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Post by bbtds on Jun 6, 2009 21:25:32 GMT -5
Across from Trails, next to the Credit Union/whatever bank its called now. What is Trails, by the way? It's Trail Inn Liquors. And that tells you a lot about what I used to do when a student. :-) |
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Post by vuweathernerd on Jun 7, 2009 13:41:52 GMT -5
you say that like it's a bad thing.  |
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Post by 78crusader on Jun 7, 2009 19:17:31 GMT -5
Just returned from a visit to campus. I get to come back maybe twice a year. One of the advantages of infrequent visits is that the changes that have taken place since your last visit kind of jump out at you.
Okinawa, you mentioned you really dislike the old curb that is still visible just south and east of the new union. It is a remnant of the old Chapel Drive. You encouraged us to contact Facilities Management to encourage them to get rid of it.
Well, I called Facilities Management. Here is what they told me: When the old Chapel Drive was taken out, it was decided to leave the curb in there since the new president was about to take over and they wanted to find out if there would be unexpected traffic patterns with the new union and the removal of Chapel Drive; if so, the new president could then decide to have Chapel Drive put back in.
I take this explanation at face value, even though it seems to me that taking out the curb in the first place wouldn't be that big a deal from a cost standpoint, even if the road was put back in later. By the way, it doesn't sound like that will ever happen. More likely, from the sound of things, a new "Chapel Commons" area will be put in at that location, and the curb will be removed at that time. I think there are plans for this, including a water feature. Those of us who are of a certain age will remember the water feature at the old Moellering Library. I always liked it.
Here is my list of observations from my walk around campus this morning:
1. The new fitness center is going to be nicer than I thought;
2. The new apartments on Lincolnway have a long way to go if they are to be occupied by the start of school (the developer must agree, since there was a crew of carpenters working at 7:30 this morning);
3. These apartments are very nice, judging from the facade; at least one of the buildings is all brick, something you don't see very much of nowadays;
4. The north side of East Lincolnway is still a disaster, a blight, an eyesore, whatever you wish to call it, and I think all of the improvements made on the south side of the street won't have the kind of impact they should as the north side looks like it does;
5. The area south of Wehrenberg and north of Christopher Kallay Hall is really nice, in some respects the nicest part of campus;
6. Okinawa, the sidewalks on campus aren't all that bad; in many instances they have been replaced and look quite nice. My own pet peeve with VU is the old gym. Two or three years ago the windows along the south side were redone and they look great. The bad part is that the windows along the west side and southwest corner were not redone and these, I will bet anyone associated with VU, were last painted before my freshman year in 1974. They are a total disgrace and I just can't understand why the administration doesn't do anything about it. The cost could not be much more than $25,000 to finish the job;
7. The union, as has been said many, many times before, is spectacular;
8. So is the library;
9. Scheele, Lankenau, Alumni and Brandt are showing their age and Huegli Hall, I'm afraid, has to go;
10. The VU board has really made all the right decisions in upgrading this campus. There are many needs but, in my opinion, they have addressed the most pressing concerns first and have the right priority list (Engineering addition, new English/History/Education building, Neils renovation) for the near future. If we can make the same strides in the next 10 years that we've made in the last 10, this campus will be something.
Sorry for this long post. Paul
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Post by okinawatyphoon on Jun 7, 2009 20:10:43 GMT -5
Thanks Paul, for asking Facilities Management about the curb and for your analysis of the campus. That is not the explanation I received from FM, but that was a while ago. Either way, with our current financial problems, a water feature and the "Chapel Commons" area doesn't seem to be high on the priority list. If that is the case, I don't know why they don't just remove the curb and finish seeding the area for great.
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Post by valpo89 on Jun 10, 2009 14:48:18 GMT -5
The Wheel was at Garfield and Lincolnway as I recall. It has been closed for a couple of years now. Any improvement to the campus end of Lincolnway wil be a major gain. There are still lots of dumpy properties at that end. The Big Wheel was at the corner of Lincolnway and Roosevelt. The southeast corner, to be precise. Horizon Bank is now in that spot, and the building looks very nice. The new apartments are being built on land formerly occupied by Rouch's TV, the small building that housed George's Barber Shop, Homer Court and the gas station. The tanning/laundromat is further east on Lincolnway, two lots before you get to the Jimmy John's and then King Gyro's and Family Express. |
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Post by agibson on Jun 11, 2009 13:31:54 GMT -5
The gas station in question had been closed for... at least ten years?
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Post by vuweathernerd on Jun 11, 2009 15:44:47 GMT -5
The gas station in question had been closed for... at least ten years? the old shell station at roosevelt and lincolnway, across from the bank? that's been gone for a while. even the underground fuel tanks have been dug from, my understanding. |
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Post by valpo89 on Jun 11, 2009 16:06:26 GMT -5
There was another gas station next to the barbershop on the same side of the street. It had been closed for a long time as well. Overall, I like what's happening over there. They need to get rid of the crappy apartments on the corner of LaPorte and Roosevelt (the ones behind the current Horizon Bank), and then that area will really look good.
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Post by 78crusader on Jun 11, 2009 17:12:36 GMT -5
Can anyone who lives in the area tell me what the city has in mind for the lot right across from the old Big Wheel location? That space has been empty for at least 25 years and is a huge eyesore. I think it used to be the location for some sort of large discount store. The work the city has done on East Lincolnway is impressive, but it is overshadowed, I think, by this large, unattractive vacant lot. Can't something be done about it?
Paul
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Post by okinawatyphoon on Jun 11, 2009 17:24:03 GMT -5
Can anyone who lives in the area tell me what the city has in mind for the lot right across from the old Big Wheel location? That space has been empty for at least 25 years and is a huge eyesore. I think it used to be the location for some sort of large discount store. The work the city has done on East Lincolnway is impressive, but it is overshadowed, I think, by this large, unattractive vacant lot. Can't something be done about it? Paul While I'm not really a local, I've monitored the local newspapers and economic development in the city pretty closely over the past year or two, and I haven't heard of any plans. I just wish that the Porter's Vale shopping center could be located on that lot instead of out by IN-49. The city needs to fix and fill in what it has, not continue to spread out IMO. |
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Post by vuweathernerd on Jun 11, 2009 19:30:21 GMT -5
Can anyone who lives in the area tell me what the city has in mind for the lot right across from the old Big Wheel location? That space has been empty for at least 25 years and is a huge eyesore. I think it used to be the location for some sort of large discount store. The work the city has done on East Lincolnway is impressive, but it is overshadowed, I think, by this large, unattractive vacant lot. Can't something be done about it? Paul can't speak for the building itself. but the parking lot is used by hospital staff as an auxiliary lot. |
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