East Village to Close

[ST_Lawson]

East Village to Close - http://wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=12448

I think this makes sense to do. It'll save a good chunk of money, which we're obviously looking for any way to do at this point, and there's much less of a need for these types of facilities than when they were built.

Built in 1965 - lots of students (baby boomers), both new out of high school and returning from military service, heading to college...with many of the ones coming out of the military being older and more likely to be married and starting families. Very little in the way of off-campus housing facilities...most were still private residences.

Now - fewer students of all types (including married), WAY more opportunities for newer off-campus housing with better facilities. Even though off-campus housing is a bit further away from campus, public transportation/bus system makes it very easy to get from any of the major apartment complexes to campus.

Also, just to be clear, I'm pretty sure this is just East Village, not the University Village area, so...just the one building to the south, not the three 1-story apartment buildings further north:

[ST_Lawson]

Also, since I don't know how familiar everyone is with all the new apartment complexes that went up in the last 15 or so years, here's the google map view with the apartment complexes circled. Nearly all (possibly all) are 2-story complexes.



For reference, the major north/south street in this image is Wigwam Hollow, and you can see 136/Jackson Street labeled. The road across the north is Adams Street, so the northeastern most apartments are about two blocks west of the Marching Band practice field.

[sealhall74]

What is the terrain like in that area to the south of East Village? As I recall is sort of hilly, kind of a ravine but was a good place to spread out blanket and catch some rays while reading/studying. Do kids still do that? I am always impressed when campuses come up with really creative uses for green space. On my trip to Florida in January, I came across one at Stetson U that I had never seen before. If you plant trees close enough to each other, students will find a way to take advantage of the space. Not my video, but you get the idea:

[youtube][/youtube]

[ST_Lawson]

It is kinda hilly there, yes. In the master plan, that area is part of the whole "Valley of Purple" concept (lots of purple trees, open "meditative" spaces, bike paths, etc.)
Here's the applicable pages of that area of campus in the master plan: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/128 ... illage.pdf

It is currently part of the 9-hole Sipolt Memorial Disc Golf Course, so you'll frequently see people tossing around frisbees in that area. During the warm times, you do occasionally see people out playing or hanging out in the area too.

As for interesting uses of space, I know that a year or two ago, when I was running through campus, I'd frequently see a rope strung tight about a foot or so off the ground between two fairly close trees (roughly here: https://goo.gl/maps/M0p7H). There was a student that had set it up to practice tightrope walking and most of the time when I was going past, he was either on the rope practicing, or hanging out under the trees relaxing or resting.

[WIU0812]

Knew this was coming with all the issues I just hope it doesn't take 10 years to demolish the building.

[ST_Lawson]

Knew this was coming with all the issues I just hope it doesn't take 10 years to demolish the building.

Hard to say, but I know that Lamoine Village has been sitting empty for about 5 years so far. They've removed all the stuff that was of any value and now it's just essentially the "shell" of the buildings sitting there.

[WIU0812]

Luckily the Lamoine Village is not directly on campus, but I do know they have hired an engineer to put together the necessary data in order to have the demo of Lamoine Village bid out. I think they also revised their contract with engineer in order to have them get the info needed to demo the Higgins Building as well. I guess they better go ahead and revise it again to include the East Village.

[WIU0812]

I always thought it would be awesome if the cut a large chunk of trees near where the old Lamoine River Bridge was and put sea wall and white rock along the river bank and a large decorative concrete area with benches and what not to basically make it a nice area on the river that students could go down and study, it is kind of off the campus area, but a ecological science building down close to there would make sense as well. All ideas that we have no where enough money for.

[ST_Lawson]

Article from the Western Courier about East Village closing: http://www.westerncourier.com/news/at-m ... 413c6.html

[sealhall74]

The trustees need to add a new committee (*) to their list of "Standing" committees:

Academic & Student Services Committee
Finance Committee
Audit Committee
Presidential Evaluation and Assessment Committee

* Facilities and Environment (just an example, that is what Duke calls theirs)

Very surprised it is missing. Most schools have a separate one for it. As important as it is, why bury amongst the clutter of others?