UNC-Charlotte Construction

[Miesian Corners]

Ok, here's the run-down. Point your blame on the IT department for that inFocus projector. The school itself has nothing to do with when or if that gets fixed or replaced. I asked about one before and the answer I got was they had to order a part for it.... yea.

The thing about renovating the bookstore's outside instead of the inside is simple. They aren't going to touch that interior until the bookstore moves out. When will that happen? Relatively soon, I won't still be there when it happens (I hope) but it is moving into the new Student Union that they will start on once the new parking deck across from Woodward opens. They had to do it in that order because constructing the SU will knock out about 90% of the spaces behind burson and the new health/nursing/etc college building.

The school has money seeping out of its pours. I say the facade is actually needed because those umbrellas out in front of the bookstore suck. Just pester IT about that projector, they'll get it fixed if it's that important to them for you to stop bugging them. McEniry is still going under massive renovations even though they have reopened parts of the building. So don't worry about the tiles, they should be getting replaced in due time.

No, actually those floor tiles in McEniry aren't getting replaced. Not part of the budget (I checked). Neither are the elevators that have never worked. The only things being upgraded are the restrooms and the HVAC system. The IT Dept has been aware of the screwed up InFocus machine since January (last day of classes is day after tomorrow). Much like they are aware of the two printers in Barnard Computer Commons that have been out of service since Feb, they have done nothing.

[Rickydavisfan21]

sounds like you need to write a letter to the president of the college, or at least the head of the department

[AuLukey]

No, actually those floor tiles in McEniry aren't getting replaced. Not part of the budget (I checked). Neither are the elevators that have never worked. The only things being upgraded are the restrooms and the HVAC system. The IT Dept has been aware of the screwed up InFocus machine since January (last day of classes is day after tomorrow). Much like they are aware of the two printers in Barnard Computer Commons that have been out of service since Feb, they have done nothing.

Hey, don't bash those elevators. I've had some good times and great memories in those.

[Rufus]

the engineering building looks fine. it doesnt need a fancy design to be attractive or to even get students. the building does its job to house classrooms. chill out about the design. there are many schools around the country that have engineering buildings in the Georgian style, and they have top programs. how a building looks in terms of maintaining campus fluidity is what was focused in this design. they wanted to make the school look more uniform and sophisticated. sorry that it upsets you, but to many it doesnt, just ask chancellor DuBois. They are trying to make the school look attractive and pedestrian friendly, just at UNCW.

[cinco]

the engineering building looks fine. it doesnt need a fancy design to be attractive or to even get students. the building does its job to house classrooms. chill out about the design. there are many schools around the country that have engineering buildings in the Georgian style, and they have top programs. how a building looks in terms of maintaining campus fluidity is what was focused in this design. they wanted to make the school look more uniform and sophisticated. sorry that it upsets you, but to many it doesnt, just ask chancellor DuBois. They are trying to make the school look attractive and pedestrian friendly, just at UNCW.

well, one would expect something a little more challenging from a school with such a high-esteemed architecture program.

[ngp]

Uniformity is overrated. It's so 1789.

UNCC, thanks for the tour! Aussie Luke wasn't lying when he said there have been lots of changes in the past five years.

[dubone]

Every campus in the UNC system and community colleges have seen significant building as a result of the multibillion dollar bond package approved in 2000. I would not be surprised if the reason we are seeing a lot of brick in designs of all of the buildings resulting from the bond package is the pressure to put back as much of that bond money into NC businesses and contractors. NC makes bricks, so brick designs result.

I hardly think that using red brick has created any uniformity. The buildings are different, even if they use columns and traditional architectural elements. Also, all the campuses have some different kinds of buildings as built in the past few decades. Most likely there would be a pendulum swing and we'll see more modern designs in the future. But for now, I'm not sure I see the problem with these neo-traditional designs.

At least they are attractive for laymen. Nothing worse than a lowest-bid-building-design that no one likes, or a highly intellectual architectural masterpiece that most people don't "get" (although a few of those don't hurt).

[peaceloveunderstanding]

No, actually those floor tiles in McEniry aren't getting replaced. Not part of the budget (I checked). Neither are the elevators that have never worked. The only things being upgraded are the restrooms and the HVAC system. The IT Dept has been aware of the screwed up InFocus machine since January (last day of classes is day after tomorrow). Much like they are aware of the two printers in Barnard Computer Commons that have been out of service since Feb, they have done nothing.

Those new restrooms are nice, I found them for the first time today - the maps are pretty misleading.

It's interesting how they are only reinstalling the HVAC system because it looks like much more is going on, where I go in that building anyways.

Does anyone have a rendering of what the new Student Union is going to look like?

Edited May 2, 2006 by moonshield

[unccmyway]

I saw a preliminary rendering about a year ago. I'm pretty sure a lot has changed since then. There is a petition to get it LEED certified. LINK: http://www.nineronline.com/vnews/display.v...8/4059fc9a80ced

Also, here are some of the things it will have in it (from nineronline.com)

( At a President's Council meeting last year, Hoppa described plans for the upcoming Union to a number of student leaders. The multi-floor Union will be 200,000 square feet and will be home to a number of student organization offices and meeting rooms as well as some restaurants. It will be located across from the College of Education building, with the six-level parking deck beside it.

A 60-foot rotunda will be located in the middle of the building, allowing those on the upper floors to look down at the lower one. The entry level floor will have a Wendy's and a Sbarro. A bookstore will be located on the first floor, along with a coffee and bagel shop, a game room and a convenience store. The second floor will include a number of the meeting rooms and offices, as well as eateries and an outside balcony. On the third floor will be the larger meeting rooms. )

[AuLukey]

A 60-foot rotunda will be located in the middle of the building, allowing those on the upper floors to look down at the lower one. The entry level floor will have a Wendy's and a Sbarro. A bookstore will be located on the first floor, along with a coffee and bagel shop, a game room and a convenience store. The second floor will include a number of the meeting rooms and offices, as well as eateries and an outside balcony. On the third floor will be the larger meeting rooms. )

mmmm Wendy's... they need to build that NOW!!! I wonder if the coffee shop will be another Ritazza's. Hope so. I think Ritazza's should start expanding into the city of Charlotte as a whole. They beat out Starbucks hands down. If any of you haven't made it onto campus lately, you should stop by there just for them (and maybe to look at campus too.) There is one in the Fretwell Building which is next to the main Jon Kirk entrance and one in the library (aka the giant temporarily pink building in the center of campus.)

[monsoon]

Is it common now for universities to let chain food places setup shop on campus?

[Miesian Corners]

^Oh yeah. The SAC has Burger King, Pizza Hut and (I think) Planet Smoothie. Prospector has Chick-fil-a, Salsarita's, and a couple of other "fringe" chains that I can't remember the names of right now. Basically, they're food courts just like in a mall.

The only other campuses I've really spent any time on in the last several years are UC Berkeley, UCLA, Arizona State, NCSU and USC (Columbia). They're all pretty much the same way. Even Barnes and Noble runs most college bookstores.

[ellifyno]

As mentioned, already on campus, there's Chick-fil-A, Salsarita's, Pizza Hut, Freshens, and Burger King. At Chapel Hill, I know they at least have Chick-fil-A (somebody told me they have two; I don't know if that's true) and Subway. State has Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, and Freshen's. Duke has McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, and Subway. The last time I visited one of my friends at Georgetown, there was a Subway, KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. There are several "non-chains" on each campus as well. I think it just depends on who the dining contract is with. Technically though, Ritazza and the other non-chains on campus aren't exclusive to UNCC, since they're part of the brands owned by Chartwells and the Compass Group, the people who have the dining contract on campus. However, I don't think you'll find them outside of a college campus. I can tell you though that the lines at Chick-fil-A, Pizza Hut, and Burger King are typically much longer than most of the other lines on campus, particularly Chick-fil-A. There are some people (including me) who find it convenient to be able to eat food that I know and like and pay for it without having to leave campus or having to carry cash or credit cards.

[cinco]

^ so, for everyone who's dying for a HARD ROCK cafe to come to town.... looks like this would be the place.

but serious enough, whats the healthy option here? which place would you deem the healthiest @ UNCC or UNIVERSITY of CHARLOTTE?

[AuLukey]

Technically though, Ritazza and the other non-chains on campus aren't exclusive to UNCC, since they're part of the brands owned by Chartwells and the Compass Group, the people who have the dining contract on campus.

Ritazza is a worldwide chain. They have 150 locations in Australia alone. You just don't know about it because of Starbucks practically owns the specialty coffee industry. IMO, Ritazza is much better .

[peaceloveunderstanding]

^ so, for everyone who's dying for a HARD ROCK cafe to come to town.... looks like this would be the place.

but serious enough, whats the healthy option here? which place would you deem the healthiest @ UNCC or UNIVERSITY of CHARLOTTE?

There is a place that sells wraps in the SAC. Prospector and Mainstreet Market also have a multitude of more healthy foods.

Edited May 2, 2006 by moonshield

[monsoon]

Ritazza is a worldwide chain. They have 150 locations in Australia alone. You just don't know about it because of Starbucks practically owns the specialty coffee industry. IMO, Ritazza is much better .

It's interesting as most coffeegeeks refer to Starbucks as Charbucks. (because their coffee is so over roasted) One thing that did not get much mention in the local media is the speciality coffee organization had their yearly coffee fest here in Charlotte last month.

http://www.coffeegeek.com/opinions/showreports/04-12-2006

[ellifyno]

Ritazza is a worldwide chain. They have 150 locations in Australia alone. You just don't know about it because of Starbucks practically owns the specialty coffee industry. IMO, Ritazza is much better https://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/uploads/emoticons/default_thumbsup.gif' alt=':thumbsup:'> .

I don't drink coffee, so you're right, I really only know about Starbucks and Caribou Coffee. I didn't realize Ritazza was a worldwide chain. I was looking at the list of brands the Compass Group offers as dining options, and it wasn't listed under National Brands, so I assumed it wasn't a chain.

As far as healthier options go, Freshens serves wraps and smoothies, and there's a salad bar in Prospector. There are also salads at Mainstreet Market in the Cone Center, as well as a sub shop in both Prospector and Mainstreet Market. There's also a soup place in Mainstreet Market, and a place that offers traditional meals, such as roasted chicken and mashed potatoes (though I've heard mixed things about their food).

To sort of get this thread back on topic, I don't think cladding Prospector in brick should be a priority. The student union is supposed to be complete in a couple of years, and is set to essentially replace Prospector. I do agree that some better cover should be set up over the tables outside of Prospector, but I think that's about the extent of what needs to be done to it, considering they've already remodeled both the main dining portion of it and Chick-fil-A. I'm not sure if they're planning on somewhat phasing McEniry out like they have with some of the other older academic buildings, but I do agree that it'd probably be better to spend money making the inside of academic buildings look nice -- or at least look okay -- rather than converting every building's exterior to brick. I just hope the Belk Tower isn't next on the list of things to be bricked.

[Miesian Corners]

but serious enough, whats the healthy option here? which place would you deem the healthiest @ UNCC or UNIVERSITY of CHARLOTTE?

Funny, I had a an appointment with the nutritionist out at Brocker Health Center last week (hey, I'm paying tuition, I'm going to use every free service the school has!). She told me there was really no place on campus that offered truly healthy food. The advice she offered me was "lesser of evils" of the choices available. Edited May 2, 2006 by Miesian Corners

[monsoon]

Does the school still operate its own cafeterias? When I went there that was the only food available on campus and it seems to me they always had some pretty healthy options along with a lot of bad. (Although when I was in my early 20s it really didn't matter what I ate as 6 pack abs were a natural then. )

[dxartist]

Does the school still operate its own cafeterias? When I went there that was the only food available on campus and it seems to me they always had some pretty healthy options along with a lot of bad. (Although when I was in my early 20s it really didn't matter what I ate as 6 pack abs were a natural then. )

ugh.......don't remind me.... I'm working twice as hard now to get my 6 pack back

[Skyline49er]

Even though I am still waiting for a Bojangles to come on campus, a Wendy's and a Sbarro's sounds okay. Oh and I also think that Ritazza's has some awesome coffee, especially their iced frappe's

[AuLukey]

Even though I am still waiting for a Bojangles to come on campus, a Wendy's and a Sbarro's sounds okay. Oh and I also think that Ritazza's has some awesome coffee, especially their iced frappe's

They should just build a whole food court in there. Maybe put a small ammount of retail inside. Heck, make a mini-mall. They'd probably make back all of the funds it cost to build the whole project within five years.

[Skyline49er]

They should just build a whole food court in there. Maybe put a small ammount of retail inside. Heck, make a mini-mall. They'd probably make back all of the funds it cost to build the whole project within five years.

That is a good point aussie luke, a mini mall would be pretty sweet. With the lines as long as they are at Chick-Fil-A, I bet anything that came on campus would make a significant profit within five years.

[Miesian Corners]

I just got a new camera and thought maybe I'd do a photo tour of my own.

Here's McEniry

Here's the inside of my classroom

Nice job on that InFocus machine, don't you think. Its been like this since January

Floor tiles broken and coming unglued, first floor hall.

Some photos of Fretwell

Colvard

Belk Carillion (I guess it will be bricked up pretty soon...far too modern for the "new" campus)

At this point, the battery went dead on the camera. I guess I should have followed the directions and charged the bloody thing before setting out. Oh well...