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Page 4 — Smoke Signals, Friday, D«cember 5, 1980
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Major Campus Renovation Eyed For Next Decade
By GREG BASSETT
Chowan’s 235-acre campus will be
undergoing some major modifications
and improvements over the next
decade or so, thanks to the ideas sug
gested by a land architectural agency’s
comprehensive landscape master plan.
The plan, which was completed in
June, can now be implemented since
the college has completed all the
buildings on its master plan, according
to college officials. The new Jesse
Helms Center was the last building in
the long-range plan.
Landscape improvements which will
be made this year include the building
of a parking lot between West and Mix
on Halls. According to Jack Hassell, the
college’s superintendent of buildings
and grounds, work on the lot will begin
later in the spring semester.
A new service road will also be con
structed behind Green Hall, Mixon Hall
and West Hall in order to better serve
the halls. Currently, all the
maintenance trucks must use Pine
Walk to service buildings, which
creates a hazard to pedestrians.
“Our idea is to tie the whole campus
together,” said Hassell. “We hope to be
able to stabilize one area at a time
through proper planning.”
Hassell said the campus’ landscape
improvements will be made “one stage
at a time” and take place slowly over a
period of years as money for the work
becomes available.
In the upcoming years, Chowan plans
to build just three new buildings. Plans
have already been chalked out for a
new graphic communications building
to be located on the tennis courts bet
ween the old gymnasium and the
housing-maintenance building. A new
administration building, which would
aid the crowded Columns Building, is
planned for the area between Green
Hall and the current Askew Student
Center.
A major building project, which
many see as being 15-20 years in the
future, is the construction of a Center
for Adult Continuing Education. It
would be located northeast of the Presi
dent’s Home, should the center ever be
built.
In order to construct the adult educa
tion facility, a re-ahgnment of the Col
lege Street entrance would be
necessary, according to the architec
tural plan.
The parking lot to be constructed bet
ween West Hall and East Hall will allow
easy access to both buildings by car. In
the past students have had difficulty
moving belongings in and out of East
and West because of the distance from
.the parking lot. ‘ .
The landscape plan calls for the con
struction of a plaza that would link
West, Mixon and East Halls, as well as
the construction of a basketball court
between Mixon and West.
Improvements for the area around
Jenkins and Belk Hall include a nor
thern extension of the parking lot and
the construction of patios in front of the
girls’ dorms. A rear garbage pick up
area would also be constructed on the
northeast side of Belk.
The area behind Thomas Cafeteria
would be turned into a plaza with ben
ches and serve as a congregating loca
tion for students. A similar plaza, rich
with trees would also be built in the
area west of the Columns Building.
Stone Hall will be removed to make
room for the park-like area that will
contain two tennis courts and front the
Askew building, which will become the
college chapel soon after the opening of
the new student center in the old gym
nasium.
The basketball courts to the south of
the stadium near Lake Vann would be
redesigned to accommodate three full
and improved courts.
Around Parker Hall there would be a
major change in the design of the en
trance to Parker’s back parking lot.
The front lot would be extended south
while the entrance to the back lot will
be moved closer to the building. In the
very distant future the land south of
Parker, near the football practice field,
would b« used as a dorm site.
The densely wooded area bordering
I^ake Vann to the west of Parker could,
according to the report, be turned into a
picnic area once the undergrowth is
removed. An effort to remove the
underbrush was begun by the SGA last
year, but has not been continued this
year.
Probably the most interesting pro
posals in the plan involve the massive
construction of walks campus wide. Ex
tensive paths throughout the wooded
area north of Parker Hall have been
proposed. The paths will allow Parker
residents to travel much quicker to
classes because of a shorter, more
direct walk.
Three major sidewalks would criss
cross Squirrel Park. Other im
provements in the park would be the
construction of a small plaza complete
with a gazebo, and benches throughout
the park.
An extensive boardwalk system,
complete with a boat landing and small
extended fishing pier are planned
around Lake Vann.
The report suggests that the current
ditch-like portion east of Lake Vann be
re-sculptured and, through the use of
dams, the water level be raised. Con
struction of an outdoor amphitheater is
proposed for the lake site.
Extensive planting of trees in
strategic locations will help to beautify
the campus, according to the study and
this has been recommended in large
proportions campus wide.
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A detail of the northern part of campus featuring West and East Halls,
Jenkins and Belk Halls, the President's Home, and the proposed Adult
Education Center.
Many improvements and modifications are pro
posed for the area around Columns and Thomas
Cafeteria. Several bench areas are proposed for
Squirrel Park, while a new Administration
Building is proposed to the west of Columns.
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CHOWAN COLLEGE
An overall layout of the plan as proposed by a land architectural firm.
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The plan calls for the realignment of the road leading to
Parker Hall's parking lot, as well as the construction of a
fishing pier in Lake Vann. The land south of Parker may be us
ed in the future as a dorm site.
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The midsection of campus will undergo some improvements. A system of walks
through the wooded area across from Helms Center, end an amphitheater Is
proposed.