UNC Charlotte Campus Master Plan

[peaceloveunderstanding]

I had not heard about the movie theater. What's that about? Will they show feature films throughout the day?

[Batou]

I had not heard about the movie theater. What's that about? Will they show feature films throughout the day?

[Batou]

Well, if you head in the direction of most students I know at UNCC, you'll be there a second senior year, so I'd bet you'll be there in three years when it's finished. But I hope not, for your sake.

[AuLukey]

With the near completion of the library upgrade, the new parking deck, alumni center, and health center, construction has begun to quiet down a bit on campus so I am glad they are getting started on this finally. Also, the new entrance is "slated" for phase 1 construction this summer. Let's hope it doesn't get pushed back... again.

[NLP]

With the near completion of the library upgrade, the new parking deck, alumni center, and health center, construction has begun to quiet down a bit on campus so I am glad they are getting started on this finally. Also, the new entrance is "slated" for phase 1 construction this summer. Let's hope it doesn't get pushed back... again.

[Batou]

There will also be an upcoming 2007-2008 project in the library to replace the old elevators, theres a lil sign inside them saying so It's about time, first of all they don't even match, second the buttons inside alot of times never even light up when u press the floor you want to go to, third, they are like from the 70s according to a sheet inside them

[AuLukey]

The Bioinformatics Center should begin in June as well. The will also be more "campus beautification" going on between the library and the SAC. Most likely ripping out the blacktop pathways for brick pathways.

[Batou]

The new parking deck finally opens tomorrow really crappy timing though.

[Rufus]

but isn't the new parking deck only for faculty and staff. In the email they sent out regarding the new deck it stated it was for the staff/faculty and i saw no word about student parking. A lot of students use the lots across from COED, CHHS, and Woodward for parking, especially for night classes and commuters.

[Batou]

The e-mail says commuters but they use a different entrance

Union Deck will be available for:

[AuLukey]

Since the summer is half-over and you're sitting at home wondering exactly what kinds of updates to campus construction are happening, I have your answer!

Ok but no really, I stumbled across a powerpoint presentation from facilities management and figured I'd share a few interesting tidbits I found:

First, we have the campus map of existing buildings, buildings built between 2002 and 2007, and buildings to be built in the next four years. They unfortunately do not have the Master-Plan-included LRT station on this map, but that doesn't worry me.

Here I was thinking that the student union would be the largest square foot building on campus when they recently announced that the Energy Production Infrastructure Center, a.k.a. EPIC Hall was to be twice its original designated size. It is slated for a completion date of 2011 on the CRI Campus on the inner-loop:

Here we have the other future addition to the CRI, the Bioinformatics Center currently being built flush against N Tryon:

Also, as NLP stated earlier, they are finally "beautifying" the piss-poor walkway/puddle between the library and the SAC. They are beginning construction on this "soon" but the actual completion date is slated as early Spring semester 2008. I'm assuming that means February/March-ish. Having a giant sundial in the center will be a very cool touch to this walkway. This is a much much much needed improvement to campus as it is a major sore spot for both students and visitors. Especially in the rain. Here are the plans, I could only get a small copy for this one:

Just so you all have a visual of the finished product of the Union Deck (parking) here is a photo from the slideshow which looks to be from April or May. While it appears to only be three levels due to the grade change, it is five floors and is also the largest stand-alone deck on campus:

Last but not least, the ever-delayed University City Blvd Campus "Grand" Entrance is officially set to start construction of Phase 1 within the next few months with completion date slated out as January 2008. The Observer also repeated this date in a recent article. Phase 2 (the extra columns not including the main column along UCB) does not have a clear completion date. I have heard rumor that donations are being taken for the columns (appropriately marked with plaques to honor such good deeds.)

Also, the crane and construction equipment related to the Atkins Library renovation are now down. The finished product looks just a little nicer than the original. I'll get a picture the next time I'm on campus.

[Rufus]

Is the Phase 1 Grand Entrance going to be the road itself, and then Phase 2 is beautification? I am guessing those buildings around the Grand Entrance are not part of the project itself. Are those the possible new freshman dorms to replace the high-rises?

One thing I just thought of, at the end of the previous school year, a bunch of my friends who lived in Cypress were informed that this upcoming year the dorm would be all freshman. This could be because of growth, but now something tells me that this may have something to do with the high-rises and them phasing out those dorms while accommodating the freshman who have to move out. I don't really know, maybe it is just spec.

[AuLukey]

Here's the skinny:

1. Yes, those buildings are part of the Campus Master Plan but are probably about six or seven years off. They are supposedly 5 to 6 story dormitories for no specific class. I have seen a plan with five buildings and this plan with four so I'm not sure if there is one set plan for them or if it is just the plan to put dorms there in general.

I would pen them as a far off Phase 3 being part of the overall campus Loop project.

Phase 1 is the relocation of the entrance including a traffic circle to better handle the traffic flow into the campus and a much more prominent entrance proving that the campus is more of a focal point of the area, rather than just some strip mall off to the side (like it appears to be now to visitors.) Also, there will be a visitors area right when you pull onto campus off to the right side that has a large map and instructional signs for the entire campus meant to be viewed from a car in order for visitors to be able to navigate campus without holding up traffic coming off of UCB. Also, a designated turn lane will be built in both directions on UCB. Phase 1 will also include a modern engraved campus sign and a 20' main column dividing the median on first entrance as well as landscaping directly adjacent to the actual entrance. Also the site of the current entrance will be home to a new pedestrian crossing across UCB similar to those on campus near the Fretwell building around the latest traffic circle.

Phase 2 will include the overall landscaping of the project along the bulk of UCB from where the current entrance is down towards the Cameron Blvd entrance. About half of the landscaping will encompass a total of eight column (four in each direction) that will no doubt be slightly shorter-- I'd imagine somewhere in the 12-16 foot range.

What I coined as Phase 3 will be the attachment of the southern leg of this new entrance to the Campus Loop and the construction of new dormitories to replace the highrises. This phase does not have a specific timeline or blueprint although I would imagine it will turn out similar to the current design unless something on campus directs growth in a different direction (perhaps a hypothetical Stadium or LRT station would steer growth on campus in a different direction... not bringing those into the discussion, just using them as an example. )

[Batou]

What is that building in one of the pictures that is ploped inside the current parking lot for Squire/Cypress? If that's a new dorm that is really bad planning as I remember being in Cypress as a Freshmen there was already a issue with parking over there at times (though usually farther down spaces were free) If they plan on putting another dorm right there, where the heck are all those people going to park?

[AuLukey]

That was part of the point behind building the massive Union Deck. That deck is more than three times the size of those two lots combined. Also, the harder parking is, the more people will rely on mass transportation to get to and around campus which is a part of the ultimate goal of the university.

[Miesian Corners]

^And students with no car can risk their lives attempting to cross N Tryon St to buy groceries/clothes, etc due to the City of Charlotte and its marvelous planning department.

[Batou]

Yeah but that parking deck is ment to replace the spaces that the student union got rid of and right now is mostly a commuter and faculty lot so I dont know how they are going to fit 3 dorms worth of oncampus residents in there.

[Skyline49er]

^And students with no car can risk their lives attempting to cross N Tryon St to buy groceries/clothes, etc due to the City of Charlotte and its marvelous planning department.

[Batou]

Students can also risk their lives attempting to cross University City BLVD and John Kirk Road.

One thing I wish UNCC would do is maybe some landscaping/paving to the Martin Village parking lot, everytime I walk to class I wonder how long it has been since they repaved that parking lot. They should also get some better walkways through Martin Village.

[Skyline49er]

Yeah, the past fall/spring semester I lived in Phase 3 (the blue ones next to it) and even there when it rained it was literally a flood zone on some of those walkways and even at the outside mailbox, drainage there is bad.

[AuLukey]

While it is important for that part of campus receive improvements, I can't see the school improving those areas much in the future. Not in the next couple of years at least. That is, unless somebody in the student counsel pushes for it. I can see it getting approved and pushed through if it goes that route rather than through the facilities planner. Their main focus is the educational grounds of campus where the vast majority of the school's overall appearance is key. That's the part the parents see when they bring Jr. to come visit the campus. Even at CH a lot of the dorms that are further out don't receive as much love.

One improvement I'd love to see get done is that long gravel walkway that goes between Van Landingham Glen and the gardens with the bridge at the bottom of the valley. I wish it was just one large foot bridge that went across the whole valley. That would be pretty cool, but expensive. That would make a great project for the architectural and engineering program to build instead of that stupid 2' wide footbridge next to Storrs. I can't tell you how many hot days my friends and I would be sweating going into class thanks to that hill.

Oh yea, and whoever was talking about CATS bus stops, there are actually five total on campus, but unfortunately they are all near the front of the campus except the stop at CRI on N Tryon.

[Dennis_Schwartz]

http://facilities.uncc.edu/Master/

Looking at the picture on the main page (highway 49 is at bottom):

1. New entrance at bottom is out for design/build bid

2. Little lake off to left is supposedly to be consructed from daming of creek

3. Tiny buildings right above that lake are the new building under construction of Hey 29

4. Supposedly the large residence halls near hwy 49 will be demolished around 2010

[Batou]

The drainage is pretty bad, plus most of the walkways are either dirt or stone so when you get caught in the rain, watch out for puddles and swampy mud. I guess I just want that part of campus to get some lovin' too....lol.

[NLP]

How many years down the road is the removal of freshman parking privileges/requiring them to live on campus? Think it'll ever happen? And there isn't a parking crunch on campus, just a prime parking crunch. Everyone wants to park as close to possible to whatever.

[monsoon]

I've heard that the 11-story building were really designed poorly. All dorms have all their carpeting removed and changed each summer - it works quite well for the new dorms but those 11-story halls have no carpeting. Correct me if I'm wrong......