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Town, university discuss proposed College of Education building site |
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Thursday, 29 November 2007 |
 | Peacock
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by ERICA DURHAM
News Reporter
On Nov. 19, Appalachian State University and the Town of Boone held a panel discussion about the proposed site for the new College of Education building.
The panel included member of the Board of Governors Jim Deal, Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock, Vice Chancellor for Student Development Cindy A. Wallace, Bryan Brooks, John Blackburn, BOG member Jeanine Underdown-Collins, John Cooper, and Interim Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Greg Lovins.
Duncan
Hall, the current College of Education building, has 16 classrooms,
four labs, and four meeting rooms, according to an information sheet
provided at the forum.
The building houses around 120 faculty and 30 staff members. The current building also houses around 2,000 students.
According to the information sheet, the college is currently suffering
from limited classroom space, limited clinical space, and inadequate
office space, along with limited handicap access.
“We are all united in needing a new College of Education building. There is no perfect location, there never is,” Deal said.
Community member concerns included lack of green space, increased
traffic, residential concerns and the overshadowing of King Street.
“Make the building taller to provide more green space, or step back the
building. It’s pedestrian friendliness. Looking at something for people
to want to walk through,” said Gale Turner, a member of the planning
board. “I would like to see more green space to allow it to be a little
higher. If we don’t go into the sky, we will lose the footprint.”
The issue of green space dominates concerns from students as well as community members.
Student Ambassadors president Tommy Adams asked the panel how much green space was currently in the area.
“Green space is an issue because the new education building would have
more that there is now regardless. The large green space from where
Duncan is now will be utilized,” he said.
Scott Baker, who is working with the architect on plans, said they
would like to make the area of Duncan Hall into a park [after the
building is taken down].
“There are no promises but that is what we would like to do,” Baker said.
Other issues posed by students included whether the university would use sustainable living techniques in the new building.
“The university is trying to make as many green projects as we can to help with energy costs in the new building,” Baker said.
Traffic concerns were also addressed at this meeting.
The university and the town want to work together to figure out how
best to improve U.S. 421 as well as King Street, Howard Street, Rivers
Street and U.S. 321 traffic concerns, which are large.
“The university wants to complete a traffic study to figure out how
both can benefit and how best to redirect traffic,” Deal said.
The meeting ended with a decision to continue open talks between the university and the Boone Town Council.
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