officials are looking at revitalizing a section of Nicholson Drive that could involve replacing apartments for married and graduate students with a mixed-use development. The university is working with Economic Research Associates to assess the area between West Chimes Street and Skip Bertman Drive, says Kristine Calongne, an LSU spokeswoman. Any new development would include improved graduate and family housing in order to recruit students, she says. "The goal is to use this gateway to campus in a manner that best serves the university community," she says. LSU has 578 apartments along Nicholson between the North Gates and Alex Box Stadium, and all of the units were built between the late 1950s and mid-1960s.

[richyb83]

No kiddin' nquint1. Sure sounds impressive!!! Can't wait to see some renderings. Plenty of room for something nice. They don't seem to be in a hurry with the financial markets still troubled?? With all the plans between LSU & Downtown; Nicholson Drive will be a nice urban corridor!!

Here's more....

LSU receives redevelopment report for Alex Box, Nicholson apartments

A report outlining the redevelopment of a section of Nicholson Drive, including the old Alex Box Stadium, looks at building a mixed-use development with retail, restaurants and LSU student housing. The study, by Economic Research Associates, outlines plans for 12,000 square feet of retail space and 23,000 square feet of restaurant space, which would be a mixture of fast food and a bar/grill, at the current Alex Box site. The 630 apartments would be aimed at graduate and married students, along with faculty. Additional possibilities for the development could include adding a campus bookstore, office space or a hotel. The total cost of the development is pegged at nearly $43 million.

http://www.businessreport.com/archives/daily-report/latest/

[byrde]

Interesting development. I have a couple questions... That area is owned by the University right?? If so, can they sell alcohol there if they choose to build a bar/grill at the site of the Alex Box?