Yay!  I really like this one.  With Fenn Tower coming on just before, this will really enliven the east end of campus on Euclid.  When do we get our new book store???

two questions:

 

1) when is the soccer field getting the retractable roof?

2) what is the latest on tearing down the UC .. is that still in planning?

^no word yet. i would bet that they would wait until the soccer season has finished before they put up the roof.  There is also some high school playoff soccer to be played there this weekend. Go Ignatius!  (no. 1 ranked hs soccer team in the USA!)

 

 

bizbiz, plans for the UC building are still up in the air; it's part of the campus master plan's Phase II. From the CSU Architect's site:

 

A new STUDENT UNION will provide a central location for student activities, including study space, dining, entertainment, offices for student organizations, and the campus bookstore. The Student Union will be an approximately 100,000 square foot complex. It may encompass an expanded and extensively rehabilitated University Center (UC) building and the first floor of the Main Classroom, or it could be a new facility on the site of the existing University Center building. The central, Euclid Avenue location is ideal for the Student Union, allowing easy access by the entire University community. The highly visible site will also attract the general public.

That really would be ideal...having the entire first floor of the Main Classroom and UC buildings be the student union.  As they are, they really turn a cold shoulder to both Euclid and Chester, but could be vibrant, colorful, attractive places, full of activity and excitement!

I dont know how exactly they would join main classroom and UC into one complex, on the first floor. First floor is the plaza level, that level only has stairwells and isolated lecture halls on main classroom.

This is a downer:

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release

Nov. 28, 2005

                       

Construction Site Accident Causes One Fatality, One Injury

 

An accident on the construction site of a Cleveland State University parking facility this morning claimed the life of one worker and injured another.

 

Both men worked for Martin Excavating, a subcontractor of general contractor Thomarios of Akron that is responsible for the overall project. One man was pronounced dead at the scene; the other was taken to St. Vincent Charity Hospital.

 

The accident is under investigation by the Cleveland Police Department, federal OSHA, and the Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office. OSHA has cleared the site, allowing for work to progress.

 

“This was a tragic accident,” said President Michael Schwartz. “Our hearts go out to the deceased, the injured and their families.”

 

The accident occurred at the site of  a five-story, 400-space parking garage at East 25th Street and Chester Avenue, just north of Mather Mansion

Nothing too exciting here...just a couple updates from last week's unconditionally warm day (hard to believe it was 70 degrees just over a week ago!)

 

The view down Euclid in front of the University Center:

Fenn Tower, looking good and nearly ready for occupants!

Two shots of the site of the new administration building...this will do wonders to connect Euclid and the main campus with Prospect and the new housing over there, especially the recently completed Walker & Weeks building...

 

Rhodes Tower, home to a significant rehab of its own, but nothing too glamorous...

Shot of Fenn from today:

The dome on the soccer stadium is up tonight. 

 

It is not retractable, just a large inflatable/light support structure covering the field.  The lights are still on the outside, so maybe the light goes through the white covering.

I saw that last night and had no idea what was going on!  It was too cold to check out, though!

Check out this new thread on the proposed East Side Transit Center: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6860.0

 

Continuing from a post I just made where I discussed some of the issues with campus transit options, I couldn't help but wonder about the potential that CSU has with bicycles.  Case, for example, has bike racks throughout campus and bikes galore.  Both campuses are pretty expansive, but CSU is definitely more isolated from amenities.  However, you're really a 5-minute bike ride from so much Downtown that the potential for CSU to promote a bicycle friendly campus is really practical. 

 

The problem at present (and a distinct contrast from CWRU) is that there aren't that many students living on campus.  The vast majority of students commute in by bus or automobile every day for class and work.  However, if we increased the number of bike racks DRAMATICALLY and started a bike-sharing program or just encouraged students to bring their bikes to campus, when they want to head over to Tastebuds or down to Tea House Noodles or over to Constantino's for lunch, instead of eating in the dining hall, they could just hop on their bikes and be there in a minute! 

 

In the near future, we're going to see a great increase in the number of students living on or around campus.  The bike racks are needed anyway, but I think we can tap an even greater potential with an aggressive "pro-bike" effort and really help tie the campus into the surrounding community and discourage people from driving every time they want to leave campus for a quick trip.

 

Sounds simple, right?

^next step for the Storefront group?  If there were funding, it would be nice to get a local artist to make 10 bike racks or so to be placed at prominent points on campus.  I love when I see bikes locked outside a building, it lends a sense of life. (at the very least, the Urban College needs one. C'mon Rosentraub, make the school look like what it preaches) I remember when I saw all the bikes locked up at University Hospitals--its cool to see. There are so many medical residents that bike down from the Heights each day.

The UH racks are so inspiring!  I remember seeing them when I first returned to Cleveland...on a rainy day, they were packed!

 

The Urban Affairs college does have its own rack now, but it's tucked in back by the loading docks!

I've always said that for being the home of a great Urban Affairs program, that building is decidely UN-urban! The god-awful DARK reflective glass, the swath of unused greenspace on the corner... yeesh!

 

As for the bike racks, you ought to get in touch with the folks at Cleveland Public Art - they had some nifty concepts with their Rack Attack project: http://www.clevelandpublicart.org/project_details.asp?id=6

^It would be nice to see it out front.  A full bike rack suggests that the building inside has some youth and energy in it.

I've always said that for being the home of a great Urban Affairs program, that building is decidely UN-urban! The god-awful DARK reflective glass, the swath of unused greenspace on the corner... yeesh!

 

As for the bike racks, you ought to get in touch with the folks at Cleveland Public Art - they had some nifty concepts with their Rack Attack project: http://www.clevelandpublicart.org/project_details.asp?id=6

 

I agree about the exterior.  How did the College ever let the university do that?  I like the interior, though. I like the open forum/atrium.  I also like all the geometric shapes that the different levels create.

Yeah, and the fact that it's right next to the glorious Keith Building makes Levin College seem especially puny and suburban. However, you have to consider that it was built under the regime of CSU's last president, who was apparently as anti-urban as they come. At least we got an entrance right onto Euclid -- the first CSU building in 40 years not to be set back 50 feet from the street. If Michael Schwartz had been president when the plans were drafted, I'm sure he would have sent them right back to the architects.

Here is a shot of the covered soccer stadium from a few weeks ago:

 

you know, i've never been inside the dome. Does anyone here play soccer? I'm looking for some pick-up games......

Lots of new information regarding future construction at CSU has been posted at

http://www.csuohio.edu/architect/developments.html including a partial new face to the chester side of main classroom to be completed in the summer of this year and the demolition and construction of a brand new student center.

exciting stuff!

Here is a rendering of the Student Center.  It's just a concept, so don't expect the final to look like this:

 

Where's the brutalist architecture that we all know and love?  Its a shame that CSU is selling out to good taste and better design principles. 

Here is another, coming East down Euclid:

Oh no it looks firendly now! But seriously it looks nice, it seems to fill out the block better. Yet they put a large wall on part of euclid to hide an apparent courtyard, there isnt a need for more courtyards around MC and UC, we just got one thats underused. My only hope is that they get rid of the skybridge connecting UC and music building, and replace it with one that is heated. I also hope with all this glass on the building again they do a better job of sound absorbtion

It looks very nice for that corner.  For some reason, when I see that, I think of a downtown Crate and Barrel store. 

I know that its just a concept, but I am not a fan of the swirly things and colored gadgets hanging in the atrium.

 

It would be nice to see CSU march down Euclid towards the Levin College with some similar buildings.  The dead space infront of the communications building is a total waste.  I would like to see another building that would go on that space and line up with the current old structure that now serves as some sort of academy that CSU has for high school students.  The law school is planning on building out to Euclid as well.  Still, I hope that they include a plaza somewhere that Euclid that would serve as a gathering point for students and also project some life onto Euclid Avenue.  The current plaza behind the student center is tucked away from Euclid.  ok, no more rambling. 

I know its just a concept, but I don't like the brick wall on the first floor near the entrance.  As you walk east on Euclid, you would not be able to see inside the building.  A glass wall that exposes the entrance would be much more inviting and extent the building's energy westward down Euclid.

It looks very nice for that corner.  For some reason, when I see that, I think of a downtown Crate and Barrel store. 

 

yeah, go from birck to cement and voila, you have the one over at legacy village

I'm not a fan of all this brick business. Cleveland is the most bricked-out city i've ever seen. More glass and translucents, please.

One of things I love about Chicago is all the brick. I love brick.

 

BTW, nice design. I like the glass and the openness of it. I suspect it will pour a lot of light onto Euclid.

I'm not a fan of all this brick business. Cleveland is the most bricked-out city i've ever seen. More glass and translucents, please.

 

travel more, go to st. louis

or Boston for that matter...

There is a webcam up now for the Parker Hannifin Hall and Administration Center. MGD, I know you are all concerned about the endangered species, the crane... it looks like there are some baby ones around.

Webcam:  http://www.csuohio.edu/adminbldg/

More info:  http://www.csuohio.edu/architect/projects/lf-0318.html

 

About the Student Center, I just found out they are going to use a geothermal heating/cooling system similar to the church across the street.

 

Also, here are a couple of conceptual elevations and one site plan for the new College of Education, which will be located just east of Fenn Tower. Key word: CONCEPTUAL

 

West Elevation

South Elevation

Hey, look... I'm a parking lot! Whoohoo!

They really need some new architects, everything is starting to look too much the same. Transit center, new bookstore/administration building, UC, gym, and college of education all look the same.

 

On another note, directly north of fenn tower where the patch of trees are, they are conceptually/supposed to be putting in a diving faclity.

Here is a rendering of the diving facility:

 

well, that would be interesting and different!  Though, I'd probably never set foot in it...

 

as for the College of Ed. building...can't really tell much from those renderings, but I am curious about the need for a parking lot, considering that they're building a new garage pretty much every 60 feet!  I guess it provides a buffer for the ever-evolving mystery that is the Innerbelt...you'd hate to invest in a building that ODOT was going to tear down in 10 years!  Not that they'd dream of doing that to another state institution...

 

The student center, though just a concept, is a definite step in the right direction.  With all the public and private investment in the works for Euclid Avenue, it's imperative that CSU comes to meet the street.  I agree that we need more than buildings, though.  I know there's a greenspace master plan as well, but I haven't really checked it out yet.  Guv? Musky?

The diving facility will never be built unless CSU comes up with a donor - which of course would have the honor of naming the building after the dog, or something.

 

I have some 3-D renderings that are completely CONCEPTUAL. As soon as I dig them up and scan them to a smaller size, I will post. It really is not that bad looking of a building.

 

MGD, what do you refer to by "the need for a parking lot." The COE building is actually taking a parking lot. Of course the new garage behind Mather is being built to take the place of the spaces lost by COE, as well as provide more parking for the rec center. The western  marginal road will be next to the new parking garage and it is proposed to have a exit or entrance from the garage to the new road, I forget which one.

 

As far as the look that is trending in the design, you are right - they are starting to look the same. I think that it is more of a statement of the current trends in architecture, particularly architecture that is State, uh... approved - that is, not signature. I hope 30 years from now, we are not sitting on a bench on the EC saying "What were they thinking building something like that? There's too many windows and its too damn close to the street! Hey you kids... get off my lawn!!!"

 

I think, according to the master plan, all new buildings will come to the street and more of the barriers will come down, opening up existing greenspace for everyone as well as creating new places. The university is trying to make the campus more accessible for everyone, not just students. That was part of the reason for building a new entrance on the main classroom building along Chester.

 

Here are some pictures from inside the rec center:

 

 

Thanks for the info, Musky.

 

My reference to parking was that we're building garages everywhere, so why even set aside space for surface parking.  The answers are probably pretty easy and plentiful...reason #1 being that the alignment of the Innerbelt and proposed marginal road are uncertain and we wouldn't want to propose a building that would be in its path!  Also, it's just a single row, so I suppose I can live with it...

 

I'm not complaining much yet about the new CSU architecture, but I think we do need to step it up a notch.  I'm also not proposing that we follow in the footsteps of UC, who's campus is much more landlocked and the cramming of stand-alone, signature buildings on that tight campus makes for an often intimidating experience.  Nevertheless, when you're on UC's campus, you'll know it!  Pretty outstanding, really.  What CSU's doing is not outstanding by any measure, but I do think it's of value to the campus and the city. 

 

My complaints to date about the new generation are really confined to the Business and Urban Affairs colleges.  I like the way they relate to each other and the interiors are great, but why the reflective metallic glass?  I would have hoped for something far more transparent...something that would allow passers-by to see what was going on in the buildings and for some of the light to project onto the surrounding area.  My other complaint (which I've mentioned elsewhere) is that the lawn in front of the Urban Affairs college is a disgrace.  There are pics of Portland State's Urban Affairs college plaza, which was built about a year after CSU's, on this thread and it puts ours to shame.  This, however, is something that can still be remedied.  Any words on plans for creating a more useful and inspiring space for the "front lawn" of our university's Urban Planning hub???

 

 

As promised, here are the 3D conceptuals for the proposed College of Education

I think I had the orientation wrong...is the parking alotment in the rear?  There appears to be a nice plaza/garden in front of the Mather Mansion...

There will be some spaces along the side of COE (in front of Mather) for handicapped parking, although right now there are some issues to deal with in terms of elevation change.

The only other parking will be in the new garage currently undewr construction on Chester, behind Mather. (see pictures below)

 

 

The plaza/garden in front of Mather currently exists.

Did you notice the new plaza that is being proposed between the current Health Sciences Building and the proposed COE Building? It is very nice. At first it appears aomewhat isolated; however, the proggraming plan called for an outdoor area that can be used for instruction as well as events. Keeping in miund the freeway not far to the east, I think this concept could work

 

Nice! Thanks for posting, musky. What an improvement over the stuff we've got now.

 

One question: With Main Classroom, why are they building a new entrance fronting on Chester, rather than Euclid? There is currently much more foot traffic on Euclid than Chester, and Euclid in general is the more pedestrian-oriented street.

It will allow for easier access for all users. It is pretty difficult to get into the building under the current layout.

Also, the master plan calls for extending the university footprint north with housing and retail (think Cases new housing, or OSU's north end that just opend last fall). If/when this happens, there will be more foot traffic on the Chester side.

 

True. Still, do you know if there are plans to bring MC out to Euclid?

Here are sone conceptuals for housing along Chester - The Doan Electric Building.

True. Still, do you know if there are plans to bring MC out to Euclid?

 

It is more then plans. It will happen.

Regardless of the final design.

very nice!  any idea on a timeframe?  I'm assuming that demand for Fenn Tower will warrant more residential construction soon!  Also, any word on an on-campus residency requirement?  U. of Cincinnati's was that out-of-town freshman had to live on-campus.  If you lived in town already, there was no requirement.