Eastern Illinois University's Campus Master Plan
Comments on the Master Plan?
Comments
It seems to me that 4th St between Lincoln and Grant should be viewed as part of the University. Yet auto drivers treat it as an ordinary city street and procede at speed limits not appropriate for University activites. I would suggest some blinking lights and a cross walk to alert drivers that they are now in a university setting. I mentioned this to the mayor and his response was that there is nothing on the other side of the street. Those who walk to the Alumni office, Booth House, the Honors Office, the parking lot behind the Honors office, to the apartments west of campus, and to Jerry's restaurant think otherwise. It's just a thought.
Please include bike paths in the master plan. This would help with the obesity of students, parking problems, transportation costs, and oil usage.
Many universities have outside areas where engineering/technology projects and assignment may be constructed/manufactured and displayed. The parking lot north of Klehm Hall that is currently used as a construction staging area would be a perfect location for this. What would be required to present this to be part of the master plan?
It has been discussed that the new science building would be LEED-certified at a certain level. I might suggest that in these financially trying times that the building be built LEED-certifiable, but not certified as such until after construction if monies become available for such certification. The actual certification adds costs onto the initial project that could be easily delayed until funds become more available. The "savings" from the delayed certification would allow a larger science building at the start. This would also be true of any new building being considered.
Hopefully the master plan will realize and discuss the need for a ‘property acquisition reserve’ to be built up so that when strategic property becomes available, precious and already inadequate parking maintenance funding is not sacrificed to buy the properties.
