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I passed through BG this weekend and stopped by campus and noticed a few changes around campus. Sorry to repeat any that may have been mentioned in another thread elsewhere or that might not be as new as they seemed. At Perry Stadium, there has been more orange paint added to the interior of the stadium. Last year the fronts of the pressbox, president’s box and the “Welcome to the Doyt” signage was added. Now, they have also painted the field-level wall of the lower portion of the grandstands orange as well as the steps from the front row of seats up until the walkway that goes across the grandstands. I was sort of on the fence about the orange paint last year, but I must say, I think the added paint they’ve added this year blends well with what was put in last year and I think it gives it a better overall look. Nice job. Of course, I still miss the orange bleachers from a decade ago as well. Nothing else jumped out at me at the stadium other than that.

A few other things jumped out at me around campus though. First off, the wall by the steps in front of University Hall is gone. I know it was in need of repair so I am hoping it is going to be rebuilt and not permanently removed. I always thought it added to the facade of U-Hall. It was fenced off and was being worked on, so I guess we’ll see if it goes back up or not. Second, there appeared to be numerous sidewalk repairs going on around campus. In front of Shatzel Hall, behind the chapel, in between Mosley and U-Hall, by the Union, etc. Lots of small work areas but most of it looked like sidewalks or pipes below the ground being repaired. However, the sidewalk by Shatzel and the Administration Building looked was being expanded and is now very wide. I wasn’t sure what to make of it other than maybe they expanded the area for maneuvering for the loading dock there at the Ad Building or something. Third, the trees in the parking lots island of the ice arena have been removed. I know the ice arena is scheduled for renovation, and it is much needed on many fronts, but the poor old place is starting to look real sad looking from the outside now too. It looks worse and worse from the curbside every time I see it. Its outward appearance took a hit when the covered walkways fell to the ground (though some thought they were ugly to begin with), then the landscaping next to the building was removed, and now the trees in the parking lot island were cleared. The facility is starting to really look out of sorts. Other trees appeared to be removed by Harshman Quad although it looked like some small ones were replanted and maybe some new benches were added. Fourth, there appeared to be zero progress with the Wolfe Center where Saddlemire once stood. The fencing is gone, and now there’s a wide open grass field sitting next to our ugly surface parking lot that has eaten up prime campus space for years. The entire area looks terrible IMO, especially when you add in the crumbling steps of the library that are taped off with yellow tape. I know the Wolfe Center is going to be built where Saddlemire was, but I wish we’d remove that surface lot there and either replace it with a parking structure(s) outside the inner campus and start expanding campus there instead of cramming in buildings in our green spaces like they did with East Hall. It would also be nice to see other parts of campus cleaned up like the mess in between Conklin and the Arts building with the artificial turf and hitting walls, etc. Any of you remember the eyesore in between the Eppler Complex and the Union up until the mid-1990’s? The old parking lot that was there was turned into landscaped green space and is now one of the nicer spots on campus. It would be nice to see something done like this there too. I also heard a bad rumor that the tree-lined Ridge Street was going to be cleared and widened. Off campus, it looks like SBX is expanding into the building on the corner of Wooster and Manville (I can't remember what was in there last).

I'm sure, over time, these things will be addressed. I remember a lot of construction going on with the campus during my time there ('93-97). It was a friggin' mess between Eppler and the "old" Union (and I think you mentioned that). These things can't be fixed overnight. Just gotta roll with the punches. Honestly, any college campus I've been to always has some kind of renovation / new build going on. It's just a part of progress. There's gonna be eyesores on any big college campus. However, once it's fixed, more often than not, it looks a hell of a lot better. I'm guessing the middle of campus looked like crud when the new student union was being built. I wouldn't know, because I never made it back to BG when that project was in its early phases. But, I can say it is a gigantic upgrade from what I had when I was there. I wouldn't worry too much about it. BGSU has a great "traditional" college campus feel IMO, even with changes in the works.

San Fran Falcon wrote: I'm guessing the middle of campus looked like crud when the new student union was being built.

Yeah, it pretty much did. That project coincided almost perfectly with my time on campus. I had a union for the first semester of my freshman year, and the last semester of my senior year.

I am hearing from more than one person, and people right in the middle of trying to get things done, that there is NO ONE that can or will make a decision about some of the things you mentioned, concerning new construction, maintaince on current bulildings etc. The money has been raised and allotted, but NO movement. Too many new people in the upper echelons, that are afraid to make a decision!!!

the breeze way at the rink did not fall down....it was, if you can imagine this, blown up and over the wall and crashed into the roof...causing yet more structure damage.

i think what has just happened is an economic crunch. Everything has gotten more expensive and is getting more so every day. Im sure that whom ever quoted a lot of the construction work had some sort for clause in the contract to compensate, So I would figure these increases are playing havok on the decision makers, and adding to the indecision to proceed or not. i only say that because while at AFB in Dayton this past weekend I learned that even though again they had, had enough money to build the new hanger for the Presidential and experimental aircraft, the costs of steel have gone up enough alone to cause need for more fund raising to build that hanger.
I would also hope that even though I have read nothing about it, the Univ has the hung decorative panels on buildings like the libary inspected for repairs...so that they dont rust, fail and send several thousand pounds of cement crashing down below...they got lucky at the football stadium when that one fell a few years back, i doubt if it happened at a building as central and biz as the library that it would go with out injury.

Yep, saw a lot of painting during camp last week. Also some some concrete in blatant need of repair. The orange is a nice touch, though.

This is interesting about the lack of progress and I am aware the money has been allocated, but my guess is till a new president is in place not just an interim... I think a lot of things will be put on hold.

When I was on campus this weekend I found out that the delay in the Wolf Center has to do with a final approval of the design. When the money was donated a basic concept was agreed upon and now there is some conflict in the final tweaking of that concept. Hopefully it will be worked out soon and they can put shovels in the ground. BGSU has been named as a "Center for Excellence" in the arts for the state of Ohio and a delay like this does not look good. Of course I like my other theory too, they just didn't want to break ground unless they could dig into some actual grass...

Not having an actual University president is not going to further delay the projected building of the Stroh and other enhancements like at the Ice Arena will it?

It's the Journey... wrote:When I was on campus this weekend I found out that the delay in the Wolf Center has to do with a final approval of the design. When the money was donated a basic concept was agreed upon and now there is some conflict in the final tweaking of that concept. Hopefully it will be worked out soon and they can put shovels in the ground. BGSU has been named as a "Center for Excellence" in the arts for the state of Ohio and a delay like this does not look good. Of course I like my other theory too, they just didn't want to break ground unless they could dig into some actual grass...

Talk about a tremendous waste of money...re-seeding that whole area just to tear it up again.

BGSU33 wrote:I also heard a bad rumor that the tree-lined Ridge Street was going to be cleared and widened.

I have heard this rumor also and the reasoning behind the University wanting to do this is, a) the road is in need of some repair (not as much as others, I know), and b) it will need to be wide enough for semi-trucks and cruise buses for when the Wolfe Center eventually gets built.

I know that a lot of the small "renovations" to side walks are in much need and it will be a nice change to walk across campus and not risk tripping on a root or something like that.

Falconboy wrote:Not having an actual University president is not going to further delay the projected building of the Stroh and other enhancements like at the Ice Arena will it?

FB, If it makes you feel any better, I talked with Kerm Stroh at our recent reception in Cleve. for Pres. Ribeau...he says all things look good and are in a "go" status. Now if the former Pres. of KSU wants to slow things down so that we can't "upset" KSU in BBall quite as fast, maybe she'll put the trigger to stop it.

Ridge needs to be widened. Its a bottle neck, and if they follow the master plan, would need to be done anyway. Plus, a wider Ridge, is a step towards reducing or eliminating traffic along the inner-campus road, which is also part of the standing master plan.

What I'm waiting for, is word they'll do something else in the master plan, and build-out the road from Alumni, hooking along the current sidewalks, to mate to Ridge.

And if the Stroh center is being built where they say, paving the football parking lot, to aid students parking there during the week, might be nice. But again, that is supposed to be seriously re-worked according the plan.

Lots of events needing to happen in a chain here.

I can explain a lot of what 87 said!

The trees in front of the Ice Arena were all ash trees. Every tree in front of the field house along the street and on the islands (except one maple is on an island) will be gone, too.

This is from poor planning by the university as they've known about the ash problem for longer than most realize. The best thing would have been to take down every other 3 years ago so now when the rest would be removed, there would still be other new trees started. All-in-all, there are between 400 and 500 trees on campus properties that are ash and being cut down. On campus alone, there is around 254. All of the ash trees next to Batch were also removed.

If they do widen Ridge street and replant trees, hopefully people have learned a lesson and will alternate trees. If they don't widen that street, all of the big trees are Locust trees and if they catch something, goodnight to them like the ash. Alumni drive also was lined with trees of the same sort. Continuity is cool, but having 3 different trees in a row alternating would definitely be better for campus.

By the admin building, the "sidewalk widening" you saw was actually a parking lot for service vehicles. This will keep them off of the bricks in front of the admin building. There is also another parking lot by the math-science building of the same sort.

They took the Bobcat out and started digging last week by the Wolfe center in the 4 corners of where I assume all the building will take place. I believe they were doing some depth checks and what not.