Campus enhancements to begin in spring

A number of beautification and enhancement projects—including renovations of Linderman Library and Lamberton Hall, construction of a parking garage for faculty, staff and visitors, and creation of a more foot-friendly center of campus—are slated to get underway in the spring.
For plans of the renovation, plus before & after photos of previous enhancements, click here.
At its February meeting, Lehigh’s Board of Trustees discussed and approved many exciting enhancement and improvement projects to ensure that the university’s campus continues to meet the evolving needs of the Lehigh community. An overriding goal of these, and all other renovation and preservation projects at Lehigh, continues to be to integrate these changes well and responsibly, while being ever cognizant of Lehigh’s historical origins.
“In the 1990s, we initiated a campus beautification and enhancement program that resulted in the creation of Alumni Walk, Leadership Plaza, the plaza in front of Packard Lab, Memorial Walk, and Franz Plaza, among other improvements, all which greatly enhanced the beauty of campus,” says Tony Corallo, associate vice president of facilities services and campus planning at Lehigh.
“Based on that success, and a comprehensive campus development guide created in 2000, a 20-year vision for Lehigh’s campus was created. That vision and resulting plan seek to preserve open spaces and restore the campus to its historical origins – a campus that embraces its community, is friendly to foot traffic, showcases our venerable buildings and walkways, and retains plentiful green spaces at the heart of the university.”
Several parts of the plan have already been successfully implemented, such as Campus Square, while others are still in development. Beginning this spring, several additional projects connected to the plan will begin, including:
• The renovation of Linderman Library: The renovation of Linderman Library is scheduled to begin this spring to transform the beautiful 19th century building and its late 1920s addition into a 21st century state-of-the-art center for the humanities as well as an intellectual center of activity for the entire campus community. Linderman Library will be closed during renovations, which will begin in mid-May and are scheduled to conclude in January 2007.
• Construction of a parking garage and arrival court adjacent to the Alumni Building: To create additional faculty/staff/visitor parking and accommodate Lehigh’s growing popularity among prospective students, we will construct a 320-car parking garage on the southern portion of the parking lot that currently serves the Alumni Building. We will also create a new entry plaza on the Brodhead side of the building to enhance what is essentially Lehigh’s front door to prospective students and most visitors. Both of these projects will begin in May and should be completed by February 2006.
• Brodhead Avenue Extension: To provide better entrance to the Packer Campus, we will connect Brodhead Avenue to University Avenue (the road that runs by Taylor Hall and McClintic-Marshall House). This will improve access, establish clearer navigation and connect other campuses. The project will begin in May and be completed in September 2005.
• The renovation of Lamberton Hall. The renovation of this building includes a large multi-purpose space and a new 24-hour diner that will offer a variety of menu items at affordable prices. Work is scheduled to begin in March 2005 and be completed and ready to open early in the spring semester 2006.
• The creation of a foot-friendly central campus and green: To preserve and enhance the green space at the center of campus and allow for safer pedestrian traffic, we will remove the vehicular traffic on University Drive from Packer Avenue up to the flagpole on the UC Lawn, west from there to the stop sign in front of Packard Lab and east to Memorial Walk. These former roads will become the pedestrian zones similar in character to Memorial Walk and Alumni Walks, and will allow access for emergency and service vehicles. The adjacent existing sidewalks will be removed to increase the amount of green space in this area. This transformational campus enhancement project will begin in May and be completed in September 2005.
In addition, several improvement and restoration projects are slated to get underway this spring, including:
• The restoration and improvement of fraternity houses on campus. Every fraternity house on campus will undergo renovations, including new paint, furniture, window coverings and flooring in the bedroom areas before the start of the fall 2005 semester.
• The second phase of the plaza waterproofing project under Fairchild Martindale. The Fairchild Martindale plaza will again be under construction for the duration of the summer for the second and final phase of the waterproofing project.
• New streetlights by the city of Bethlehem. The lights will be installed on Packer Avenue, sections of Webster Street, Vine Street and Brodhead Avenue.
To continuously provide feedback and advice regarding the enhancement concepts and ideas for campus renewal, a Campus Restoration & Enhancement Communications and Advisory Committee composed of faculty, staff, students and alumni has been established. The committee will also provide advice on how to best communicate these plans to the campus and alumni communities in an effort to keep constituent groups informed and engaged.
Additional information will be shared with the community through e-mail updates and a number of campus meetings to discuss the project. A project Website will be launched containing project background, initial design concepts, projected timeline and the ability to provide the committee with feedback.
The construction projects will be funded by capital funds, with no tuition dollars being used to fund any of the projects.

--Elizabeth Shimer