SUNO Master Plan

SUNO Master Plan

SUNO MASTER PLAN
EFrancisSticky NoteRevised November 18, 2010

SUNO Master Plan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSConsultant Team:

St. Martin Brown & Associates-Prime/ Master Planner

Hargreaves Associates- Urban Design/ Landscape Architecture

Chasm Architecture - Architecture/ Programming

Imagine GIS- Mapping/ Forecasting

D. L. Johnson Consulting - Surveying / Analysis

ChancellorVictor Ukpolo

Master Plan Committee:

Committee ChairBrenda Jackson

David Adegboye Jamaal Amedee William Belisle Joseph BouieChauncey Cammon Robert CannonHarold ClarkEdmond CummingsRose Duhon-SellsBeverly FavreDonna GrantAda Kwambumbumpen Mary MinterEfesoa Mokosso Shatiqua Mosby-Wilson Gloria Moultric Adrell Pinkney Igwe Udeh Ricky WarnerAvis WhiteGerald WilliamsJanice Winder

SUNO Master Plan

CONTENTSI. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYII. MISSION History Hurricane Katrina SUNO Strategic Plan Master Plan Goals

III. DATA COLLECTION Surveys Forecasts Existing Documentation Post-Katrina Analysis IV. SITE ANALYSIS Context Environment Vehicular Parking Public Transport Amenities Constraints

V. MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT Planning Principles Study Areas Proposed Framework Planning Principles Implementation

VI. NEXT STEPS Implementing the Goals Next Steps

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SUNO Master Plan

Project Overview

Master Plan Process

Master Plan Document

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SUNO Master Plan

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Project OverviewSouthern University New Orleans (SUNO) is a Historically Black University located along Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, Louisiana about seven miles north of down town.SUNO, much like many areas in New Orleans suffered from the devastation caused by hurri-canes Katrina and Rita. This devastation forced them to evaluate the use of the campus. To aid in the return of the University a new mas-ter plan would have to be developed that ad-dressed the universitys needs post Katrina.

Master Plan ProcessThe planning process started by engaging the masterplan committee which was made up of faculty, staff, and students to help guide the process and give practical insight to the devel-opment of the plan. The process included data gathering, defi ning the project boundary, site analysis, presentation/ discussion of planning alternatives, and compilation of this Master Plan document summarizing analyses, rec-ommendations, and alternatives considered. Faculty, staff, and student input was funda-mental to the development of the Master Plan. Surveys were issued to capture this input, and interviews were conducted with department heads to give an understanding of the vision of each college. A continuation of this input and communication will be equally critical in the development of the campus implementa-tion projects arising from this Master Plan.

The Master Plan document is the collaborative product of the Master plan committee lead by Chancellor Victor Ukpolo. The committee was responsible for SUNOs faculty, staff and Stu-dent input, along with the strategic plan docu-ment. St. Martin Brown & Associates served as the urban planner and was responsible for

the coordination of the master plan process. Hargreaves Associates served as the master plan and landscape architecture consultant and Chasm Architecture provided architectural guidelines and implementation strategies.

San Luis Rey River Park Draft Core Study Area

Southern University New Orleans Vicinity Map

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SUNO Master Plan6

The Master Plan document is organized in the following chapters:

I. Executive SummaryThe Executive Summary includes an overview and explanation of the Southern University New Orleans (SUNO) Master Plan, the plan-ning process, the planning context, and the planning team for the SUNO Master Plan.

II. MissionThe SUNO Masterplan process is a unique process due to the devastation caused by Hur-ricanes Katrina and Rita. This section of the document will observe two eras in the Uni-versitys history, Pre-Katrina and Post Katrina. The strategic plan document was created by the University to help the academic transition between the two eras in the Universitys his-tory. Through the planning process goals were set for the campus to ensure that the physical and academic integrity of the Universty was protected.

III. Data Collection Data collection began by identifying the profes-sional on the campus. The professional in this document is defi ned as the person who used the campus and benefi ted from its amenities. These professionals are the faculty, staff, and students of the University. Surveys were con-ducted to gain vital information from each of these groups. The surveys were summarized

to give us the overall needs, concerns and pri-orities of the people who used the campus. Forecasting was done to give projections of the Universitys recovery and growth. The Master Plan that was created in 1998 was studied and used as a base for the new plan. The devasta-tion caused by Hurricane Katrina caused the entire city of New Orleans to re-think how they developed the land. The Master Plan analyzes the existing campus and the damages caused by the storm to give direction on the devel-opment and location of future site improve-ments.

IV. Site AnalysisSite analysis consisted of studying existing physical and perceptual conditions within the contextual study area. The Campus was ob-served from its relationship to the entire region. The document then focused on its context to the city. Finally the impact that the campus has on its surrounding neighborhoods and their impact on the campus was studied. The ef-fects of these areas were categorized. The cat-egorizes consisted of circulatory systems and connections, natural and physical amenities, and the physical constraints that the Univer-sity faces.

V. Master PlanAfter a thorough analysis of the contextual study area and the needs of the University, plan-

ning principles were developed. From these principles three basic planning/ programming alternatives were developed. Based on further feedback from the The Master Plan Commit-tee, a Preferred Plan was then created. The Fi-nal Plan integrates refi nements of the Preferred Plan with more elaborated design and pro-gramming concepts for potential green space, future academic, recreational, student services and support sites. The documentation of the planning process will allow subsequent users of this document to understand not only con-clusions and planning recommendations, but also how and why conclusions were reached. Finally, the implementation and phasing of the campus development is described.

VI. ConclusionsThis document is to be used as an active tool to direct the recovery and growth of the Uni-versity in the years to come. Implementation goals are set and the next steps are defi ned. The Master Plan is intended to be a living doc-ument and should be updated as progress is made.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SUNO Master Plan

History

Hurricane Katrina

SUNO Strategic Plan

Master Plan Goals

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I. MISSION

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Southern University at New Orleans is a four-year, state-supported, coed, liberal arts insti-tution founded on September 21, 1959, for the education of African American students. SUNO, a branch and extension of Southern University and A&M University, was created by an act of the state legislature, which later appropriated over $1 billion for the purchase of property, construction, and furnishings. In 1959 a 17-acre plot located in the residen-tial community of Pontchartrain Park which was historically made up of African-American single-family residences was selected for the campus of this new university. Established as an open community of learners, classes began with 158 freshmen, one building and a dedi-cated faculty of 15. The University offered 10 courses in four academic disciplines, includ-ing Humanities, Science, Social Science and Commerce. In 1963, the fi rst class received bachelors degrees. Ten years later the Uni-versity was removed from the jurisdiction of the Louisiana State Board of Education and became a branch of Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College System in Baton Rouge, the only HBCU university sys-tem in the world. As a branch of a land-grant institution, SUNO is committed to providing education to students with diverse abilities and varying academic backgrounds. Its pur-pose is to prepare students to compete in their respective professions or to pursue advanced study. The University had grown to awarding

450 undergraduate and 70 graduate degrees annually and serviced 3,600 students each se-mester prior to Hurricane Katrina. SUNO has developed a reputation for educating those who might not be where they are supposed to be and taking them where they never thought they could go.

SUNO possesses a surprisingly rich history in athletics. The University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athlet-ics and part of the Gulf Coast Athletic Confer-ence. Although the Knights are a part of the NAIA at one time they competed in the NCAAs Division III. They have won National Champi-onships in NCAA Division III Mens Outdoor Track & Field in 1975, 1976 and 1977 and in NAIA Womens Outdoor/Indoor Womens

Track & Field in 1995 and 1997. SUNO is currently situated on a 22-acre cam-pus incorporating eleven buildings, includ-ing a 300,000-volume library. In 1993, SUNO purchased a 38 - acre tract of land just north of the existing campus. This additional land gave SUNO the option to expand its campus and increase the academic programs offered to students. This additional land proved to be most useful post- Katrina as it housed the uni-versitys temporary campus.

Southern University At New Orleans Entry

HISTORY

SUNO Master Plan9

The effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Or-leans was catastrophic and long-lasting. As the center of Katrina passed east of New Orleans on August 29, 2005, winds were in the catego-ry 2 range, and tidal surge was equivalent to about a category 3 hurricane. Though the most severe portion of Katrina missed the city, the storm surge caused more than 50 breaches in drainage canal levees and also in navigational canal levees.

By August 31, 2005, eighty percent of New Or-leans was fl ooded, with some parts under 15 feet of water. Most of the citys levees designed and built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers were breached, including the 17th Street Canal levee, the Industrial Canal le-vee, and the London Avenue Canal fl ood wall. These breaches were responsible for most of the fl ooding. (Wikipedia)

All of Pontchartrain Park, the neighborhood that Surrounds SUNO, was inundatedfrom fl ooding caused by levee breaches inthe adjacent Industrial Canal. Thesebreaches resulted in more than eight feet offl ood waters throughout the entireneighborhood. The northern section of theGentilly Woods subdivision suffered overeight feet of fl ood waters as well. Closer toGentilly Boulevard/Chef Menteur Highway,fl ood waters were marginally lower in the

Gentilly Woods section of Pontilly.

The impact and cost of Katrina can be quan-tifi ed, although numbers fail to capture the many other dimensions of devastation. Louisi-anas Commissioner of Higher Education, Dr. E. Joseph Savoie, reports that 84,000 students and 15,000 faculty members were initially dis-placed by the hurricane. The states public in-stitutions of higher learning suffered between $500 and $600 million in damage, lost more than $150 million in revenue and tuition, and suffered $75 million in immediate budget cuts. Another assessment reported a total direct rev-enue loss of $229 million by Louisianas pub-lic colleges and universities, virtually all of it in the immediate New Orleans area. Although the monetary losses of the private institutions are harder to quantify, comparable estimates emerged.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused damage to all eleven of the buildings on campus. Each building received substantial damage from the inundation of fl ood waters that entered into the campus. Many of the structures on cam-pus are still in the process of being gutted and having the contaminated contents removed. The university was able to open a temporary facility, called SUNO North Campus on Febru-ary 13, 2006. Enrollments for the spring 2006Semester fell precipitously to 2,037 students but increased to about 2,300 students for the

fall 2006 semester. At the beginning of the spring 2006 semester, ninety-one faculty mem-bers returned to the university. SUNO contin-ues to operate out of federally provided trail-ers and is the only college campus in the New Orleans area still operating out of temporary units. The fi rst of the universitys buildings to re-open was the gym.

Post-Katrina, nineteen academic programs were cut. Despite the losses SUNO began, in the fall of 2007, new academic programs to begin fi lling various needs in the climate of re-building New Orleans.

HURRICANE KATRINA

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INTRODUCTIONIt is required by the State of Louisiana that higher institutions provide a strategic plan for intended operations. For the years 2006-2011, Southern University at New Or-leans (SUNO) has prepared and implemented strategic initiatives for those corresponding years. STRATEGIC PLANNING APPROACHThe development and implementation of an institutionally participatory fi ve-year strategic plan for SUNO was dedicated to The Uni-versity Strategic Planning Committee, which consists of a campus-wide representation of administrators and managers, faculty, staff, students, and community representation. One of the most important goals to SUNOs strategic planning is to build on student relationships and institutional relationships. In the development of the strategic plan, an internal and external environmental analysis of the Universitys strengths, weaknesses, op-portunities, and threats, (S. W.O. T. Analysis) was conducted. This document was devel-oped through information and supporting facts gathered from SUNO personnel, stu-dents, the community, the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Southern University System, the State of Louisiana, and other various refer-ences.

The mission, vision, and core values of South-ern University at New Orleans (SUNO) pro-

SUNO STRATEGIC PLAN - 2006

vide the foundation upon which this strategic plan is developed.

Mission: The mission of SUNO is to create and maintain an environment conducive to learn-ing and growth, to promote the upward mobil-ity of diverse populations by preparing them to enter into new as well as traditional careers, and to equip them to function optimally in the mainstream of the global society.

Vision: Building on a legacy of educational ex-cellence, equal access and opportunity to stu-dents from all walks of life, Southern Univer-sity at New Orleans envisions itself as a state university which values excellence in teaching, research, and public service. Our vision is to build upon this legacy through the provision of academic excellence, to link all aspects of university activities with community needs and economic development, and to help students become productive citizens.

Core Values: Excellence, Responsibility, Integ-rity, Accountability, Diversity, Nurturing, and Service

The fi ve strategic goals are: Increase opportunities for student success and access Ensure academic and operational accountability and quality Enhance academics, research, and services to best support University,

state, national, and global communities Establish and maintain uniqueness and competitive advantages in the higher education arena Enhance major university-wide infrastructure and resources

Site Map
EFrancisCross-OutEFrancisReplacement TextMission: Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) primarily serves the educational and cultural needs of the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area. SUNO creates and maintains an environment conducive to learning and growth, promotes the upward mobility of students by preparing them to enter into new as well as traditional careers, and equips them to function optimally in the mainstream of American society.The university provides a sound education tailored to special needs of students coming to an open admissions institution and prepares them for full participation in a complex and changing society. It offers a liberal education directed toward the achievement of higher literacy and broad intellectual development, which in turn serve as a foundation for training in one of the professions. SUNO provides instruction for working adults of the area who seek to continue their education in the evening o on weekends.

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Document existing physical conditions of the university and its surrounding areas.

Create a CAD data base of the existing structures located on the south campus to be used as a the base for the Master Plan document.

Provide active relationship with surrounding communities.

Provide linkages to communities and adjacent land users.

Analyze and Project future missions and needs. Involve Faculty, Staff, and Students in the planning process to assess the true needs of people who benefi t from campus amenities the most.

Develop building and site utilization options and acquisition strategies to accommodate the future vision.

Maximize the use of the existing park campus and provide strategies for the acquisition of neighboring properties to be used for future expansion.

Provide site use plan for the future Lake campus to enhance academic programing. The northern portion of the lake campus (about 18 acres) is reserved for the proposed housing. The housing proposal should accommodate about 750 student. Site design and housing development are not included in this proposal and shall be provided by others.

Develop capital projects implementation budget and schedule.

Provide list of projects to be implemented throughout the redevelopment process.

Identify key projects that will help defi ne the framework of the Master Plan.

Temporary facilities on Lake Campus

MASTER PLAN GOALS

SUNO Master Plan

Surveys

Forecasts

Existing Documents

Post - Katrina Analysis

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III. DATA COLLECTION

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IntroductionEarly in the planning process the planning team realized the importance of capturing the voices of all parties that University serviced. This was accomplished through surveys and interviews. Forecasting was done to give an es-timate of the universities growth over the life of the plan. The master plans development base is the facts that are associated with the University and the community that surrounds it. These facts came from existing documents and Post-Katrina analysis.

Survey SummeryStudent Responses The majority of Southern University New Orleans student evaluated their overall experience at SUNO as good. 52.2% of the re-spondents gave this response. 17.4% stated that their experience was excellent while 26.1% rated it as fair, and only 4.3% rated the experi-ence as poor. 56% stated that currently they are satisfi ed at SUNO, yet 70% have consid-ered leaving SUNO to go to another univer-sity. The demographics of the respondents were African American/Black (92.5%), Bap-tist (47.7%) Females (75%) that came from working class families (40%) whose parents highest level of education was mother/female guardian with a high school diploma ( 70.8%) and father/male guardian with less than a high school diploma (64.3%). The majority of re-

spondents (45.6%) came from a large city and attended a high school that was all or nearly all the same (35%) or mostly the same (25%) race/ethnicity as they are. Concerning technology the students rated their professors as profi cient (41%) and stated that technology is very accessible (52%) and very important to their degree (66%). 81% of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they need to learn more about technol-ogy. When asked about the campus infra-structure and physical environment the stu-dents were satisfi ed or very satisfi ed with the classrooms (60%), the labs (48%), the main-tenance of the buildings (53%), the condition of the infrastructure (48%), and the availability of up-to-date equipment (50%). Students were dissatisfi ed or very dissatisfi ed with the avail-ability of informal meeting space on campus (48%). In general students responded that they were satisfi ed or very satisfi ed about the availability of parking (53%), the cost of park-ing (63%), campus safety (85%), general aes-thetics of campus (58%) and the upkeep of the campus grounds (79%). The majority of the students were dissatisfi ed or very dissatisfi ed (59%) about the dining options on campus, the recreational activities available on campus (60%), and the cultural activities available on campus (58%). In response to the question, How im-portant are the following to the growth and ad-

vancement of SUNO? The majority respond-ed that the following are very important:Campus Bookstore 84%Parking 84%Research and Development 80%Day Care/After Care Center 75%Housing 71% Fitness and Wellness Center 71%Students also responded that they would likely use facilities such as a student recre-ational gymnasium (52%), recreational space like swimming pool, tennis courts, and fi elds (50%), organized campus recreation activities (52%), and a SUNO arts programs (63%). According to the respondents the most positive aspect of Southern University New Orleans is the support and interaction of the faculty and staff with the students. 46% wrote responses that fi t into this category. Students wrote short answer responses to the question What are the most serious problems or con-cerns that you have about attending SUNO? 42% wrote responses that stated the build-ing, campus, or facilities was the most serious problem. They also wrote responses to the question, What do you think are the most sig-nifi cant changes that should be made at SUNO to improve or enhance the quality of your edu-cation here? 68% wrote responses that said the campus- better facilities, getting out of the trailers, making it over physically is the most signifi cant change that should be made.


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Staff Responses The majority of the staff of Southern University New Orleans responded that they are very satisfi ed with how well they fi t into their department (66%), and 91% agree or strongly agree that they would recommend their department as a good place to work. 62% of the staff that responded are satisfi ed or very satisfi ed currently at SUNO. When asked to grade the faculty the majority of the respondents gave the faculty an A in demonstrating professional ability (37%) and professional achievements (33%). When rating the university adminis-tration the majority rated the administration as fair-poor in communicating with the staff (48%), incorporating ideas from the staff into decision making (49%), Establishing clear and explicit priorities for the university (45%), and making rational decisions (45%). They rated the university administration as good-excel-lent in supporting academic freedom (43%) and promoting diversity within the university (60%). The staff respondents overwhelmingly felt that there is a feeling of unity and cohesion among most of the faculty and staff in their de-partment. 83% responded agree or strongly agree. When asked about the campus infra-structure and physical environment the staff was satisfi ed or very satisfi ed with offi ce space (47%), maintenance of the buildings (56%),

availability of up-to-date- equipment (80%) and availability of basic offi ce supplies (89%). They were dissatisfi ed or very dissatisfi ed with the infrastructure of the buildings (59%) and the availability of informal meeting space (57%). In general the staff respondents are satisfi ed or very satisfi ed with the cost of park-ing (60%), campus safety (83%), the upkeep of campus grounds (88%), and the cultural ac-tivities available on campus (51%). They are dissatisfi ed or very dissatisfi ed with the dining options on campus (54%), the availability of parking (54%), general aesthetics of campus (49%), the amount of green space on campus (54%), and the available recreational activities on campus (77%). In response to the question, How im-portant are the following to the growth and ad-vancement of SUNO? The majority respond-ed that the following are very important:Campus Bookstore 91%Day Care/After Care Center 89%Parking 87%Fitness and Wellness Center 87%Technology/Science Center 86%Testing Center 85%Housing 83%Lab School 80%Research and Development 80%Staff also responded that they would likely use facilities such as a student/faculty recre-ational gymnasium (74%), recreational space like swimming pool, tennis courts, and fi elds

(69%), organized campus recreation activities (80%), and a SUNO arts programs (69%). According to the respondents the most positive aspect of being a member of the staff at Southern University New Orleans is the work atmosphere (48%) and working to shape the lives of students (38%). The staff wrote short answer responses to the question What are the most serious problems or con-cerns that you have about working at SUNO? 34% wrote responses that stated the building, campus, or facilities as the most serious prob-lem and 21% wrote communication with the administration. They also wrote responses to the question, What do you think are the most signifi cant changes that should be made at SUNO to improve or enhance the quality of your education here? 31% of the responses dealt with restoring the campus.Faculty Responses A large majority of the faculty of South-ern University New Orleans that took the sur-vey responded that they are very satisfi ed with how well they fi t into their department (93%), they feel valued in their department, (93%), and 87% agree or strongly agree that they would recommend their department as a good place to work. 80% of the faculty responded that they are satisfi ed or very satisfi ed currently at SUNO. When asked to grade the faculty the majority of the respondents gave the faculty a B in demonstrating professional ability (44%)


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parking (57%), general aesthetics of campus (57%), the amount of green space on campus (50%), the available recreational activities on campus (73%), and the and the cultural activi-ties available on campus (67%). In response to the question, How im-portant are the following to the growth and ad-vancement of SUNO? The majority respond-ed that the following are very important:Research and Development 73%Day Care/After Care Center 67%Technology/Science Center 67%Video Conferencing Center 67%Parking 60%Campus Bookstore 60%

Faculty also responded that they would likely use facilities such as a student/faculty recre-ational gymnasium (80%), recreational space like swimming pool, tennis courts, and fi elds (67%), organized campus recreation activities (73%), and a SUNO arts programs (47%). According to the respondents the most positive aspect of being a member of the faculty at Southern University New Orleans is working with students (50%) and the work at-mosphere (33%) The faculty wrote short an-swer responses to the question What are the most serious problems or concerns that you have about working at SUNO? 38% wrote re-sponses that stated the building, campus, or facilities as the most serious problem. They also wrote responses to the question, What

do you think are the most signifi cant changes that should be made at SUNO to improve or enhance the quality of your education here? 42% of the responses dealt with restoring the campus.Overall Trends While this report does not refl ect an-swers to every question in the survey it does bring out the major themes of the voices of faculty, students, and staff at Southern Uni-versity New Orleans that responded. Faculty, staff, and students at SUNO feel that they have a good experience or fi t at SUNO and currently are satisfi ed. Concerning the campus physical en-vironment students are more satisfi ed with the conditions than the faculty and staff. Yet when responding with short answers the stu-dents agreed with the faculty and staff that the campus was the most serious problem and should be the most signifi cant change that is made. Across the board all groups agree that a campus bookstore, parking, research and de-velopment, and day care are important to the growth and advancement of SUNO. The fac-ulty is the only group that did not rank housing above 60%. The survey shows presently there is good morale at SUNO despite all the prob-lems that were voiced, yet the concern about the campus facility is heavily on the minds of everyone involved.

San Diego County Vicinity Map


and professional achievements (50%). When rating the university administra-tion the majority rated the administration as good-excellent in communicating with the fac-ulty (61%), incorporating ideas from the staff into decision making (50%), establishing clear and explicit priorities for the university (67%), supporting academic freedom (67%), and making rational decisions (61%). They also rated the university administration as good-ex-cellent in supporting academic freedom (43%) and promoting diversity within the university (60%). The faculty respondents overwhelm-ingly felt that there is a feeling of unity and cohesion among most of the faculty and staff in their department. 81% responded agree or strongly agree. When asked about the campus infra-structure and physical environment the faculty was dissatisfi ed or very dissatisfi ed with offi ce space (80%), lab space (80%), the classrooms they teach in (57%), maintenance of the build-ings (79%), availability of up-to-date- equip-ment (65%), infrastructure of the buildings (86%) and the availability of informal meeting space (79%). They were satisfi ed or very sat-isfi ed with the availability of basic offi ce sup-plies (57%). In general the faculty respondents are satisfi ed or very satisfi ed with the cost of parking (86%), campus safety (71%), and the upkeep of campus grounds (79%). They are dissatisfi ed or very dissatisfi ed with the dining options on campus (50%), the availability of

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cal location are examined to compare growth rates. Tremendous changes to the Universi-ties enrollment and graduation numbers are reported in 2005, this drop in attendance is a direct result of the devastation caused by hur-ricane Katrina. Because of the massive amount of displacement experienced by New Orleans

residence the forecasting had to examine the return rate of the city. Other key components such as the addition of housing help boost the projected attendance rates for SUNO. With the addition on campus housing SUNO will have the op-portunity to expand their market and reach na-


ForecastingThe rate of growth of the University is an im-portant part of the planning process. Forecast-ing allows us to hypothesize the future growth of the university. The forecasting is based on the historic growth trends of the university. Universities of similar size and geographi-

Fall 2004 Spring 2004 Fall 2005 Spring 2005 Fall 2006 Spring 2006 Fall 2007 2008 - 09 2009 - 10 2010 - 11 2011 - 12 2012 - 20133647 3726 NA 2037 2314 2352 2634 2790 2934 3036 3139 3239

Historic Enrollment Projections2008 - 2013 Enrollment Projections

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Inc. In support of a zoning classifi cation change from Business Industrial Park to Multiple Fam-ily Residential (which includes university build-ings)

The general objectives were as follows: The Master Plan should outline the ef-fi cient use of existing facilities and not call for the construction of new build-ings until all existing facilities are reno-vated and used to their fullest capacity.The university should inter-act with and be part of the community, by serving as a local cultural resourceThe university should be accessible to disabled people.The Master Plan should tie the existing and new campuses together.

The objectives defi ned in the 1998 physi-cal plant Master Plan were used as building blocks for the development of this docu-ment. The fl ood waters of hurricane Katrina forced the university to modify the proposed lay for the campus made in the 1998 plan.

Physical Plant Master Plan -1998


Existing Documents

Physical Plant Master Plan -1998

The SUNO Master Plan 1998 outlines a course of action which will enable SUNO to achieve its goals of creating a well-organized. Cohe-sive campus with an overall consistent char-acter and a strong physical presence. It is Im-portant to note that the long-term success of the SUNO Master Plan is dependent upon Its careful implementation and ongoing revalu-ation by the university. As we move Into the 21st century factures may come into play that will Infl uence the growth and development of SUNG. Although the planning team has made every effort to realistically project the long-term needs of the University and develop recom-mendations accordingly, it is incumbent upon the University to regularly revisit these projec-tions and the resulting recommendations. At the time of this plan SUNOs land holdings consisted of the existing 22-acre campus and a fairly undeveloped 38-acre parcel purchased in 1993. The I buildings on the existing campus were built between 1959 and 1999 and contain about 386,500 gross square feet of academic space. SUNO recognized the Importance of compre-hensive planning after purchasing the 38 - acre tract of land north of the existing campus in 1993. In June 1994 Bilies/Manning Architects prepared a Master Plan for-thisproperty, with assistance from Birk~Kleinpeter,

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Post - Katrina AnalysisThe communities surrounding SUNO were inundated with fl ood waters caused by storm surge and breaches in the industrial canal levee. Damage estimates showed that the neighboring communities were substan-tially damaged. Flood waters reached levels between 10 - 12 feet on the campus render-ing all eleven building on the Park campus inoperable. Mold and Mildew set in de-stroying the contents in the building the a to-tal estimate of the damages has not yet been determand

SUNO Master Plan

Context

Environment

Vehicular | Parking

Public Transport

Amenities

Constraints

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SITE ANALYSIS

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CONTEXTThe Southern University at New Orleans Cam-pus is located on the southern edge of Lake Pontchartrain just west of the Industrial Canal. This position offers both important proxim-ity to the greater metropolitan areas of New Orleans with Kenner and Metairie to the west and East New Orleans and Slidell to the east. Across the Causeway to the north is the entire north shore grounded with Covington. To the south of the Campus is Downtown New Or-leans and the West Bank with countless neigh-borhoods and communities that, combined with those of this greater catchment area, pro-vide the University with a large portion of its student and faculty populations. This proxim-ity to Greater New Orleans renders almost im-mediate access to the cultural and recreational amenities of the metropolis including world famous events such as Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, 2nd Line Parades, and sporting venues. This in concert with the rich cultural heritage makes SUNO a distinct learning environment within the overall Southern University family.

ENVIRONMENTThe pre-Hurricane Katrina campus existed almost solely on the 22 acres on Press Drive between Pontchartrain Park and the Gentilly Neighborhood just south of the railway over-pass and Leon C. Simon Boulevard. With the expansion of the temporary Campus to the north between Leon C. Simon up to the Lake-

New Orleans & Lake Pontchartrain

SITE ANALYSIS

front levee. There are now 38 additional acres in which to develop the future of SUNO. This northern campus is bounded to the west by the University of New Orleans (UNO) Kiefer Arena and recreational fi elds and is divided from it by the proposed extension of Press Drive from its current access drive up to Lakeshore Drive. To the immediate east is the Federal Bureau of Investigations Headquarters Building.

There are no signifi cant land, vegetation or wa-

ter features on the northern parcel as the site was and is still being occupied by the tempo-rary facilities and FEMA trailers for the Univer-sity.

VEHICULAR | PARKINGThe traffi c patterns around the site present a series of issues to be discussed later. There is currently a major vehicular intersection made up of Press Drive, which runs into the heart of the Pontchartrain Park and Gentilly Neighbor-

SUNO Campus Site

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SITE ANALYSIS

New Orleans Vicinity Map Adjacent Uses

UNO Campus

Pontilly

Neighborhood

FBI

Public Transportation

hoods, and Leon C. Simon Boulevard which connects East New Orleans from Haynes Boulevard and Robert E. Lee Boulevard and City Park. Less than one mile to the west is Elysian Fields, a major north-south artery to Downtown, the French Quarter and Bywater Neighborhoods on the Mississippi River and the only street in the city that connects the lake and the river. Because Leon C. Simon is a split parkway at its intersection with Press Drive, there is a series of traffi c signals which causes

SUNO Campus Site

Downtown New Orleans

Lake Pontchartraina great deal of gridlock at certain times such as inbound rush hour and during major events at the UNO Kiefer Arena. As a new master plan framework will be pro-posed for the new north campus, no parking evaluation is being analyzed at this point as the programs and circulation systems for this area will take into account the parking demands. The existing south campus is surrounded by parking along Press Drive and along the back campus roadway.

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22

Existing Natural Assets

SITE ANALYSIS

C. Simon Boulevard over to Robert E. Lee Bou-levard. This line connects to numerous routes that run north-south to and from downtown.

NATURAL AMENITIESAs mentioned previously the overall campus, both north and south, have immediate front-age on two major elements of the park sys-tem of New Orleans: Lake Pontchartrain and the Lakeshore Drive, and Pontchartrain Park. Given these adjacencies, there is notable op-

Constraints

PUBLIC TRANSPORTThere are currently two bus routes that serve the SUNO Campus and link the University to the greater Regional Transit Authority system. The Franklin 57 originates on Press Drive in front of SUNO and travels on Leon C. Simon west to Franklin Avenue towards St. Claude Avenue. The cross town route, the 60 Haynes, travels west from East New Orleans on Haynes Boulevard and continues past SUNO on Leon

portunity to capitalize on the views, physical access and natural ecologies and to join the University with these larger landscapes.

CONSTRAINTSThere are three signifi cant obstacles related to the development of the two campuses, north and south, as one. First is the distance of 600 feet between the entries into the two campus-es which poses an issue of identity for those visiting the University for the fi rst time, as well as the day to day back and forth for students, faculty, and staff. Second is the challenge of the intersection of Press Drive and Leon C. Simon Boulevard that exists between the two campuses, and third is the railroad levee that prevents a visual connection between the two campus areas as well as the unsightly under-pass.

Lake Pontchartrain

Pontchartrain

Park

SUNO Master Plan23

Planning Principles

Study Areas

Proposed Framework

Planning Principles Implementation

24

25

30

42

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

SUNO Master Plan

24

PLANNING PRINCIPLES

The following principles establish a set of guidelines that are based on best practices for campus planning for colleges and universities throughout the country. These are markers that existing and proposed campuses can be evaluated by and offer a subset of goals and objectives to employ during the planning pro-cess to the specifi cs of the SUNO campus and environs.

1. Capitalize on the natural assets of Lake Pontchartrain and Pontchartrain Park.

As mentioned in the analytical section of this report, these powerful landscapes should be played up in the design and rebranding of the University on both campuses, therefore the nomenclature of Park Campus and Lake Campus is incorporated in this document.


2. Create a safe and secure connection between the Park Campus and the Lake Campus.

This over arching principle can be applied on numerous levels ranging from issues associ-ated with deterring crime, well-lit and naviga-ble pedestrian environments, and a reduction in vehicular traffi c within the campus. Given the expansive nature of the new Lake Campus, there is considerable concern regarding the open edges along the levee and the boundary with the University of New Orleans (UNO). The separation of the two campuses also pres-ents challenges in achieving this goal due to the traffi c on Leon C. Simon Boulevard and Press Drive.

3. Maintain a functional separation of pedes-trian and vehicular environments.

The overlapping requirements of automobiles and pedestrians is one of the most detrimental situations that a campus can fi nd itself. It is critical that these systems are not left to hap-hazard planning as the resulting environment is an ineffi cient use of land, unsafe for both pe-destrian and driver and produces an unsightly campus.

4. Create a strong campus identity.

There are three levels of opportunity for SUNO to achieve this goal. The fi rst is along Leon C. Simon; the second is to reestablish its fronts to both campuses from Press Drive; and the third is through the internal layout and organi-zation of the proposed expansion where a dis-tinct character can be developed to unify the campus.

5. Provide a clear framework for fl exible cam-pus growth over time as needs evolve.

This objective is essential to the healthy devel-opment of the University. Maintaining a plan-ning structure that can be fi lled in over time with a variety of programs prevents the unfor-tunate placement of buildings, parking facili-ties and landscapes. The framework should be thought of as a skeleton that is a development infrastructure of pedestrian circulation, build-ing locations and vehicular systems so that, regardless of the time frame of maximizing the full build out of the campus, the campus works at all stages.

SUNO Master Plan25


Study Areas

STUDY AREAS

The entirety of the SUNO campus is divided into areas of focus which follows the process undertaken by the planning team and main-tains attention at two scales the overall of the university and the concentration within study areas. The study areas include: the academic expansion of the Lake Campus, the Park Cam-pus, and the Intersection of Press Drive and Leon C. Simon Boulevard.

Lake Campus

Park Campus

Intersection

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26


Existing Intersection Pedestrian Bridge Option A Pedestrian Bridge Option B

Pedestrian Bridge: Section

pedestrians to cross Press Street on the south side of the railroad levee, so this option was not wholly successful in providing a safe and direct connection. The second alternative - Op-tion B - proposes a more direct route that links the northeast corner of the Park Campus due north and only crosses the eastbound traffi c of Leon C. Simon and continues at grade across the westbound traffi c with traffi c-calming mea-sures such as a paved crosswalk, walk signals, lane narrowing, lighting and landscape.

could take several different courses and was evaluated based on length and associated costs of the span, methods of connecting to the organizations of the two campuses and the potential for establishing a SUNO identity with the image of the bridge. The initial route stud-ied - Option A - was one that took a route paral-lel to Press Drive on the east side of the street. This course would link the southwest corner of the Lake Campus with the northeast side of the Park Campus, however would still require

Intersection: Press Drive | Leon C. Simon Blvd.From the outset of this master planning effort, the challenge to resolve the issues surrounding this very confusing and dangerous intersection were of utmost importance. A proposal that had been put forth prior to this assignment was to incorporate a pedestrian bridge that would connect the new Lake Campus with the existing Park Campus and cross both the in-tersection and the railroad levee. This bridge

SUNO Master Plan27


Proposed Intersection Realignment Pedestrian Bridge Option C

Existing Intersection Alignment Proposed Realignment & Land Acquisition

The third and recommended alternative - Op-tion C - would be to incorporate the bridge route of Option B and to realign the intersection by ganging the east- and west-bound lanes into a single unifi ed, more conventional intersec-tion with appropriate turn lanes, crosswalks and signaling. This creates a more understood intersection environment, and allows for pe-destrians to cross both lanes of traffi c and the railroad levee in one reduced span. This alter-native also renders the potential of additional development land on the north side of Leon C. Simon Boulevard that could be acquired by the Lake Campus, giving the University a prime position along this major thoroughfare. For the following studies this area was included as part of the SUNO Lake Campus.

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28


Weeks Bridge, Harvard University

Pedestrian Bridge: Precedents Several pedestrian bridge case studies support this recommendation as they indicate that the functional values of safety and connection are oftentimes complimented by those qualitative values of University identity, aesthetic contri-butions and pedestrian experience. The Weeks

Bridge at Harvard University spans the Charles River and connects the original University and its expanded Business School campus. This bridge is a graceful arching structure that em-bodies the aesthetic of this historic campus and is appreciated from both sides as the river bends.

The George S. Eccles Legacy Bridge at the University of Utah is a contemporary suspen-sion structure that spans between a residential sector of the campus and the recreational and main areas of the school. This infrastructure element provides an important and symbolic connection within the organization of the growing university and separates pedestrians, joggers and bicycles from a very busy roadway not unlike Leon C. Simon Boulevard.

The Recreation Center at Ohio State Univer-sity offers an interesting solution to a building connector over a main campus street as it op-erates as a bridge and as an integral piece of the buildings that it joins. Another important characteristic of this connector is that it can be admired from inside of the larger buildings as well, thus it is not a stand alone element and creates a dynamic interaction between level of the bridge and the spaces that it trav-els through. Also, given its dramatic lighting and color effect, it is a horizontal beacon both night and day.



SUNO Master Plan29


George S. Eccles Legacy Bridge, University of Utah

George S. Eccles Legacy Bridge, University of Utah Recreation Center , Ohio State University

Recreation Center , Ohio State University



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30


Zoning Alternatives

vehicular circulation on this west edge, along Leon C. Simon to the south and adjacent to the FBI Headquarters to the east. This pro-vides vehicular access points into the campus entry drop-off on Press Drive and into perime-ter parking and service facilities with vehicular access into the campus reserved for security, emergency, events and maintenance. Once this outside vehicular zone with clearly iden-tifi able access points is established, an under-standable system of pedestrian public spaces is enacted. This system is held together by the primary element of the campus corridor which is made up of the Lake Campus Promenade as an extension of the bridge running north to the Lake Pontchartrain Levee Park and also con-nects to the Park Campus Promenade. This artery unifi es the entire campus and is a spine that runs through or by a series of other quad-rangles, courtyards, gardens and recreational lawns.

Following this circulation framework for the Lake Campus, zoning scenarios based on gen-eral allocations of university program pieces were laid out. These options also refl ect the given desires to have the residential zone to-wards the Lake, the expansion of academics and research towards Leon C. Simon and the Park Campus, and to have recreational and other student life programs more centralized. Zoning Alternative 3 became the basis for the general program distribution and organiza-tional development of the Lake Campus.

LEGEND

Residential

Recreation

Academic

Student Life

Alternative 1

Alternative 2

Alternative 3

Main Pedestrian RouteVehicular Access

Proposed FrameworkOne of the primary planning principles is to maintain a clear distinction between the in-side and the outside of the campus and to re-inforce a set of systems that maintain, to the degree possible, a separation of vehicular and pedestrian circulation. With the extension of Press Drive from the UNO access point up to Lakeshore Drive there became a distinct edge to the west side of the Lake Campus. The rec-ommendation of this plan is to maintain a


Press Drive

Leon C. S

imon Blvd

.

Park Campus

Lake Campus

SUNO Master Plan31


Open Space Systems

LEGEND Building Site Parking

Quadrangles

Recreational Lawns

Press Drive Improvements

Zimmer Plaza, University of Cincinnati

Quad Precedent:

Tulane University

Quad Precedent:

Howard University

Quad Precedent:

Florida A&MOpen Space SystemsThe open space system is based on tradi-tional campus models of centralized quad-rangles with supporting entry plazas, gardens and recreational lawns for passive, active and education related programs. The network of these spaces is choreographed to create a rich and diverse language of environments. Care-ful considerations were given to scale, place-ment and interrelationship. Many examples were evaluated to determine the appropriate sizes of spaces in context of proposed build-ing footprints and heights. Some of the best models were university quads that allowed for multiple functions recreational, cultural and ceremonial all to occur at various times. This is highly recommended as it provides a venue for many important student life experiences to happen in the same heart of the campus, and, utilizes the available land in the most effi cient manner.

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32

Circulation SystemsAs previously discussed, the separation of the vehicular and pedestrian environments was essential to the success of this effort and has been maintained throughout. Another impor-tant aspect of the circulation system is the variety of types and characters of spaces. In this regard, we have proposed that the primary spine running north-south through the cam-pus would be a streetscape environment that would be lined with buildings and offer a more

Pedestrian Main Street


urban, hard, promenade. It could be thought of as a linear plaza and would be made up of paving patterns, fountains, benches, lighting and signage that contributed to this more city-like atmosphere. The spine, as previously cited in these pages, would transform to make the connection up and over the pedestrian bridge. It would be advantageous for the bridge itself to also embody the nature of the spine and op-erate not as a different or separate piece, but as a continuation of the at-grade experience. As

Main Street, University of Cincinnati

LEGEND Building Site Parking

Main Street

Pedestrian Bridge

Iconic Tower

SUNO Master Plan33


Circulation & Access SystemsAlumni Plaza, University of Arizona

LEGEND Pedestrian Circulation

Vehicular Circulation

Campus Entries

Front Doors

Service Access

Building Site

Parking

Open Space

to offer a softer more park-like experience while knitting the lateral places on the campus back to the promenade. Additionally the landscape strategies could reinforce this juxtaposition through the use of plantings, landforms, water elements, materials and detailing. These treat-ments can be a unique feature that reinforces the overall organization of the campus while unifying it through physical conditions, spatial experiences and resulting atmospheres.

the bridge lands in the Park Campus, it would once again transform to an environment simi-lar to the Lake Campus, but would need to ad-just to some of the existing conditions on this campus while remaining primary.

This spine would be complimented and sup-ported by the secondary ribs that travel east-west in both campuses. These circuits would be more similar to traditional quadrangle path-ways of either paving or crushed stone material

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34


Tower: Site Lines

a

bc

a) Downtown | CBD

b) Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

c) Haynes Boulevard Approach

d) East New Orleans I-10 Approach

Lake Campus RecommendationsThe development of the framework for the Lake Campus as depicted in the Illustrative Plan has been based on a programmatic full build out of University needs and projected future requirements based on colleges of similar student and department sizes and missions. This plan as-sumes the desire to maintain a general overall building height of three levels, does not yet incorporate any additional levels to raise buildings out of the FEMA fl ood elevations, and positions all departments that may relocate to the Lake Campus from the existing facilities in the Park Campus. This recommended framework also incorporates the circu-lation and organizational objectives cited in the Planning Principles

Illustrative Plan

d

SUNO Master Plan35


INSERT 3D VIEW OF LAKE CAMPUS &

TOWER & BRIDGE HERE

Tower & Bridge Location Lake Campus 3D View

Tower

Bridge

which are revisited at the end of this section. A tremendous opportunity exists in the develop-ment of a vertical tower building on the Lake Campus given its fl at topography, proximity to Lake Pontchartrain and its position at the in-tersecting bends of Leon C. Simon Boulevard and Press Drive. A tower would mark a posi-tion on the horizon and take advantage of far off views in this case to and from Downtown, the Causeway and across Lake Pontchartrain. It would be a powerful icon in the development

of the new SUNO as a gateway piece coming from every direction and be a collegiate sym-bol from within the Lake Campus grounding its southern edge and the connection to the pedestrian bridge. Perhaps more signifi cantly would be the presence of this building from the Park Campus itself. This mental and visual connection between the Lake and Park Cam-puses offers a decidedly important solution to the current dilemma associated with having two very separate areas within one university.

While the proposed full build out of the Lake Campus has yet to be grounded with a project-ed programmatic and facilities verifi cation for expansion and future growth, it is the intention of this framework to provide a skeleton vision. Thus a symbolic tower component is strongly recommended for this pivotal site and would serve as a cornerstone of the University iden-tity for decades to come.

SUNO Master Plan

36


Lake Campus: Phase 1 Lake Campus: Full Build-OutLake Campus: Framework Overlay

Lake Campus and second was that they were on sites that currently were unoccupied by the temporary trailer campus. The following dia-grams illustrate how these three building sites (designated in orange) simultaneously fi t in between the existing trailers and are the fi rst pieces of the puzzle of the framework in the full build-out of the Lake Campus. It should go without saying that the phasing in of these three buildings is a critical step in the success of the implementation of the SUNO Master

Plan as they will reinforce the ground rules and become examples that stress the importance of the plan and the validity of its principles and recommendations.

Phasing: Lake CampusThere were three primary building sites that needed to be determined: 1) the School of Social Work 2) the Business School and 3) the Information Technology Center. Each of these proposed new buildings will house ap-proximately 20,000 square feet of departmen-tal program on three levels. These sites were to be located with two critical factors in mind. The fi rst was that they were located within the zoning areas for academic expansion on the

1

3 2

SUNO Master Plan37


Future Site

Campus Entry | Drop-Off

Business School

SUNO Bridge to Park Campus

Future Site(academic | recreational)

Student Parking Garage(with recreation above)

Recreational Lawn

Future Site (academic | research)

Academic Quad

Information Technology Center

School of Social Work

Visitor Parking

Future Tower Site

Existing Housing

Lake Campus Promenade

Realigned Intersection

Lake Campus: Site Program

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38


Live Oak Understory

Park Campus RecommendationsThe existing Park Campus suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Katrina and is, at the writing of this document, in the process of slowly managing the re-occupation of the facilities. This planning assignment was directed to look beyond the immediate future of these facilities and the related programs to establish a vision for developing a campus expansion strategy that would compliment the emergence of the Lake Campus and provide a similar assumption about how to reinforce the attributes of the Park Campus.

There were three key elements that developed during the planning process for the Park Campus. The fi rst was to make the arrival into

Illustrative Plan

SUNO Master Plan39


INSERT 3D VIEW OF PARK CAMPUS HERE

Live Oak Alley Park Campus 3D View

this campus from Press Drive more memo-rable and beautiful and to satisfy the existing drop-off, minimal parking and turn-around needs. This functional operation was joined with the aspiration to connect Pontchartrain Park landscape atmosphere onto the campus. The entire Press Drive edge is proposed to be recreated as an extension of the Pontchartrain Park to give the sense of passing through a densely canopied conventional New Orleans boulevard. This setting is accentuated with a new arrival court and water feature. The next

opportunity to enrich the Park Campus is the potential real estate acquisition of the two resi-dential blocks to the southwest. With this ex-pansion the University can provide additional, consolidated parking for this campus and de-velop potential building sites surrounding a new south quadrangle. This would act as the extension of the existing open space system of this campus and the proposed Park Campus promenade. The third item of this framework would be to address the western edge of the campus along the railroad levee and to provide

a protective landscape and develop a better streetscape environment by reducing parking and consolidate servicing areas.

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40


Park Campus: Existing Park Campus: Phase 1 Park Campus: Full Build-Out

Phasing: Park Campus As there were no immediate building or open space programs that required siting or phas-ing in on the Park Campus, it was determined that a general phasing strategy should be pro-posed. It would be the recommendation of the Planning Team to focus fi rst on the perim-eter landscape condition and arrival court on Press Drive. This would offer a new front and refresh the identity of SUNO along the edge of Pontchartrain Park. This effort would also

not interfere in any way with the ongoing re-oc-cupation of the buildings within the campus. The other piece within the Park Campus that could be initiated in the near-term would be to incorporate the improvements along the rail-road levee. The intent here would be to remedi-ate the noise and upgrade the visual environ-ment on this side of the campus, improve the service and vehicular systems and anticipate both the post-Katrina renovations of the cam-pus buildings and a future that might include

the development to the south of the two resi-dential blocks that are currently severely under utilized. As both of these fi rst step projects would not be building-related, but open space development and improvement initiatives, it would be important for them to be addressed as Landscape Architecture projects and not as operations or maintenance efforts. This will ensure that the open space character of the Park Campus is given as much consideration as the buildings and reinforces the intent of the Master Plan.

SUNO Master Plan41

Railroad LeveeImprovements

SUNO Bridgeto Lake Campus

Park CampusPromenade

Existing Quad Improvements

Academic Quad

Future Site(academic | research)

Surface Parking

Student Parking Garage

Existing CampusEntry | Drop-off

Press DriveLandscape Improvements

Pontchartrain Park

Future Site (academic | research)


Park Campus: Site Program

SUNO Master Plan

42


Lake Pontchartrain

Pontchartrain

Park

1. Capitalize on the natural assets of Lake Pontchartrain and Pontchartrain Park. The renaming of the two campuses as Park and Lake exemplifi es this and is supported with the arrival proposal on Press Drive across from the Park, the tower building which would have views of the Lake and the north-south openness of the Lake Campus to the housing and the Lake levee beyond.

PLANNING PRINCIPLES IMPLEMENTATION

The following illustrations reinforce that the goals of the principles have been incorporated and built upon on numerous levels and scales. This inherently resulted in a series of solutions that embodied and overlapped more than one objective and created a rich master plan for SUNO.

2. Create a safe and secure campus environ-mentThis goal was met with a clear separation of inside the campus pedestrian environments and outside the campus functions such as parking courts, vehicular circulation and a strong perimeter identity. A critical item is the proposal of the pedestrian bridge between the Lake Campus and the Park Campus for safety as well as security concerns.

SUNO Master Plan43


Tower

Quadrangles

Bridge

Press Street Improvements

Press Drive

Leon C. S

imon Blvd

.

Park Campus

Lake Campus

3. Maintain a functional separation of pedes-trian and vehicular environments. The vehicular environments including visi-tor parking and entry drop-offs are accom-modated outside of the pedestrian circulation system on the interior of the campus. The in-terface between these two systems is resolved through gateway devices of driving courts that mark the vehicular arrival locations for both the Park and Lake Campuses. The pedestrian bridge also maintains a clear separation.

5. Provide a clear framework for fl exible cam-pus growth over time as needs evolve. This is best shown in the phasing of the fi rst building sites for the Business School, the School of Social Work and the Information Technology Center, where the proposed sites are placed within the zoning construct of the campus, fi t within the future full build-out strategy, and works within the constraints of the interim trailer campus.

4. Create a strong campus identity. This is accomplished on several different lev-els. First is the introduction of the pedestrian bridge between the two campuses, second is the inclusion of a vertical building at the corner of the Lake Campus, third is the development of a rich landscape along Press Drive to estab-lish the arrival into the Park Campus from the south, and lastly, is the campus promenade that unifi es the public experience throughout the entire university.

SUNO Master Plan

Introduction

Proposed Projects

Programing Park Campus

Redistribution Process

Guideline Development

44

45

47

47

48

VI. NEXT STEPS

SUNO Master Plan

45

Through a series Master Plan Committee Meetings, Surveys and Interviews several pro-gram items were discovered. This list began as a wish list and was developed into a practical list of future structure that when developed will help SUNO fulfi ll its long and short term visions ultimately enhancing the educational experience of the campus. SUNO is progres-sively growing and changing it is important that the Master Plan allows the university to utilize its existing land to accommodate for this growth.Several projects have already been identifi ed and schedule for implementation in the next few months. These project will be used to de-velop the frame work of the plan. The Master Plan also allows for these projects to expand as the University grows. The addition of on cam-pus housing will aid the SUNO in its expan-sion this is why campus housing became a pri-ority for the university. The on campus housing development is currently being designed by others and is not a part of this planning effort, however a location for its placement has been identifi ed. The faculty and staff directed the design team on clearly defi ning the list of proposed projects and the functionality of each building. The project list is as follows:Student Housing - Housing should accom-modate 750 students. A clear separation of traditional and non-tradition students should be identifi ed.

NEXT STEPS

SUNO Master Plan46

ized training in all areas of criminal justice.Fitness and Wellness Center - The fi tness and wellness center will allow the University to of-fer healthy living practices as well as provide recreational opportunities.

Technology / Science Center - This department will offer students state of art technology train-

School of Business - The School of Business should be developed as an offi ce building pro-viding class room space as well as conference rooms equipped with the latest technology. The goal is to allow student to learn business in the same environment that they will practice it.

School of Social Work - this departments de-sire is to meet the needs of the community as a whole and to give student the opportunity to develop skill that can be applied in the rebuild-ing of their city.

University Center - The University center will be a place for the Faculty, Staff and Students to gather. Building should be an Iconic struc-ture used to help maintain SUNOs physical identity.

Museum - Through the years the University has developed a collection of local and interna-tional art and artifacts it is important that these treasures be shared with the community.

Family Literacy Center - SUNOs has developed a goal to educate people at all levels. This cen-ter would be a service to the community that allows families to learn together.

Criminal Justice Center - SUNO has state of the art DNA testing equipment and is located ad-jacent to the FBI building. The Criminal justice center would allow students to receive special-

ing. Other notable projects:Conference Center Testing CenterHotel Lab SchoolDay Care Parking StructureCampus Book StoreBusiness IncubatorResearch and Development

SUNO Master Plan

47

NEXT STEPS Lake Campus

1. Existing Housing *2. School of Social Work3. Future Site (Academic / recreational)4. Student Parking Garage (with recreation above)5. Visitor Parking6. Recreational Lawn7. Future Site8. Future Site (Academic / research)9. Lake Campus Promenade10. Camp Entry / Drop-Off11. Academic Quad12. Business School13. Information / Technology Center14. Future Tower Site15. Realigned Intersection16. Suno Connection To Park Campus

Park Campus

17. Existing Building18. Future Academic Building19. Student Parking Garage

* Housing design provided by others not includedin master plan scope.

Suno Campus Plan legend

SUNO Master Plan48

Suno Campus Plan

SUNO Master Plan

49

INTRODUCTION

This Master Plan Document is intended to be a tool to aid the future development of both the Park and the Lake campuses the imple-mentation of these next steps will help ensure that the framework of the Master Plan is de-veloped.

1. Develop Documentation and Evaluation ofThe Park Campus Facilities

Assessments of the structures damaged by the hurricanes Katrina and Rita are needed to give guidance on usable square footage, de-sign opportunities and in service dates. The documentation of the damaged properties will give the university the ability to develop a pro-gram for the Park Campus based on a time line created in this evaluation.

2. Develop a Working Program for Park Cam-pus

The development of a programing guidelines for the reentry of the Park Campus is a neces-sary tool as the universities transitions from the temporary facilities on the Lake Campus back to the renovated structures on the Park Campus. These guidelines will give the Uni-versity the ability to balance the placement of academic programs.

Park Campus Vicinity Map Existing Temporary Facility Suno Campus Plan

NEXT STEPS

SUNO Master Plan50

3. Develop Process for the Redistribution ofPrograms in Park Campus

The redistribution of the academic programs is a process that should identify the needs of the Faculty, Staff and Students and guide the reno-vations to the structures on the park campus. The transition process will take 2-3 years this process will balance the distribution of pro-grams on the Lake Campuses new structures and the Park campuses renovated structures.

4. Develop Building Standards for both Futureand Existing Facilities

Building standards will help ensure that the in-tegrity of the University is maintained from the Park Campus to the Lake Campus. These stan-dards should address the Universities commit-ment to a pedestrian campus. The newly devel-oped structures should also maintain a level of sensitivity to the surrounding communities. These standards will address building heights, materials, architectural articulation, and color.

5. Develop Open space Guidelines for bothPark and Lake Campuses

Open space guidelines will ensure that green spaces are utilized to enhance the experience on campus. The guidelines allow the open space to give character and distinction to the campus giving the campus its identity. Park-ing, Recreational spaces and exterior gather-ing places should be defi ned in the guidelines. These guidelines will incorporate the natural amenities identifi ed in the Master Plan. The University desires to take the lead on the rede-velopment of the Joseph M. Bartholomew, Sr. Memorial Golf Course.

NEXT STEPS

Proposed Press Corridor

Existing Press Corridor

SU Baton Rouge Campus Dorm SU Baton Rouge Open Space