Welcome, freshmen, to Temple University ca. summer 2016. As you can see, our growing campus has been turned into one giant construction project, and we're hoping some of it will be finished by the time classed start in a month. Let’s go over what’s in store for you (and what jealous alums never had a chance to experience).
First off, we have the new library. Recall that this building is a Snøhetta design, bringing a touch of Scandinavian class (and automated stacks retrieval) to what some would otherwise consider to be a rather plain campus. The last time we checked in, Barton Hall was a-coming down. Now, instead, there’s a big ole hole in the ground.
Right next door to the upcoming library, we have a repaving project on Liacouras Walk. This is part of the Verdant Temple landscape improvements project — like the section that was put in along Liacouras Walk between Alter Hall and the student health section last summer.
This project extends that pavement up Liacouras to Pollett, completing its first entire block. Construction crews have also ripped out the pavers on Pollett to Broad. Is this because they intend to rebuild this section as well?
Finally, we have the new Student Health and Wellness Center on the southernmost section of the old Geasy Field, at 15th & Montgomery behind mighty Pearson/McGonigle. This project, just recently broken ground and still little more than a couple of gravel pads, will eventually involve an indoor turf field, some free weight space, College of Public Health classroom space (including a mock apartment), and what appears to be an outdoor track circuit circling the whole building.
We can’t wait to see these buildings turn into piles of steel … and then, for the library at least, a sexy Scandinavian building!