Even the intensifying rain outside could not dampen the optimistic mood surrounding UW-Madison's presentation of its Campus Master Plan to the Joint Southeast Campus Committee Monday night.
\A lot of things have gelled themselves into a draft,"" University Transportation Planner Rob Kennedy said. ""It's just a working draft, but we've got enough to present.""
Director of the Office of Planning and Landscape Architecture Gary Brown defined the university as both traditional and urban, and remarked that new restructuring would maintain the unique strengths of each area.
""Being urban means being mixed-use,"" Brown said, describing multi-purpose buildings that would house first floor retail and restaurants.
Brown emphasized the university's commitment to create a ""spectacular setting"" and invoke a particular ""experience of place"" through the campus redevelopment. In addition, Brown reassured the committee that many of the buildings to be razed were at the end of their estimated lives and reflected previous, somewhat-dated architectural trends.
""It was the style of the times ... Humanities [Building] was en vogue,"" Brown said.
In an effort to manage vehicle use, Brown reported the university was exploring opportunities to add underground parking and create raised ""tabletops"" on roads in dense pedestrian areas. Kennedy also discussed positioning a traffic signal on Murray Street.
""We are looking at ways, in general, to calm the traffic,"" Kennedy said.
According to Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Planning and Management Alan Fish, increasing cost effectiveness and addressing environmental concerns, not maximizing capacity, have prompted planners to address the future of university power sources.
Fish elaborated on possible options for the UW-Madison on-campus coal plant, including switching to a natural-gas facility or installing high efficiency boilers to minimize expenses and reduce pollution. However, both courses of action require further in-depth cost analyses.
""It's just a matter of time before we make these changes,"" Fish said. ""The question is, 'When, where, and how much will it cost?'""
UW-Madison's redesign will also alter the internal character of the university, consolidating many academic departments. One proposal has the Art Department completely relocating directly east of the Kohl Center. Brown likened the project to a complex chess game where moves impact one another.""We pick one piece up and there is a ripple effect,"" Brown said.
Following the design guidelines process, the university expects to have a formal Campus Master Plan prepared by September of this year. Committee members Ald. Austin King, District 8 and Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, expressed satisfaction regarding the deconstruction of the Humanities Building.
""I was a history major and spent most of my time in Humanities,"" Verveer said. ""It was very tortuous, to say the least.\
