A navigation-friendly campus
New signage among improvements to UB aesthetics, council told

By CHRISTINE VIDAL
News Services Editor

The university is making a significant effort to improve campus aesthetics, including the implementation of signage that will make UB easier to navigate.

New masonry signposts will reflect campus architecture.

This was the message that Michael Dupre, associate vice president for university facilities, brought to the UB Council at the group's April 13 meeting.

During the 1990s, University Facilities' operating budget saw significant reductions, Dupre noted.

"Between 1990-91 and today, we're down $7 million annually, so that's had an impact on what we've done (in terms of maintenance and aesthetic improvements)," he said. But the reductions were "a good exercise," and "in 1998-99, we moved into a five-year-plan that will help investments on campus."

Among those investments is an estimated $2.5 million that UB expects to spend on exterior signage, which currently, Dupre said, is "horrible."

In all, the project will involve the construction of 1,200 signs, including significant new masonry signposts-made of brick on the North Campus and stone on the South Campus-to reflect each campus' unique architecture and located at campus entrances, as well as vehicular-wayfinding, pedestrian and special-events signage, Dupre said.

Buildings themselves also are getting a facelift, including exterior restoration of buildings on the South Campus and the demolition of metal buildings "as possible." Dupre noted that Parker Annex already has been torn down, and others will be demolished in the future.

"Moving math to the North Campus will help," he said.

The exterior stone walls of Foster Hall have been steamcleaned to remove years of dirt and stains, and future efforts will focus on Crosby and Hayes halls. Clark Hall has been painted, something that hadn't been done in 20 years, Dupre said.

He also outlined improvements to the ground floor of Capen Hall, a transformation that President William R. Greiner called "miraculous."

"That place," Greiner commented, "we could not keep it clean. I come in that way every single morning....Students were not using it....Now we've reclaimed the space as an entryway and as a gathering place for students."

Campus renovations also include improvements to sidewalks, parking lots, fencing, landscaping and roads, Dupre noted.

But Jeremy Jacobs, chair of the council, took issue with the work being done to the campuses.

It "should never have gotten to that point." Jacobs also questioned the practice of hiring outside contractors to perform restoration work, as well as to design and construct the masonry signposts that will mark each campus entrance.

Greiner responded that the current university staffing was "optimal," and noted that "for capital projects, the tradition is that you go outside."

"We certainly have the expertise on campus" to design the signposts, added Robert J. Wagner, senior vice president.

But, he noted, "we tend to go to outside firms because we don't have the expertise to go from conceptual design to the construction process."

In other business, the council was updated on new student housing being built on campus.

Noting that Hadley Village had sold out before students could even get in to see what the apartments would be like, Greiner announced that Foit-Albert and Associates has been chosen to design and build South Lake Village, to be located on the south shore of Lake LaSalle.

Construction is expected to begin this summer, with occupancy slated for August 2000.

The complex will add 500 to 700 bed spaces to the North Campus and could be expanded to housing for a total of 1,700 students.

Dennis Black, vice president for student affairs, called the project "different than anything we've offered before.

"A university our size and scope in another setting would be expected to have twice the (on-campus) housing we've provided," he added.

Black noted that no determination has been made whether apartments in the South Lake Village complex would be co-ed, adding "there are few co-ed complexes on campuses in the State of New York."

He also told the council that the university still plans to renovate the residence halls on the South Campus, although UB won't be completing any of that work for two to three years.

Two things are going to happen to student housing on the South Campus, Black said.

"The residence halls will become more connected with the academic programs on that campus...and the number of bed spaces will decrease, and we'll measure future needs for housing on the South Campus." He added that UB will continue its work on the University Community Initiative and the stabilization of the community around that campus.