The Regent Neighborhood Association met with UW Facilities Planning and Management last night to discuss major architectural and landscaping changes that will take place throughout all of campus as a part of the Campus Master Plan.
Within the next three years, the Peterson Building and Ogg Hall will be torn down. Humanities and Van Hise are also slated for removal. According to Associate Vice Chancellor Alan Fish, these buildings were built quickly for little expense to accommodate the baby boomer generation. Upcoming changes aim to manage open space, safety and aesthetic appearance, he said.
One major goal of the new plan is to create more open space. Van Hise in particular will open up land for a traditional quadrangle area typically found on classic college campuses. Fish explained relocating other buildings could create additional open space. He also mentioned plans for replacing 65 acres of open parking space with parking structures.
\These types of open spaces are conducive to learning, meeting with friends and are more aesthetically pleasing than concrete,"" said Gary Brown, Director of UW-Madison Planning and Landscape Architecture.
Native plantings that can survive longer in urban settings will complement these stronger buildings, he said.
Within the next 10 years, the Psychology Building and two physical science buildings are being torn down to accommodate the new Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. This new building will be used for biological science research, particularly stem cell research. It will afford opportunities for further research in the area, as well as create many jobs.
The plan may include the rebuilding of Union South into a more vertical design, creating room for an additional parking structure.
Developers also have designed a less complicated intersection by the Mechanical Engineering Building and slowing the traffic in the area.
""Our major concern is with the traffic flow going through our neighborhood, but the university is trying hard to listen to us and work with us,"" Regent Neighborhood Association President Joy Drummond said.
UW Facilities Planning and Management will hold meetings with various campus neighborhoods and the general public until March 2.
