The future of Schine Student Center and Bird Library were the main topics discussed at an open forum Monday on the future of the infrastructure at Syracuse University.

“The Schine building could use a lot of love,” said Brie Hensold, the project manager for Sasaki Associates working on SU’s Campus Master Plan.

SU community members gathered in Hendricks Chapel on Monday to learn about the future of the infrastructure at SU and share their concerns in two open forums hosted by Sasaki Associates. Sasaki Associates is a Massachusetts-based architecture and design firm hired by SU, and Hensold presented the firm’s findings and answered questions relating to the Campus Master Plan at SU.

Two meetings were held in Hendricks Chapel on Monday, one at noon and the other at 4 p.m. The first meeting aimed at allowing Sasaki to gather information from the community, while the latter provided an analysis of the firm’s findings to date. About 150 people attended the second forum.

“Our job is to reimagine the buildings and the space between them,” Hensold said. She added that areas such as West Campus and University Place can be expanded and more developed.

Sasaki has also worked with Populous, another firm hired by SU, to look into the future of the Carrier Dome and how it relates to the Campus Master Plan. In an interview, Hensold said Sasaki and Populous have shared information and have held a work session together, with others in the works.

The Campus Master Plan, which is part of SU’s Fast Forward initiative, will be completed this summer and will serve as a guide for campus architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, transportation, parking and utilities. The plan will also include timelines and policies for implementation, according to the Fast Forward website.

The Campus Master Plan Advisory Group is comprised of 12 members of the SU community, including Chancellor Kent Syverud, members of the Board of Trustees and other SU officials.

Following Hensold’s presentation, which lasted about 45 minutes, attendees asked questions about topics relating to the Campus Master Plan, including the future of Bird Library and Schine, transportation to campus and the plan’s relationship with the Academic Strategic Plan.

The Campus Master Plan will be flexible to meet the needs of the Academic Strategic Plan, Hensold said.

One audience member stressed the importance of getting advice from someone within SU Libraries when looking at the future of Bird Library in the Campus Master Plan as no representative from the libraries is currently on the advisory group.

Hensold said the firm has found that SU has a strong relationship with the city, adding that the history of the layout of campus in its relation to the city is a strength for the future. She added that in the Campus Master Plan process, SU should “rethink South Campus” and improve the “gateways” between the areas surrounding Main Campus.

Sasaki hosted two meetings in October to explain and answer questions about the results of a campus survey. The firm will present its ideas for the Campus Master Plan in an open-house style in late April.

“It’s not necessarily about expanding exponentially, it’s about smarter planning and reinvestment moving forward,” Hensold said.

Published on March 2, 2015 at 6:18 pm

Contact Justin: jmatting@syr.edu | @jmattingly306