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Carolina's master plan consultants have turned their attention to north
campus, with new buildings, additions and demolition among the ideas on the
table.
Much of Ayers Saint Gross' attention is focused on the northwest corner of the
area, dubbed Precinct II by the firm, the heart of Carolina's arts facilities.
The corner includes campus buildings near the intersection of Columbia and
Franklin streets, such as the Hanes Art Center, Hill Hall and the Ackland Art
Museum.
Ayers Saint Gross' preliminary proposals for the corner include:
* Building additions to Hill Hall and the Ackland;
* Building a parking garage behind Swain Hall to help accommodate
event/performance parking; and
* Changing the alley that runs through the area to Franklin Street into a green
way.
As with other precincts, Ayers Saint Gross hasn't assigned uses for the
additions but rather identified potential sites for expansion.
"The best campus plans in the world often have a `building unassigned'
attached to them," Luanne Greene of Ayers Saint Gross said at a Sept. 30
meeting that included Carolina employees who work in the area.
Based on feedback from employees, Ayers Saint Gross will look for alternatives
to building a parking garage behind Swain as ways to accommodate
event/performance parking. Faculty and staff said the spot behind Swain
wouldn't mesh with the area's character.
Jonathan Howes of University Relations said the precinct's northwest corner
represents a good opportunity for development but added that all ideas are
preliminary at this point.
"This wonderful corner is in play -- [a particular plan] isn't something we've
committed to," he said.
Ayers Saint Gross also floated the idea of demolishing Abernethy Hall and
replacing it with a new building or with an addition to Swain Hall. Smith Hall
could be another candidate for demolition, the firm said.
While some employees view the early-20th century buildings as expendable,
others say the University should keep them because of their historical and
architectural significance.
Ayers Saint Gross' ideas for the rest of the area include:
* Ringing the tennis courts between Raleigh Street and Country Club Road with
residence halls. A parking facility would be built beneath the tennis courts.
* Building a residence hall between Ruffin and Mangum halls off Lenoir Drive.
* Removing Caldwell Hall and replacing it with a classroom/office building.
Ayers Saint Gross will return to campus in November with its latest proposals
for Precinct II.
For more on the campus master plan, see http://www.unc.edu/planning
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