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WHATS UP IN NEW DEVELOPMENT
If you've been gone over the summer, or are just arriving to
town for the first time, it's a different place than it was a mere
three months ago. Several major construction projects have
been wrapping up around campus (some elsewhere, too), and
quite a few more have started.
Campus Rundown: One of the most impressive areas to finally
see complete is the new "Georgia Quad" in front of the
Student Learning Center and the new Tate Center expansion.
The Old section of Baxter Street that ran through there has
been removed and replaced with a pedestrian corridor. A lot
of Work went into saving the trees there, most of which are at
least two feet in diameter. The engineering necessary to keep
those trees paid off, creating a canopy over this quad which
would have otherwise taken 30 years to grow in. Plenty of new
trees are joining these old ones, both on the quad and on the
green roof which extends over the parking deck at Tate II.
Parking Decks, Frat Houses...: UGA's East Campus has seen a
few new structures added as well. Two new parking decks have
sprung up, one near the Performing and Visual Arts Center,
and the other at the intramural fields. The expansion of the
Georgia Museum of Art is underway too. The most noticeable
impact in the area is the collection of new fraternity houses
above River Road. These monstrosities sit at the top of a steep
bank over the river, and are each easily four stories including
foundations and rooftops. Add to that an eclectic mix of poorly
rendered architectural styles, and you've got one big mess.
There are no large trees to mask these buildings from River
Road, and the other side isn't much better: rather than a green
crescent reminiscent of the University of Maryland, we've got
a parking lot, with one building at an odd angle in the center.
Whoops? Maybe we should have let fraternities build off cam
pus after all; the new Kappa Alpha house is slightly less objec
tionable simply because it isn't on such a marginal site.
Wedged in on steep terrain between East Campus and River roads, UGA’s new fraternity house park is disappointing from a development standpoint.
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The quad has yet to see much student use yet, with most
summer activity limited to orientation; it will be interesting
to see how students treat this space once they're back here in
force. In particular, the central steps in front of the SLC have
no path extending out across the lawn, making them more like
seats. Eventually, the area will develop its own natural set of
customs, lounging spots and use patterns. This will be in stark
contrast to the interior of the Tate Center addition, where
someone had the idea of roping off an image of the Arch on
the floor, trying to forcibly create a tradition to match the leg
ends surrounding the actual Arch. It's an interesting thought,
but comes off as tacky—and the ropes practically block the
front door. Nobody 100 years ago decided that there would be
a superstition for the Arch; it was a bit more organic.
Elsewhere at UGA: Below the new Lamar Dodd School of Art
building, the banks of Stinky Creek have been cleared out,
removing much of the privet and other invasive plants that
choked it. The area looks great now. If you don't know, Chinese
privet, the plant used for Sanford Stadium's hedges, is the
same one that destroys millions of acres of our native forests
as an invasive plant.
Over on Lumpkin Street, the University has ju^t torn down
the Benson Building. The spot will soon be home to a new
formal garden, complementing the existing ones which sur
round the Treanor House next door. The Benson Building was in
bad shape, but I personally thought its old-storefront look was
an interesting little historical quirk. Renovating it for a coffee-
shop or moving a function like the Creamery to it could have
been a great way to take advantage of the commercial nature
of the structure. Across the street, the UGA track has been
completely ripped up for renovations, and an addition to the
Athletic Association's Butts-Mehre Hall is on the way.
Downtown Updates: Moving off campus, downtown is looking
a bit bluer these days. The Georgia Theatre is certainly in a
sad state, although the fact that it's still standing leaves me
in an optimistic mood. Although we're all rooting for a Theatre
restored to its former glory inside the existing walls (as is the
owner's plan), if that ends up being unfeasible it would still
be interesting to see the historic shell preserved. Perhaps it
could even become an outdoor courtyard amphitheater; there's
already an excellent example of an old brick shell.being used
this way at the Chase Street Park Warehouses.
Several nearby storefronts have gotten new coats of paint
this summer, blue literally being the color of choice on Clayton
Street. These include Masada and its neighbor one. door to the
right, plus Tena's Jewelry, which has replaced Foster's down the
street. Farmer's Hardware, an apartment building for several
years now, has had its old name painted on out front, giving
it a little more retro look. Even the building that's home to
Flagpole HQ is getting some gray accents, calling out the fine
historic masonry. As a final note on signs and painting, the
Daily Co-op is working on its carrot and apple signs; they may
be replaced or moved. I'm a big fan of these (and not the only
one), and I hope they stick around. It is encouraging to see
. local businesses sprucing up their exteriors in this economic
climate and making Athens sparkle. These downtown buildings
are soon to gain another neighbor, with a new mid-rise at 141
E. Broad St. finally winning approval from ACC Commissioners;
that four-story building will replace the parking lot on Broad
next to University Tower across from UGA's North Campus.
Meanwhile, the summer has seen construction completed on
the new Hotel Indigo along College Avenue on the north side
of downtown.
Kevan Williams athensrising@flagpole.com
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