New Dorm Being Built

[vu72]

Per this article, a new dorm will be started August/September on the site of the Health Center, South West of University and LaPorte.  The plan is to have it available in 2014.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/porter/19230324-418/vus-confucius-institute-to-move-for-new-dorm.html

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Interesting.

Kind of embarrassing that Fred Plant won't paint a flipping crosswalk for the kids though.

[valpotx]

Exciting to see more buildings being put in!  I have no idea where this area is that this cultural exchange building is moving to.  Where is East regarding the Valpo campus?  By the ARC?  By Eastgate?

[HC]

Wow, no crosswalk. That is an odd decision.

[vu72]

Exciting to see more buildings being put in!  I have no idea where this area is that this cultural exchange building is moving to.  Where is East regarding the Valpo campus?  By the ARC?  By Eastgate?

LaPorte runs east and west. Old campus is west, eastgate is, well, east!

[valporun]

I guess, without the crosswalk being put in, students living in this new dorm will actually have to look up from their iPods and phones to see if they can safely cross Sturdy to get to campus. My gosh, what an absurd concept...right?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I guess, without the crosswalk being put in, students living in this new dorm will actually have to look up from their iPods and phones to see if they can safely cross Sturdy to get to campus. My gosh, what an absurd concept...right?

You would think...but without one wouldn't one and all be guilty of jaywalking were they not to find the nearest one (roundabout?)?

[bbtds]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=756+Finch+Court,+Valparaiso,+IN&hl=en&sll=41.462894,-87.034721&sspn=0.018589,0.032487&oq=756+Finch,+Valparaiso,+IN&hnear=756+Finch+Ct,+Valparaiso,+Indiana+46383&t=m&z=16

Confucius say:

If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.

[vu72]

I guess, without the crosswalk being put in, students living in this new dorm will actually have to look up from their iPods and phones to see if they can safely cross Sturdy to get to campus. My gosh, what an absurd concept...right?

ugh, I don't think they will have to cross Sturdy or any other street to get to campus as the new dorm is on campus just north of the softball field!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

ugh, I don't think they will have to cross Sturdy or any other street to get to campus as the new dorm is on campus just north of the softball field!

...

City Engineer Tim Burkman suggested a crosswalk so students can cross Sturdy safely, but Plant, the university's Executive Director of Planning, said most of the students go by car and ride sharing.

[bbtds]

ugh, I don't think they will have to cross Sturdy or any other street to get to campus as the new dorm is on campus just north of the softball field!

...

City Engineer Tim Burkman suggested a crosswalk so students can cross Sturdy safely, but Plant, the university's Executive Director of Planning, said most of the students go by car and ride sharing.

They aren't talking about the students living in the new dorm crossing Sturdy but the students using the Confucius Institute. The CI would be moved from 1404 LaPorte Ave to 756 Finch Court (across Sturdy near Eastgate) to make room for the new dorm on LaPorte at the intersection of University Ave. (a fairly new street) and LaPorte Ave. (southwest corner)

I say it would be good for Fred Plant to think that a student using the Confucius Institute might not have a car or not have a friend with a car every time they want to use the CI.

[covufan]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=756+Finch+Court,+Valparaiso,+IN&hl=en&sll=41.462894,-87.034721&sspn=0.018589,0.032487&oq=756+Finch,+Valparaiso,+IN&hnear=756+Finch+Ct,+Valparaiso,+Indiana+46383&t=m&z=16

Confucius say:

If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.

Looks like the University has been more successful at buying homes near eastgate than McIntyre.

[historyman]

I believe VU has owned most of the homes in the Eastgate area since they were built. Has Valpo not owned that land since it was bought from farmers in the 1940's?

[okinawatyphoon]

About time! I wish they had released a rendering....I wonder if it will resemble the other dorms, more of a Guild/Memorial style, or more of a modern style.

[wh]

A nice, new dorm at the intersection of LaPorte and University Av. will be another great addition to the "re-creation" of LaPorte Av. between Roosevelt on the west and University Av./Campus Dr. N. on the east.  Some of you "long distance" alums may not know that University Promenade, a complex of 28 urban lofts with retail shops on the 1st floor, is under construction and will be a very attractive addition to the Uptown East and West residential complexes already completed.

Here is University Promenade's website: http://www.universitypromenade.com

[okinawatyphoon]

For more on University Promenade, see this other thread. Can it be merged with this one? We had 4 pages of discussion about residence halls and housing.

http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=90.75

[agibson]

Looks like the University has been more successful at buying homes near eastgate than McIntyre.

I don't know, qualitatively, they feel similar.  VU owns many, but not all, of the properties.  I suppose they own enough of the "bird streets" near eastgate to start some construction, and the same may not quite be true of the smaller area on McIntyre.

[agibson]

Kind of embarrassing that Fred Plant won't paint a flipping crosswalk for the kids though.

Yeah, that came across really strangely, probably badly, in the article.  I mean, a regular painted crosswalk might not do much.  Valparaiso drivers aren't particularly good about stopping for pedestrians to use them, and cars can have a pretty good head of steam on Sturdy there. 

And, maybe the foot traffic wouldn't warrant something with lights that would stop traffic.

But, I hope plant was more diplomatic in person than the portrayal in the paper.

[agibson]

Per this article, a new dorm will be started August/September on the site of the Health Center, South West of University and LaPorte.  The plan is to have it available in 2014.

Interesting to read it here "first".  Thanks for the link.

On campus, a new dorm seemed likely, but I was under the impression that the board of directors still had to sign off on it (and the fundraising plan for it, in particular) at their next meeting - in a month or so.

I wonder if this really represents some sort of a solid statement of intention from VU?  Or even some binding commitment of sorts?  Or is it just some timely heads-up of a likely, but not certain, eventuality?

[agibson]

Some of you "long distance" alums may not know that University Promenade, a complex of 28 urban lofts with retail shops on the 1st floor, is under construction and will be a very attractive addition to the Uptown East and West residential complexes already completed.

I just hope they fill in!  Quite a lot of new commercial space.  But, if it all comes together, it could be very nice.

(Sorry for the quadruple post.)

[a3uge]

Speaking of almost getting run over by cars while crossing Sturdy to go from your car to Gelerson/from campus to intermural games...

http://binged.it/10A74ms

This has to be one of the worst pedestrian crossing places on campus. Every day I would almost get hit walking to class because some car would be going 45 in a 25 right down the hill and zoom past the crosswalk. The first time I crossed that road I nearly died. I always though a big yellow sign with crossing people meant Yield for pedestrians. Apparently it's more like "continue going 20 mph over the speed limit and nearly avoid people that are in the way."

[classof2014]

I always though a big yellow sign with crossing people meant Yield for pedestrians. Apparently it's more like "continue going 20 mph over the speed limit and nearly avoid people that are in the way."

I'm just like everybody else who drives on campus: crosswalks are just an attempt at road art, stop signs are just a suggestion, the speed limit is however fast you want it to be, and pedestrians are target practice!

In all honesty I'm a junior and in my 3 years here nobody has yet been hit by a car which is a miracle in itself.

[bbtds]

I always though a big yellow sign with crossing people meant Yield for pedestrians. Apparently it's more like "continue going 20 mph over the speed limit and nearly avoid people that are in the way."

I'm just like everybody else who drives on campus: crosswalks are just an attempt at road art, stop signs are just a suggestion, the speed limit is however fast you want it to be, and pedestrians are target practice!

In all honesty I'm a junior and in my 3 years here nobody has yet been hit by a car which is a miracle in itself.

If you wore a big sandwich board sign that said "Hit me, please!" then the drivers would stop because of the uniqueness of the situation. Or is the word "marquisness?"   

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Make all those puns you like.

I'm just gland you now got your pro strate.

[bbtds]

Make all those puns you like.

I'm just gland you now got your pro strate.

If you get hit by a car on Linwood near Kroenke you would have to worry about not only lying prostrate but also the damage to your prostate. Wear the sandwich board and show your "marquisness!"