Universities in the summer often look more like massive construction sites than centers for learning and research, and Brown is no exception. This summer, $30 million worth of construction projects have closed roads and turned heads around College Hill.
Among the projects slated for this summer are an expansion of the Walk, renovations to Pembroke Hall and the J. Walter Wilson Laboratory and upgrades to the University's utilities. Construction of a temporary pool to replace the shuttered Smith Swim Center will begin soon, and a number of smaller projects, such as sprucing up residence halls and building new artificial turf athletic fields, are also in the works, said Michael McCormick, assistant vice president for planning, design and construction.
Perhaps one of the most noticeable projects will be the relocation of the Peter Green House from its current location on Angell Street to a lot on the corner of Angell and Brown streets. Though the house will be moved in the span of a week, most of the work for the relocation, such as building a foundation on the new site, must be completed before the physical relocation can occur.
The space cleared by moving the building that houses the history department will become part of the Walk, a green space that will link Lincoln Field and the Pembroke campus. The Peter Green House will be ready for occupancy in its new location by spring of 2008, McCormick said.
This summer the University will also renovate Pembroke Hall to house the Cogut Humanities Center and the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women. The center is expected to be completed by the fall of 2008.
McCormick explained that in the new Pembroke Hall, "most of the (renovated) spaces will have a completely different feeling from before." He stressed that the Pembroke Hall construction will take the history of the building into account during its renovation.
"There are a lot of features that we want to make sure we hold on to," including the top-floor library and a second-floor classroom that will be restored instead of being completely redone, he said. Still, some modern elements, such as new, energy-efficient windows that mimic "old glass," will be used, McCormick said.
Renovations to J. Walter Wilson will also start late this summer, and the building will be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2008. The former laboratory is being transformed into a yet-to-be-named center that will house student services offices.
"It is a very centrally located spot, and all the things that students need to get their jobs done will be in this primary location," McCormick said.
Construction of a temporary pool to replace the Smith Swim Center will begin this summer and should be completed by January 2008, according to Russell Carey '91 MA'06, interim vice president for campus life and student services. The pool will serve the swimming, diving and water polo teams while a new swim center is built in conjunction with the planned Nelson Fitness Center, both of which are expected to be completed in 2010.
Also in the athletic complex, two artificial-turf football fields will be ready for play in the fall, providing "all-weather practice fields" for athletic teams and intramurals, Carey said. McCormick added that Pembroke Field will be graded to better serve as a playing field and will receive a new fence and sand volleyball courts to "get more use out of it and make it a campus entity."
Carey also described smaller projects aimed at improving campus life, such as renovating dorms to improve kitchens and bathrooms and improving handicapped accessibility in residence halls across campus.
Outdoor areas around campus are also getting face-lifts, including new landscaping and sidewalks and improved lighting, McCormick said.
He said the new lights will be more diffuse, illuminating campus landmarks like University Hall, the Van Wickle Gates and Soldier's Arch, and that low-level, ambient lighting will be placed along the sidewalks to avoid glare. Aesthetic improvements to the exterior of Wilson Hall on the Main Green will also contribute to a better atmosphere, he said.
This summer also marks Brown's recent engagement with the surrounding community, including funding improvements on Thayer Street and public streets.
"We used to be very hands-off with public streets," McCormick said. "But we have realized that public streets are how everybody circulates through campus, and so we have a whole series of pedestrian improvements throughout campus."
Improvements on Thayer Street include replacing sidewalks, planting trees and hanging flower baskets. The improvements, which are partially funded by Brown but not managed by University officials, are part of a greater goal to improve cooperation with merchants on Thayer.
"The big difference we are hoping will be most noticeable is the creation of Thayer Street District Management Authority so all of the merchants have a board of directors that speaks with one voice," McCormick said.
Finally, routine utility projects to improve hot water and electricity distribution have been responsible for the road closings and bustling construction during most summers. Still, University officials say this year's projects represent something special.
"Every summer for us in Facilities Management is an incredibly busy time, but this summer is a little bit different, because it is the first wave we are seeing of the planning process that (started) almost five years ago" when the Plan for Academic Enrichment was first laid out by President Ruth Simmons, McCormick said. "We have a whole series of management plans that came from (the Plan for Academic Enrichment) that are now becoming individual projects you are seeing out there."
Not all members of the College Hill community are as enthusiastic about the projects, however.
The construction projects are "kind of an eyesore," said Baird Langenbrunner '09, who is doing research on campus this summer. "It is a shame that they have to do them during the summer when students are touring. They make the campus a lot less attractive for them."
Street closures have also proved inconvenient. Confused motorists trying to use closed streets are often forced to turn around, and pedestrians making the walk from the main campus to Pembroke campus are faced with a maze of detours and closed walkways.
Still, the ultimate goal of this year's summer construction - street renovations and the Walk - is to streamline and consolidate campus connections, ultimately making it easier to get around, McCormick said.
"Improvements to the circulation structure on campus ... will make the core of campus more connected," which is worth the summer inconvenience, McCormick said.
Community groups have also criticized Brown's construction goals as ignoring the residential and historical aspects of the College Hill neighborhood and have recently challenged projects, successfully derailing a planned parking garage in the Olney-Margolies Athletic Complex.
"We don't want Brown taking over all of College Hill with their tax-exempt status ... and architecturally insignificant buildings," said Ronald Dwight '66, a member of the College Hill Neighborhood Association.
Though McCormick cited Brown's increased communication with the community as a reason behind the University's new strategy of building on the current campus instead of spreading further into residential areas, Dwight said the administration is still not doing enough to cater to the community.
Brown's cooperation with the community "is all lip service," Dwight said, adding that "Brown is an arrogant institution to work with."
Despite the criticism, Langenbrunner said he thinks the "benefits from construction outweigh the short-term costs."
