Chime in on campus upgrades

A creative committee of designers, architects and planners is gearing up to take the campuses of Tulane University from excellent to exceptional in order to complement the academic and research mission of the university.

The team at Sasaki Associates is spearheading the creation of a multicampus master plan that is currently in the early phases of analyzing what can be improved upon across several Tulane campuses and properties.

The initial phase of the three-phase plan includes a survey that will gather input from Tulane faculty, staff and students. The survey is open for two weeks, concluding on Friday, April 17.

“For universities, the campus helps define your academic program,” said Tulane President Mike Fitts. “We want to be thoughtful and proactive in making decisions about our campuses that support our academic and extracurricular activities.”

Amber Beezley, interim assistant vice president of university planning, expects the master plan to include thoughtful study of outdoor spaces and circulation, campus identity, storm water management and existing building conditions, as well as opportunities to create spaces to forecast the needs of the ever-changing environment of higher education.

“This is a great time and opportunity to step back and look at the city of New Orleans as our campus,” Beezley said. “This includes thinking holistically about how we best utilize the resources we have at hand to enhance the campus experience.”

In addition to the uptown and downtown campuses, the master plan will explore improvements to University Square at 200 Broadway; the Elmwood campus in Harahan, Louisiana; the River and Coastal Center in downtown New Orleans; and the Goldring property on Iris Avenue.

The master plan process is projected for completion in January 2016.