Athwatch Prereleases

After further review, I've come to the conclusion that Google Earth elevation data isn't site accurate, so until I obtain a more reliable topographic source, the assertion in Point 5 that the Lot 134 would require less fill than the Richland site is in limbo. Sorry for the possible factual error.

As the Ohio University Board of Trustees meets today and tomorrow discuss proposals for a new student health center on the Athens campus, I think it’s timely for me to share some thoughts about the location for this particular project.

As I see it, there are several main functions a student health center needs to fulfill. First and foremost, it must serve the student body by being large enough to accommodate individual health needs rapidly. A second criterion that dovetails with the first is that it be easily accessible from most points on campus.

With a defined mission of providing high-quality, rapid, accessible care to Ohio U.’s student body, I made a survey of locations on campus that might serve as building sites. A very clear winner emerged: The space between Walter Hall and the Aquatic Center on the southern side of campus, currently occupied by Parking Lot 134.

Why is this a stronger choice than the location between the Hocking River and the OU Convocation Center that has been mentioned repeatedly in the media? There are numerous reasons, and I’ll present them ranked roughly in order of importance.


1. Accessibility. Lot 134 is much more central to campus. How much? Well, for pedestrians living on East or South Green, who make up two thirds of the students living on campus, it’s nearly 10 minutes less walking time round trip (.48 miles). That may not seem like a lot, but to walk-in patients who are ill or have mobility limitations (e.g. persons on crutches) it would make a huge difference. 10 extra minutes also gives a student precious time to make it back for their next class after an appointment. Sick or injured students will be far less likely to drive themselves to urgent care, meaning the Lot 134 site presents a reduced traffic safety and congestion risk as well. As far as OUCOM's involvement with the center, Lot 134 is actually a slightly closer walk from their main building than the Richland Site (use the navigation controls to zoom in on embedded map, click on any marker or route line for more information).

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2. Preservation of campus activities. The wedge of land next to Richland is regularly used for tailgate parties prior to sporting events as well as many other outdoor activities, from job fairs to Marching 110 sectionals. As the only space left on the southern part of campus where such events can take place, it occupies a unique spot in campus life.

3. Coordination with Ohio University’s Master Plan for campus growth. The Master Plan has already identified Lot 134 as one of the few legitimate building sites on the Richland Green. “The surface parking lot to the east of Walter Hall could also be considered as a future building site...This site’s proximity to South Green Drive provides convenient access and its prominent location on Oxbow Creek and Emeriti Park provides an attractive and well connected setting for the new building that will activate the open space.” (Ohio University Master Plan, p.64). As for the Richland site, one of the objectives identified in the Master Plan is preservation of remaining open space fronting the Hocking River. To quote the document again, “The master plan recommends that the highest and best use of the remaining area of river frontage is open space, and that this area not be seen as future development sites for buildings or parking.” (OUMP p.42) Building on the Lot 134 site harmonizes with these principles. Construction next to Richland clearly does not.

4. Aesthetics. Though OU facilities planners have done the best job they can with landscaping, the fact remains that Lot 134 is currently an eyesore, one of several large parking lots lining what is supposed to be OU’s grand entrance and backed by the less-than-attractive Aquatic Center. A well designed health center built in place of portions of the lot would enhance the look of the campus along South Green Drive significantly.

5. Cost. Building on the Lot 134 site is trivial, with only a small amount of fill required to bring it above flood grade, and utility hookups and sidewalks already placed around it. By contrast, not only would the Richland site require more fill, but the university would have to pay the cost of moving its welcome center to some other location. The welcome center is a historic log house, and may be prone to expensive structural damage if moved. In addition, the University would have to pay to have several large trees removed, and would incur the final expense of having to line the south side of Shafer St. with sidewalks in order to make the health center pedestrian-accessible from the north.

6. Security. If the center was built at the Lot 134 location it would be central to the OUPD south campus beat, while the Richland location falls just outside that regular circuit, stretching OU’s security personnel thin.

Concerns
I foresee that the objections may be raised that the Lot 134 site is too small for the type of health center that planners envision, and that the site is also used already for parking that cannot be replaced in that area of campus.

As to the first concern, Lot 134 takes up more than 2 acres, ample room to build a health center double the size of Hudson and Parks Hall together. The second concern, that of parking loss, is somewhat more pressing, as Lot 134 contains 220-230 parking spaces. Portions of the lot could easily be preserved, however, and to deal with the remaining loss of parking, I propose that the University precede health center construction with the erection of a full 3-4 floor parking garage next to Baker Student Center.
After examining the current one-floor garage it appears to have been engineered to include the future possibility of making it a multi-floor structure, and perhaps the only thing holding that project back is the lack of an access road linking Oxbow Drive to Richland by Porter Hall, which would give traffic from the garage an outlet without having to cross the busy pedestrian lane in front of Baker. The current garage floor houses 94 vehicles, and the addition of three floors would add 282 parking spaces at the center of the campus and uptown without obscuring Baker Center's upper architectural details, more than enough spaces to compensate for a building on part of Lot 134.

It is obvious that building a student health center on Lot 134 will take more advance planning and could result in more short-term parking inconvenience than building by the Hocking. However, wise development is rarely simple or easy, and in this case it should be clear that placement is vital for optimal use of the health center. I plead with the trustees and other planners to make their decision carefully, for it will impact all Ohio University students for at least the next 50 years.