Saturday the 5th

Campus Planning and Space Allocation

Approved by CPSA on 13 Nov 2007

Valparaiso University
Campus Master Plan - Executive Summary

The Vision of Master Planning at Valparaiso University

     In its 1996 report to President Harre, the Campus Planning and Space Allocation Committee described a “learning community” as one that supports all its members in developing a strong sense of mutual purpose, trust, and welcoming. This community, the report maintained, is supported by an environment that demonstrates a central focus on learning, a clear sense of place, a perceptible emphasis on residential character, and a concern for welcoming those who are unfamiliar with the spaces.

     The concept of “place affects mission” captures the idea that decisions about place should be made with the mission in mind – Valparaiso University, a community of learning dedicated to excellence and grounded in the Lutheran tradition of scholarship, freedom, and faith, prepares students to lead and serve in both church and society. The Campus Master Plan then is a physical manifestation of the University's mission that aims to make Valparaiso University a hospitable learning environment for all. The Campus Master Plan was adopted by the University Board of Directors in April 1997.

The Campus Master Plan

Guiding Principles
• Strengthen the connection between faith and learning.
• Enhance Valpo’s community environment and residential character.
• Provide a sense of tradition and elegance that is welcoming to all.
• Provide definition to the academic, residential, and recreational districts of campus.

General Campus Attributes
• Ample open spaces and significant architectural elements that develop the groundwork for a memorable campus.
• 320 acres allow Valpo to move parking and vehicular traffic to the periphery while creating a pedestrian-friendly campus.
• The internal and external campus image improved with the simple organization of its open spaces.

Specific Recommendations from Plan Developers Hammel Green and Abrahamson (HGA)
• Use strong natural site advantages to better define open spaces.
• Create a distinctive campus entry that announces arrival on campus as well as orients and welcomes visitors.
• Define a center or heart of campus and organize features around it.
• Create a pedestrian campus and locate parking to the periphery.
• Provide an identity to the West Campus (law school).
• Reduce and prioritize the entries on the northern edge of campus.
• Acquire property that compromises the sense of unity associated with a private university and breaks down campus boundaries.
• Reduce isolation and safety concerns of the Eastgate athletics district.
• Organize recreational fields and informal recreational spaces.
• Organize outdoor spaces to reduce impact of campus vastness and to create comfortable community spaces.
• Integrate buildings to their exterior spaces.
• Develop a common approach to signage and landscaping.
• Provide well-defined, marked, and lighted pedestrian and vehicular paths.

The Districting Concept

     HGA developed a Districting Concept for the campus. The plan organizes the campus into districts of activity and ensures that the preeminent position of the Chapel of the Resurrection will remain over time. The Academic, Residential, and Athletics and Recreation Districts radiate from the Chapel and core district, each reinforcing Valparaiso University's foundation of faith and learning.

     The Chapel is the heart of campus. The Campus Core District then comprises those facilities with the most significance to the campus community as well as to visitors – the Center for the Arts, the Christopher Center for Library and Information Resources, and the Valparaiso Union. These major facilities are connected by a landscaped Chapel Plaza.

     Surrounding the Campus Core is the Academic District. This area comprises the majority of teaching facilities and lies between the Chapel and the residence halls. Edging the Academic District to the north and southwest is the Residential District. Through a careful phasing process, the Athletics and Recreation District moves from Eastgate across from Sturdy Road and is reunited with the main part of campus.

     An open space link is developed for West (Old) Campus. The pedestrian and vehicular-way developed along Mound Street is the main connection between the two campuses. Centered on the Valpo Law facility –Wesemann Hall – the open space link provides a visual link east to West Campus. To the north of the space, housing targeted to those who prefer an alternative to the residence hall experience, or to graduate students, will be woven into the neighborhood pattern and scale.

A. Master Plan Strategies
1. Maintain the Chapel of the Resurrection as the spiritual heart and ceremonial center of the campus.
2. Formulate a cohesive clustering of academic buildings in the Academic District that surrounds the Chapel.
3. Create a Campus Residential District that embraces the Academic District, including special interest and sorority and fraternity housing.
4. Develop an Athletics District on the main campus in order to bring sports and recreational activities to central campus.
5. Establish a Heritage Square (West Campus) in order to organize Wesemann and Heritage Halls, plus reserve a building site to the north.
6. Move parking lots outside of the Academic District.
7. Create a unified wayfinding and signage program to guide vehicles and pedestrians.
8. Develop new site elements to form a distinctive sense of place:
    - Outdoor seating areas
    - Landscaping and plantings
    - Attractive paving
    - Improved lighting
    - Clearly marked campus entrances
9. Identify “no build zones” in order to protect the ravines along the southern edge and Resurrection Meadow on the south side of the Chapel.
10. Develop an arboretum to mark the southern-most edge of property between Mound and Linwood Streets and the rail corridor.
11. Attention to life cycle costs for physical assets.
12. Enhance campus safety and security through lighting, emergency phone upgrades, and surveillance cameras.
13. Ensure ADA access for students, faculty/staff, and visitors.

B. Strategies by Districts

This section summarizes the general planning strategies of the current phase of the Campus Master Plan. No specific timeframe has been designated for each initiative. Implementation of the comprehensive wayfinding and the signage plan is ongoing.

     The Campus Core District

• Develop a water feature.
• Upgrade the Chapel; meet ADA accessibility standards.
• Add a concert hall to the VU Center for the Arts.
• Develop a Chapel Commons linking the new Union, Chapel and Center for the Arts.
• Construct an attractive road along the west side of the new Union into the center of campus to serve as a drop off for guests to the Union, Chapel and Christopher Center.
• Further upgrade the Chapel plaza, around the Campanile as well as the sidewalk on south side of the Chapel to Kretzmann Hall.

1. Planned – Pending Funding

2. Active Construction
• Construct a new Valparaiso Union.
• For summer 2008, rebuild the parking lot (P13A) on the north side of the new Union.

3. Completed
• Constructed the Christopher Center for Learning and Information Resources. (2004)
• Demolished the former library structure.
• Created a labyrinth on the east side of the Chapel. (2005)
• Brought historic student bridge back to campus. ( 2005)

     The Academic District

• Develop a water feature.
• Review appropriate use for renovation of the former Union structure.
• Bring College of Nursing to the central part of campus.
• Plan for a new academic building.
• Build an addition to Mueller Hall, the Christ College building.

1. Planned – Pending Funding
• Renovate and construct Neils Science Center addition.
• Renovate and construct Gellersen Center addition.
• Bring Department of Education to the central part of campus.

2. Active Construction
3. Completed
• Completed new campus entrance to the south and the new Chapel Drive west to the Christopher Center and east to the Torch entrance. (2005)
• Renovated Schnabel Hall for Department of Communication.(2005)
• Constructed Kallay-Christopher Hall for the Department of Geography and Meteorology. (2005)
• Torch entrance structure removed. (2006)
• Kelsey’s restaurant demolished. (2006)
• Rebuilt the parking lot (P1 & P2) on the south side of Kretzmann, Meier, and Gellersen Halls and added parking spots. (2006)
• Installed Doppler radar tower. (2007)
• Eliminated old Chapel Drive from the Chapel to the Center for the Arts. (2007)
• Installed kiosks with campus maps along the sidewalks. (2007)

     The Residential District

• Continue the process to upgrade the LaPorte Avenue residence halls.
• Plan for one or more new residence halls and apartment buildings.
• Plan for a second multi-level parking ramp.
• Review Student Housing assessment.
• Continue north Chapel Drive from the new Union west.
• Develop a well-defined campus entrance on the north side (at Scheele Hall).

1. Planned – Pending Funding
• Advance north Chapel Drive from Gellersen to campus entrance west of Scheele Hall.
• Continue upgrades to Guild-Memorial parking lot.

2. Active Construction
3. Completed
• Constructed Kade-Duesenberg German House and Cultural Center. (2002)
• Converted 808 Union and 805 Linwood apartments to storage. (2004)
• Demolished University Park and Linwood apartment structures. (2005)
• Demolished Greenwich Apartments. (2006)
• Continued new Chapel Drive from the Christopher Center to the Guild-Memorial parking lot (P43). (2006)
• Updated landscaping in Guild-Memorial courtyard. (2006)

• Constructed multi-level parking ramp (P Ramp 8). (2007)
• Rebuilt parking lot (P21) between the Union and Mueller and closed the drive from the north. (2007)
• Reconfigured Guild-Memorial parking lot (P43). (2007)

     The Athletics and Recreation District

• Continue the process to upgrade recreational fields, including space at Eastgate.
• Add a Field House to the ARC.
• Bring Eastgate athletic and recreational fields to the main campus.

1. Planned – Pending Funding
• Renovate former Bookstore building for recreational sports use.
• Renovate Brown Field with artificial turf for football and soccer.
• Add a track complex to Brown Field.

2. Active Construction
3. Completed
• Added softball field to main campus. (2002)
• Created intramural/recreation fields. (2002)
• Created new parking lot (P14) on south side of Softball Field and Tennis Complex. (2003)
• Moved and upgraded tennis facilities. (2006)
• Converted old tennis courts on north side of Athletics Recreation Center to parking (P33). (2006)

     West Campus

• Develop plaza connecting Wesemann and Heritage Halls.
• Consider development of an Arboretum on the southernmost edge of the property.
• Develop Open Space Link along Mound Street in order to connect the two campuses.

1. Planned – Pending Funding
• Renovate Heritage Hall.
• Demolish former Housekeeping site.

2. Active Construction

3. Completed
• Constructed Facilities Management center. (2006)

     Infrastructure

1. Planned – Pending Funding
• Voice/data ductbank to west campus.
• Expand emergency power.
• Expand use of fire alarms.
• Enhance emergency communication system using ductbank and wireless speakers.

2. Active Construction

3. Completed
• Campus substation upgrade. (2006)
• Campus power distribution. (2006)
• Natural gas system upgrade. (2006)
• Voice and data ductbank. (2007)
• Storm water system upgrade. (2006)
• Water main upgrade. (2006)
• Sanitary sewer system upgrade. (2006)

 

C. City of Valparaiso

The University highly values the partnership that exists with its hometown and that is mutually beneficial to both parties. Valparaiso University works with the City of Valparaiso to:

• Participate in plans to develop an Eastgate entrance to the City of Valparaiso at the intersection of LaPorte Avenue, Lincolnway, and Sturdy Road.
• Partner with NIPSCO to develop new substation beneficial to the University and City of Valparaiso.
• Acquire strategically located property near campus.
• Encourage development of shops, restaurants, and service facilities that cater to student needs, located near the campus.
• Participate in City and Porter County discussions regarding local and regional transportation.

D. Master Plan Management
The Valparaiso University Campus Planning and Space Allocation Committee has been guided by the following objectives:

1. Maintain integrity of the Campus Master Plan.
2. Encourage forward movement of the Plan.
3. Evaluate and prioritize requests for changes to the physical campus environment.
4. Ensure campus spaces are used effectively.
5. Advance sustainability.
6. Protect long-term community interests over short-term individual constituency desires.

With the assistance of Naughton & Associates Inc., the University implemented a new parking plan in 1999. Parking lots are designated faculty/staff, resident students, commuter, and visitor. In addition, the Naughton plan contains a signage and wayfinding programs that included a hierarchy of signage type and use of signs, signage priorities, inventory of existing signage, and the establishment of a preliminary message plan with signage locations. Designs for both interior and exterior signs were developed. A benefactor recognition program has also been established.

Campus Planning and Space Allocation Committee Approved Procedures

Signage and Wayfinding

Valparaiso University Planning Consultants

Valparaiso University Master Plan Map

Valparaiso University Campus Map