This November, the Campus Center building is set to be completely demolished in order to begin construction on an all new academic building and surrounding exterior redesigns. With the site being blocked off for construction, the Pride Walk will be left closed for the next two years.
“This is beyond challenging,” says Vice President of Administration, Jeremy Ross. “. . . no one wants to close any of those areas, quite frankly.”
The construction is projected to start in January 2024 and end sometime around January 2026. Due to the location of the building, the only way to move equipment and materials to the site would be via the Pride Walk. This is why the decision was made to block it off. However, new concrete sidewalks will be conveniently added to the surrounding areas before the closure, in order to make new pathways for students to get through that area of campus easily.
Ross explained that he is prioritizing making the area look as pleasing as possible during construction, so as to not take away from the overall look of campus.
The closure of the Pride Walk is a buzzing topic around campus, with many students noting their disappointment. The Pride Walk being a “tradition” is a popular comment, which has led to rumors of potentially finding ways to create a new tradition at least for the next two years.
The pride walk itself was originally a roadway that became unused over time as the university underwent construction. It was then that the choice to repurpose it through the yearly Preview painting was made.
When asked about the traditions connected to the Pride Walk, Ross expressed interest in hearing from students and faculty directly about ideas for making the most of the next two years.
“I hope, even though there will be a disruption, when people walk by, they will see the renderings on the fences, maybe even some quotes or branding,” says Ross. “And it will build excitement, there will be curiosity.”
Ross made note that this will be the first time the university has gotten a new academic building in decades. With the arrival of this new building will also come more outdoor spaces for students to use, new areas for potential campus businesses, and a building design that incorporates collaborative spaces. This will also kick off phase two of the remodel to the university commons.
“I believe students are going to be pleasantly delighted and surprised, faculty as well,” says Ross.
