GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY MASTER PLAN 2012 Update

1. History of the University A. Description of History B. Overview of Institution 2. Goal Formulation A. Institutional Mission Statement and Strategic Plan B. Goals and Issues for Future Academic Planning Stakeholder Interview Summaries MyCampus Survey Results 3. Existing Campus Conditions Building Use and Condition Community Setting Assessment 4. Space Analysis Results 5. Physical Master Plan & Implementation

Appendix Scope of Work Technical Memorandum

Date June 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject I. A Description of History

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

The past seven years have seen successful implementation of a number of recommendations from Sasaki Associates Inc. the 2005 Master Plan Update, particularly in the areas of residential life, research facilities, and 64 Pleasant Street streetscape improvements. These changes indicate positive momentum for the continued Watertown improvement of the GSU campus upon the completion of the 2012 Master Plan Update. Massachusetts 02472 USA The 2005 Main Street Master Plan Update built upon the 1997 Main Street Master Plan and focused on “creating a dynamic campus that fosters student life, leverages the strengths of an urban location and clearly articulates the needs of a growing student population.” The plan t 617 926 3300 identified a number of streets needing improvement, located building sites for planned capital f 617 924 2748 projects, established a framework for campus growth, recommended the transformation of Library Plaza, and discussed the need for a stronger campus identity and improved open spaces.

Several components of the 2005 Master Plan Update have been successfully implemented in recent years. These include:  Expanded residential facilities to accommodate a growing student body. Since the 2005 Master Plan, Georgia State has opened nearly 3,500 beds of student housing along the Piedmont Street corridor: University Commons (2,000 beds), Piedmont North (900 residents), Freshman Hall (325 beds), and Special Interest Housing (139 beds). Both Piedmont North and Freshman Hall have dining facilities, further contributing to the overall experience of residential students at GSU.  Expanded research facilities. The Petit Science Center opened in the spring of 2010, providing an additional 350,000 square feet of classrooms, teaching labs, research labs, and office space for a number of University departments.  Improved open spaces and streetscapes. Street narrowing, measures to improve pedestrian safety, and tree-planting have significantly improved the Piedmont Street corridor as well as Decatur Street.

The 2005 Master Plan next steps indicated that GSU should “continue its growth management strategy based on targets of opportunity and a combination of funding sources.” Accordingly, the University has acquired the Citizens Trust building at 75 Piedmont Avenue, purchased the SunTrust building at 25 Park Place, and has been approved to purchase the Atlanta Life building at 100 Auburn Avenue. These buildings have significantly increased the total supply of space on campus but also pose the challenge of appropriately re-purposing commercial office space for institutional use.

Overview of Institution – IB Page 2

Georgia State has also recently established more of a presence to the east of I-75/85. A new football practice facility on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive opened in 2011 and a parcel near the Freedom Parkway interchange has been purchased for use as recreational fields.

In addition to these projects directly related to the 2005 Master Plan, facilities updates and improvements such as the addition to Classroom South, the Post Office renovation in Kell Hall, and additional ADA-accessibility provisions for selected restrooms have been undertaken to improve the GSU campus.

Technical Memorandum

Date June 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject I. B Overview of Institution

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

Georgia State University’s last Master Plan Update was carried out in 2005. Since that time Sasaki Associates Inc. growth has occurred in student enrollment, major new property acquisitions have taken place, 64 Pleasant Street new academic, research and student residences have been developed, and new strategic decisions Watertown have been made on the locations of the Law and Business Schools. Growth of the University Massachusetts along with the new acquisitions and strategic location decisions is significantly impacting the 02472 USA physical form and character of the campus.

Student enrollment in the fall of 2004 totaled 27,261 headcount students and 32,400 in the fall of t 617 926 3300 2011. The University has set a target enrollment of 40,000 students for the 2012 Master Plan f 617 924 2748 update.

The 2005 Master Plan estimated the University possessed 2,070,000 sq ft. of assignable (asf) of academic space. This includes room use categories 100 through 800 – classrooms, laboratories, support and office space. In 2012, the University has an estimated 2,177,000 asf space within the same room use categories. In addition, the University has acquired 25 Park Place (SunTrust) containing 270,182 asf; has been approved to acquire 100 Auburn Avenue (Atlanta Life) containing 68,250 asf; has a new law building under design containing 62,450 asf of space; and has programed a new business building containing 282,200 asf of new space.

The strategic location decisions to place both the new Law and Business facilities at 89 Park Place at the intersection of Park Place with J. W. Dobbs Ave is a significant change to the 2005 Plan. The decision to place these facilities at 89 Park Place negates the decision in the 2005 Master Plan Update to remove the existing Sparks Hall and replace it with the proposed new Law building. These proposed new facilities will free the existing College of Law facilities at the Urban Life building as well as the existing College of Business on Broad Street for reassignment to other use. The acquisition of 25 Park Place and its reassignment to the College of Arts and Sciences along with the acquisition of 100 Auburn Avenue will also provide the opportunity for a series of internal reassignments of space.

Other initiatives which will have a significant new impact on the campus include the University’s goal to house 20% of its student body on campus which causes a doubling of the University’s existing housing facilities. The growing awareness of the need for recreation fields has led to acquisition of property east of I-75/85 in proximity to student housing along the Piedmont Ave. corridor. The scheduled replacement of the Courtland St. viaduct by the State affords the University an exceptional opportunity to address the pedestrian connections between the two blocks forming the heart of the campus which are presently split by Courtland Street.

Overview of Institution – IB Page 2

The strategic decisions and acquisitions of the last seven years afford Georgia State the opportunity to affect a dramatic new long range vision for its campus with the 2012 Master Plan Update.

Technical Memorandum

Date June 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject II. A Institutional Mission Statement and Strategic Plan

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

This memorandum summarizes changes to Section II-A of the 2005 Master Plan Update. It Sasaki Associates Inc. provides an overview of the institution’s organization, mission, strategic goals and objectives. 64 Pleasant Street These, together with the future trends identified for the institution, provide the framework for Watertown future physical growth. Massachusetts 02472 USA An effective master plan functions hand-in-hand with an institution’s strategic mission. The physical decisions embedded in the master plan will support and strengthen GSU’s broad academic goals. t 617 926 3300 f 617 924 2748 1. Mission Statement

Georgia State University’s Mission Statement, as provided on the GSU website in February 2012, summarizes its unique position as a major research university embedded within a distinctly urban context. This, along with its commitment to diversity, sets it apart as a unique institution within Georgia and within the nation as a whole.

As the only urban research university in Georgia, Georgia State University offers educational opportunities for traditional and nontraditional students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels by blending the best of theoretical and applied inquiry, scholarly and professional pursuits, and scientific and artistic expression. As an urban research university with strong disciplinary- based departments and a wide array of problem-oriented interdisciplinary programs, the goal of the university is to develop, transmit, and utilize knowledge in order to provide access to quality education for diverse groups of students, to educate leaders for the State of Georgia and the nation, and to prepare citizens for lifelong learning in a global society.

Diversity at GSU means the institution serves an impressively wide range of undergraduate and graduate students. Students are full-time and part-time, commuters and campus residents. Many are balancing work or family responsibilities with their studies. Others are student athletes, researchers, and community volunteers. Regardless, the physical master plan must support the needs of these many populations.

Faculty, staff, and students alike are drawn to Georgia State’s location in the heart of downtown Atlanta. This urban context provides easy access of cultural, professional, and community organizations that enhance the GSU experience and help to produce students with sound judgment, strong leadership, and the capacity to effect change wherever they land.

2. Strategic Plan Institutional Mission Statement and Strategic Plan – IIA Page 2

Georgia State’s 2011 Strategic Plan identifies specific goals and initiatives through which GSU can support its mission. GSU’s senior leadership strongly supports these goals for the institution and share a positive, forward-looking vision for Georgia State. The Strategic Plan, which targets 2016 and 2021 (5-year and 10-year plan) identifies the following five major goals for GSU:

1. Become a national model for undergraduate education 2. Grow the base of distinctive graduate and professional programs 3. Become a leading public research university 4. Be a leader in understanding the complex challenges of cities 5. Achieve distinction in globalizing the University

This graphic depicts the most frequently used words in Georgia State’s Strategic Plan – words that appear the most often in the document show up the largest. This visualization reinforces the importance of Georgia State’s research mission moving forward.

As a major step towards accomplishing these goals, GSU is in the third year of its Second Century Initiative (2CI). The initiative will result in over 100 new faculty who will be immediate contributors to the institution’s research standings, with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. Accomplishing the goals of 2CI and other Strategic Plan initiatives will require a number of physical changes to campus falling into the following categories.

Support research Provide high-quality research facilities for top recruits and 2CI interdisciplinary hires. These spaces must be flexible and easily adjustable. They should be located and designed to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and must be supported by an expanded research infrastructure.

Enhance the campus image Ensure that the GSU campus is a welcoming, attractive place for potential students, faculty, and staff. This includes building stronger campus identity, improving the perception of safety on – campus and in the immediate surroundings, and providing indoor and outdoor spaces that support community building.

Provide new or improved facilities Institutional Mission Statement and Strategic Plan – IIA Page 3

In addition to research space, the Strategic Plan identifies a number of other facilities needed to accomplish the institution’s goals. These include a student success center, an honors college, more space for faculty and post-doctoral researchers in key program areas, an executive education facility, a new School of Public Health, a new school for medical and health research and education, a new College of Fine Arts, and a new international center. The 2012 Master Plan Update will include recommendations for a subset of these facilities most urgently needed on campus.

3. Impact of Enrollment Changes

The GSU Master Planning Committee has confirmed that the school plans to increase enrollment from 32,000 headcount to 40,000 headcount students. The time-frame for this increase is flexible. About 4,000 of the additional 8,000 students will live on-campus, doubling the size of the residential student population. The master plan update will account for these expanded residential needs and will also take into account the associated increase in instructional space, faculty/staff offices, and other on-campus facilities.

4. Organizational Structure

The President is the key contact with the Chancellor and the Board of Regents, and sets the vision and overall strategic direction for the university.

The Provost works closely with the President to implement this vision and to oversee the faculty. The Provost oversees Academic Programs, Information Systems and Technology, International Initiatives, and Institutional Effectiveness. Deans of GSU’s seven colleges report to the Provost as well:

 College of Arts and Sciences  J. Mack Robinson College of Business  College of Education  Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions  Institute of Public Health  College of Law  Andrew Young School of Policy Studies  Honors College

Functional units of the institution also include the offices of Finance and Administration, Development, and University Relations as well as the University Attorney, Intercollegiate Athletics, and Auditing and Advisory Services.

The Staff Council serves as an advisory body for the President, the University Senate oversees general educational policy, and the Student Government Association identifies and investigates specific university-wide issues.

Institutional Mission Statement and Strategic Plan – IIA Page 4

5. Current or Proposed Changes in Research or Public Service

As discussed above in relation to the Strategic Plan, Georgia State University expects to significantly expand its research agenda with the time horizon of this plan.

Technical Memorandum

Date June 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject MyCampus Survey Results

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

This memorandum summarizes the survey results gathered via MyGSU, an interactive, online Sasaki Associates Inc. survey designed to collect information from students, faculty, and staff. Findings from MyGSU 64 Pleasant Street help establish the issues and goals driving the master plan update. The survey received nearly Watertown 1,000 responses from a mix of students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni over the six- Massachusetts week period it was open. 02472 USA

SUMMARY t 617 926 3300 Dining - Broad Street and the University Center/Student Center area are the most frequented f 617 924 2748 dining options. Broad Street’s proximity to Aderhold is advantageous. There is general appreciation for downtown dining options as alternatives to campus, though a number of participants indicate they enjoy eating in campus-operated dining halls.

Studying/Working - The campus core is the heart of activity, with the bulk of offices and studying happening within the main campus blocks. Library North and South are both heavily- frequented study spots, though students have found study spaces at all corners of campus.

Hanging Out - Like studying and working spaces, people hang out all over campus. Socializing tends to cluster along Broad Street, at Starbucks, at the Library Plaza, in the Library, at the University Center, at the Student Center, and in residence halls. The Student Rec Center is also strongly identified as a place that students like to spend free time. Residential students tend to hang out more in the dorms, the Student Center, and the Library than off-campus students and faculty/staff.

Living - Nearly 80% of survey participants live off-campus and commute in for class or work. Those who live on-campus had a range of comments about student housing, especially University Commons. Some love the experience in University Commons while others complain about the noise and the building design.

Favorite Buildings - Library North, the Petit Science Center, and the Student Rec Center stand out as favorites among students, faculty, and staff alike. Reasons range from aesthetics to building quality to convenience. In general, newer buildings such as Aderhold, Classroom South, Petit, the Student Rec Center, and the student center were well-liked. There was some nostalgia for Kell Hall and several positive comments about the historical character of buildings such as the Robinson College of Business, the Hurt Building, and Sparks Hall.

Favorite Classroom/Lab - Aderhold and Classroom South, two of the busiest classroom buildings on campus, are consistent favorites amongst students, faculty, and staff for being up-to- MyCampus Survey Results Page 2

date, clean, and technology friendly. Some students like the General Classroom Building for its location as well as Petit Science Center. A few special-use classrooms and language labs are also mentioned.

Least-Favorite Classroom/Lab - Sparks Hall, Kell Hall, and the General Classroom Building are identified as the least-liked classroom buildings on campus. A number of comments identify all three of them as “outdated” or “rundown.” The classrooms in Sparks Hall are specifically cited for being small and poorly-ventilated. A number of comments also identified Aderhold – also a favorite classroom building for many – as well as the math lab in University Commons as too far from the main campus and inconvenient for students.

Favorite Outdoor Space - Favorite open spaces are along Broad Street, over the two plazas on either side of Library North, and over the University Center Plaza. Participants appreciate Broad Street for its dining options and character. The plazas neighboring Library North are valued for their level of activity and extent of greenery (albeit limited). The University Center Plaza is considered a secluded and underrated spot. Favorite green spaces are over Hurt Park, the Olympic Centennial Park, and Woodruff Park. Comments regarding Hurt Park and Woodruff Park generally point to issues with homelessness and safety but also refer to the potential these spaces represent for the university. The Olympic Centennial Park is reviewed very favorably, with its distance from campus as its main drawback.

Favorite Places On-Campus - Participants enjoy the hubs of activity on campus, such as the Library Plaza, the Student Center, and the Recreation Center, but also appreciate quite places for study, including Aderhold, the General Classroom Building, and the Student Center. Library North and Library South are mentioned most frequently in participant responses. The libraries serve both social and academic functions, which some enjoy but others find disruptive. For those seeking less activity, the courtyard by the Urban Life Center offers a quieter outdoor haven. While their aesthetic value is contested, Kell and Sparks Hall possess a historic or representative value for the campus. With their modern and spacious facilities, Aderhold and Petit Science Center received only positive comments. Broad Street and the area surrounding Aderhold are mentioned frequently as good places to eat.

Favorite Places Off-Campus - The majority of comments by participants address off-campus places directly proximate to the University, many of which focus on Broad Street. Most places and neighborhoods mentioned farther outside of campus are within a five-mile radius; among these are Atlantic Station, Midtown, Peachtree Center, and the Fairlie-Poplar district. The types of places mentioned, in rough order of frequency, were restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Other programs mentioned include shops and malls, and stadia and other entertainment facilities such as stadia (Georgia Dome, Turner Field), and colleges in the surrounding area. This question also prompted participants to begin voicing concerns about the area surrounding campus, mainly centering on its challenges and potential.

Campus Needs - Comments centered on aesthetics, ambience, campus facilities, city-university relationship, and space and organization.

Parking - Price seem to be the most significant parking concerns for students, faculty, and staff who park at GSU. A number of comments expressed a desire for free parking or pride at finding off-campus lots at cheaper prices than on-campus parking. Other comments included a desire for all-hours access to certain parking areas, safety concerns, desire for reliably available parking, and concern for the parking needs of the disabled as well as visitors to campus.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 3

Primary Pedestrian Routes: Decatur St (between Broad and Piedmont), Piedmont Ave (between GSU MARTA and Andrew Young International) Edgewood and John Wesley Dobbs Aves (between Piedmont and Peachtree), Courtland (between John Wesley Dobbs and Decatur), Central Ave (between Edgewood and Decatur)

Primary Shuttle Routes: Courtland St, Central Ave SW, Gilmer St, and Ellis Ave (between 75/85 and Piedmont Ave)

Primary Bicycle Routes: Decatur Street, Edgewood Ave, and Piedmont Ave (between John Wesley Dobbs Ave and Decatur St), and Peachtree St

Primary Vehicular Routes: Decatur St, Courtland St, Edgewood Ave, Piedmont Ave, Central Ave SW, and Ellis Ave (between 75/85 and Courtland St)

Campus Use - Peak time during the week on campus is between 9 am and 7 pm and campus is much less heavily used on the weekend than during the week. Students make up the majority of people on campus at almost all times of day. Non-students have a stronger representation in the morning hours, whereas students have the strongest representation in the afternoon and evening hours. In addition, the representation of students on campus is even stronger on the weekends.

General Comments – A number of themes emerged within the general comments submitted via the icon and short answer components of the MyCampus survey:  Security is a major concern. Participants feel unsafe in many areas on campus, in particular Woodruff Park and Hurt Park, and peripheral areas on or leading to campus, such as parking garages. Participants voice a strong desire for better, safer, smoke-free green and open spaces.  The library and its plaza form a clear locus of activity at the university, although this can be disruptive for studying.  There is a clear distinction in the desirability of buildings throughout campus: more modern facilities such as Aderhold, the Petit Science Center, and the recreation center are viewed favorably; others, such as Kell Hall and Sparks Hall, receive very little positive feedback.  Participants emphasize that the university clearly lacks sufficient on-campus housing options, large event spaces, and facilities dedicated only towards grad students or faculty. Concerns related to mobility include accessibility in future development for persons with disabilities, bicycle/pedestrian friendliness, the current level of shuttle service throughout campus, and the convenience and expense of parking.  Those surveyed find it difficult to move around campus efficiently and safely.  Participants desire extended hours of social and study facilities, such as the library and student center.  Finally, dissatisfaction with the on-campus food and dining options is a consistent theme throughout both surveys.

RESULTS MyGSU is designed to seek information from participants in a number of formats – icons identifying specific locations, movement routes traced on a map, and short-answer survey questions. This makes the survey itself more fun to complete and provides the team with spatially-specific information as well as qualitative feedback.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 4

1. “Icon” Responses Within each of the following topics, participants were asked to drag an icon to a map indicating the places they associate with each category. Each participant could use multiple icons – for instance, a dining icon for the University Center as well as one for Broad Street. As indicated in the graph below, dining received more responses than any other category, followed by favorite buildings, and where participants like to study/work. On average, each of these categories received more than one response per participant.

Responses by Topic

1654

1229 1157 945 864 647 645 617 522 521 265 Living Dining Parking Buildings Classrooms Hanging Out Classrooms Outdoor Space Outdoor Space (Least Favorite) (Least Favorite) Other Comment Other Studying/Working

Dining Where do you like to eat?

Broad Street and the University Center/Student Center area are the most frequented dining options. Broad Street’s proximity to Aderhold is advantageous. There is general appreciation for downtown dining options as alternatives to campus, though a number of participants indicate they enjoy eating in campus-operated dining halls.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 5

Comments about University Center:  It's close but always so crowded!  I eat here if I don't feel like walking in the rain or cold.  Not that often due to large crowds  Sometimes I eat here when I'm pressed for time. Wish they had better/more vegetarian/vegan options.  [Want] more choices - like GaTechI like the food options at the food court across from the bookstore  I often eat in the Panther dining area of the University Center. I love the Chik-Fil-A.  Panther Pizza has awesome Spaghetti and Meatballs  The cheesesteaks at the Panther Grill are wonderful!  I go to this Panther Dining for coffee on most days. The folks who work there are always nice.

Comments about Petit restaurants:  Waffle House is awesome!  Waffle House, open 24 hours  Love these options!  Willies! Love it!!  I was pretty excited when the Waffle House and Willy's opened here.

Comments about restaurants along Edgewood:  The Municipal Market is awesome, but a bit of a hike from campus. Don't want anything about it to change!  I eat at the Sweet Auburn Market pretty regularly. At least 2 or 3 times a month. It's a nice walk.  We sometimes eat at the Subway here.  Grindhouse Burgers MyCampus Survey Results Page 6

Comments about dining halls:  Freshman Dining Hall - Great Food!!!!!  [Would like] a dining facility or restaurant inside the commons!  Food is great, especially for the fact that it is a dining hall facility, it is very pricy for students that do not have a  Need more vegetarian food  I am a resident at Piedmont North, I always use the dining hall here.  I have the meal plan. It needs a little work. I don’t plan on using it again.  You should take over all food services. Lenore is the best!

Comments about restaurants along Piedmont:  Wish there was more selection in this area. Not having any place to eat or hang out after 6pm.  Smoothie King  Panther’s Den  Kinley's Catering & Restaurant

Comments about Broad Street restaurants:  I walk to Starbucks at least once a week. I also sometimes walk up here to Jimmy John's or Rising Roll.  Because they're conveniently close to Aderhold and have awesome smoothies I like going to Hunky Dory.  I like to eat around the Aderhold area because they have more variety of foods.  If I don't bring a lunch, I often buy it from the restaurants near Aderhold  I love all of the international food available in this area [along Broad Street].  The food places here [Broad Street] are delicious, varied, and CLOSE AT 5 PM. This really sucks.  All the good restaurants are around here: Anatolia, Moe's, Blossom Tree, Tin Drum, Dua, etc.  Fairlie Poplar area; wish there were more pleasant, tree-lined, quieter areas like this elsewhere in the GSU  There are so many good restaurants here [Broad Street], but it's not a very safe area to walk as a student. GSU needs to…  Reuben's Deli.  Vietnamese Noodle Place  I don't eat out on campus much but when I do I go to Tin Drum or Willy's.

Comments about other downtown restaurants:  King of Pops [in Woodruff Park] is a great trendy vendor. There should be tons more food truck or unique vendors in the park,  Roll Me is awesome lol!  I like to eat near Five Points Station and Underground Atlanta. I also like the places on Broad Street.  Gyro King  I wish there were more sit-down dining options around Woodruff Park.  Great new restaurants down here like Meehans and Cocina  Cafe Intermezzo or the Sun Dial makes for a great lunch getaway.  Georgia Pacific Building has great food in its cafeteria  Love Dunkin Donuts  Sidebar is a great place to grab a beer with your mentor or academic peers. MyCampus Survey Results Page 7

 Slice - late afternoon special: one topping slice and side salad for $5.50.  Calypso Cafe is a great spot to eat, but a little out-of-the-way.

Studying/Working Where do you like to study/work?

The campus core is the heart of activity, with the bulk of offices and studying happening within the main campus blocks. Library North and South are both heavily-frequented study spots, though students have found study spaces at all corners of campus.

Comments about studying in Aderhold:  For studying, the 4th Floor Balcony can't be beat!  I also like to study here and the view on the top floor is great!  I love the views from the top of Aderhold   Comments about studying in Library North and South:  Either Library North or South is fine, it really doesn't matter. Study rooms are the best.  Glass study rooms overlooking the city. MY FAVORITE!  I do most of my computer work on the computers on the bridge between Libraries North and South, since they're the fastest.  The bridge is the ideal place for studying but there needs to be more spaces like it in the libraries.  4th or 5th floor study desks of Library North. Near books where there's less traffic and more quiet.  5th Floor of the Library is always a great place to study - after everyone leaves at 6pm.  The 5th floor of library south study room is a great, place to have peace and quiet and study/ sleep. MyCampus Survey Results Page 8

 I prefer to study in the coffee shop or on the second level of Library North  ...or attempt to study if it's quiet enough.

Comments about studying elsewhere:  I wish there were a student study lounge area in the 34 Peachtree Bldg.  There is NOwhere on campus that is conducive to work or study. Too much socializing, loud noise, and limited space.  When the weather is good, I have on occasion studied out in [Woodruff Park]. I'd rather have a park that is just for…  Having hidden computer section [in Arts & Humanities] made the trip to the building worthwhile.  The CMC is my place to work since they have updated computers with the software I need.  GCB needs more place to sit and do work.  Petit Science Center - I work here. I'm here very late and on the weekends, and I would like increased security outside.  Kell Hall Cafe, but not enough plugs for laptop. Decent wireless signal.  I love to study in the courtyard behind the University Center/ right nex to Urban life.  Study at the law library, clean and quiet  Student Lounge [in Student Center] is great to read and nap. But the wireless signal in here is HORRIBLE  Computer lab/ study hall inside commons

Hanging Out Where do you meet with friends/clubs/student organizations?

Like studying and working spaces, people hang out all over campus. Socializing tends to cluster along Broad Street, at Starbucks, at the Library Plaza, in the Library, at the University Center, at the Student Center, and in residence halls. The Student Rec Center is also strongly identified as a place that students like to spend free time. Residential students tend to hang out more in the dorms, the Student Center, and the Library than off-campus students and faculty/staff.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 9

On-campus students Off-campus students

Comments about Library Plaza:  This is the hot spot for chillaxing. But the courtyard is rundown and needs to be refurbished.  though I like [the Library Plaza] the smoke makes me stay inside. I'd really like a smoke-free campus  PLAZA!  I like to socialize in the library or outside in the plaza area.  The courtyard, meet people and hang out  I would like to hang out in the courtyard more, but there always seems to be some sort of loud concert

Comments about the Rec Center:  I usually spend the end of my day here, because the Rec has a cable television.  This place closes too early, especially on weekends.  The workout facilities are fantastic!!

MyCampus Survey Results Page 10

Comments about residence halls:  Freshman Common Areas  I hang out here with my sorority sisters.  I love to hang out at my sorority house!  Sometimes I meet with my fraternity brothers at their house.  The courtyard of the Commons: hang out place for University Commons residents

Comments about parks and open spaces:  At the moment [Centennial Park is] the best and closest park to GSU. If only more parks on campus are as enjoyable.  Put a green roof [on the new law school]!! It'd be a great place to hang out and give the campus a much needed beauty boost.  Broad Street is a beautiful place. More of the campus are should look this appealing.  I am not sure who "owns" Hurt Park. But in the last year or so, I've noticed students using it for relaxing  Clear out the homeless and turn [Hurt Park] into green space that people will actually WANT to spend time in.

Buildings on Campus Where are your favorite buildings on campus?

Library North, the Petit Science Center, and the Student Rec Center stand out as favorites among students, faculty, and staff alike. Reasons range from aesthetics to building quality to convenience. In general, newer buildings such as Aderhold, Classroom South, Petit, the Student Rec Center, and the student center were well-liked. There was some nostalgia for Kell Hall and several positive comments about the historical character of buildings such as the Robinson College of Business, the Hurt Building, and Sparks Hall.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 11

Faculty (F) favorites (10+ visible icons):  Aderhold  General Classroom Building  Library North  Petit Science Center  Student Rec Center

Staff (Sf) favorites (20+ visible icons):  Library North  Student Center  Petit Science Center  Student Rec Center

Student (St) favorites (big pile of visible icons):  Aderhold  Library North  Classroom South  Student Rec Center  Student Center  Petit Science Center

Comments by building:  Aderhold o This building is one of the better designed classroom buildings, but it is all the way across campus. (F) o Nice classrooms (it is new), but for some reason, cell/wireless coverage is horrible in this building. (St) o the lack of cell service is inconvient (St) o BUT the bottom floor is very helpful when I need to get stuff done. There is no service down there so I can focus on my paper or project with no interruptions. (St) o prettiest building on campus (St)  Arts and Humanities o Like the art gallery(Sf) o Great computer labs but building over all needs to be renovated and made more modern. (St)  Classroom South o Good recycling in this building. Decent light. But it needs to have more chairs so students can sit outside of classrooms while waiting for class. (F) o Close to parking which makes it easy for the many guest speakers I use in class. (F) o Newer buidling but, it seems a little cold. (Sf) o Because it is close to the main buildings on campus and the classrooms are not as small as those in GCB and Kell Hall (least favorite) (St) o I like the updated look of classroom south and Aderhold. But Aderhold is too far away. Sparks is too old and run down. (St) o A solid building for classes. (St)  General Classroom Building (GCB) o I work in GCB. GCB is fine for 60s-70s brutalist architecture. I am interested to see what happens when the A&S administrative offices move to Suntrust. (F) MyCampus Survey Results Page 12

o GCB is probably my most favorite building because I feel like it's the center of our campus. It's right in front of our courtyard and right there where the shuttles pick up students. (St)  Kell Hall o I *love* this building - I tell people it's like Hogwarts. The sloping hallways, doors raised above the floor, random scientific equipment - it's so much fun to just walk around. Please never change anything about this building. (St) o Needs to be renumbered it is very confusing! (St) o This building is a mess and needs to be knocked down or made into parking again. (Sf)  Library North o I love to go to the library whenever I have time after work. (Sf) o The library has gone too far on the aide of computer lab. At least they now enforce the quiet rule, (St) o Great Library. I really enjoyed using it for team meetings and just all around studying. Its convenience to critical classrooms was great. (St) o I love the children's collection and asian language section in Library N. (St) o 3rd and 5th floor (St) o iit my favorite vbecause i can study amd also because of saxbys (St) o I really like the 5th floor of the library because it is so quiet, and the library is so comfortable (St)  Petit Science Center o I appreciate the somewhat interesting architecture of this building. I think it was a good idea to provide some space for fast-food restaurants, but I would have liked to have seen a more continuous row of small shop fronts (student-oriented small businesses) along the Piedmont face. Hundreds or maybe even thousands of people walk along that sidewalk every day going to and from the MARTA station. Too bad all we've given them is another long blank wall at street level. (F) o Not necessarily my favorite. The building at the Alpharetta is my favorite building.....lots of windows, great bathrooms, easy parking the best. (F) o Favorite Buildings??? This one of a kind building [Petit] stands-alone . . . for now. (Sf) o Petit seems to be the nicest and safest building on campus besides the Rec Center. (St) o Rename this building [Petit]. Perhaps after Bill Dahlberg and return Alumni hall to it's rightful name. (St) o It's so beautiful, does it have more open spaces to study? I would love to spend more time here because it seems to have so many windows. (St) o Beautiful Bldg (St) o Although as a GEOG major I haven't had a class in there yet, I'm glad that the science department finally has an up-to-date building to further the great work the science departments are doing, Kell hall is falling apart! (St) o very impressive building that just opened here in my first year of college (St)  Rialto Theater o This is a music major's haven. I wish we could be given new premises that would fit the needs of the School of Music. It's very crowded here. (St)  Robinson College of Business o I go to this building to bank and attend meetings. (Sf) o History major; generally leave meetings with Professors to very beginning or very end of day if possible because they are so far away from general campus (St) MyCampus Survey Results Page 13

o I love when older buildings are saved and converted well. This is a pretty good example of that. (St)  Sparks Hall o I like the old-fashioned classrooms with big windows. New bathroom renovations are good. But it's always too cold! (St)  Sports Annex o Replace the old swimming pool with an ice rink and boost women's athletics with curling or hockey. (St)  Sports Arena o Love sporting them teams but basketball court could use a few more upgrades if possible. Not too bad though. (St) o With the understanding of our athletics programs building we have to consider the schools that we are trying to compete with. The student body will support the teams more as the school progresses though this facility needs to be updated. The basketball gym is behind in times and needs to be equipped properly to be more appealing. (St)  Student Center o I like Speakers Auditorium for events because it's an attractive room and it's centrally located. Student Center Ballroom is also nice, but I really dislike always having to use Panther Dining to host events in the Student Center. That's reason enough to avoid hosting events in this building, unfortunately. (Sf) o Pretty common areas with natural light. Wish more buildings had good light. (Sf) o Nice building! Clean, inviting, spacious. (Sf) o best sleeping chairs (St) o Awesome place to be and meet people. (St)  Student Rec Center o Killer gym, killer pool, just wish it was salt water. (F) o Really great SRC with lots of machines and space for activities. (Sf) o This building is always very clean. The Rec center needs upgraded spinning equipment, though...and new shower doors/walls. (St) o Rec Center is vital to stress relief! (St) o Love the Rec Center (St) o Maybe students should have to take PE classes. Too easy to get fat while trying to study for exams and not focusing on your health. (St) o Love how big it is, and the design (St) o Would like to see some intramural fields. (St) o This is a great facility, i enjoy coming here to workout and to play intramurals. As the campus grows we will have to accomdiate the students so keep this in mind so you can still offer this great service. With the limited space consider expanding upwards verse out. (St) o Love the work out classes (St) o BY FAR my favorite building. You cant leave GSU Rec to go somewhere else because no other comerical gym or YMCA can compare to this place! GSU did a great job! (St) o the pool, the basketball court, the fitness classes :) (St) o Awesome! Wish it could stay open longer though. (St)  University Common o This is a prison and the police will tell you that all the problems are on the inside. Poorly designed and constructed. Raise the criteria for construction approval. (St)  1 Park Place o Love the events they have at the under-used DAEL. More concerts and arts should be held here. (Sf) MyCampus Survey Results Page 14

 148 Edgewood o This lovely older brick building that's currently used for storage by GSU should be put to more creative use, perhaps like an International Center, special event space, or (upstairs) short-term housing for University guests. (Sf)

 Other o The Suttles Child Development Center is a wonderful asset to the university. (F) o Fairlie-Poplar is the most beautiful, walkable area around campus and should be better utilized by the University. But don't harm the historic charm of the area! (Sf) o Hurt Building - I love buildings that have beautiful old structure. (St) o Hurt Building - Consider this property for residence or administration. (St)

Parking Where do you typically park?

Price seem to be the most significant parking concerns for students, faculty, and staff who park at GSU. A number of comments expressed a desire for free parking or pride at finding off-campus lots at cheaper prices than on-campus parking. Other comments included a desire for all-hours access to certain parking areas, safety concerns, desire for reliably available parking, and concern for the parking needs of the disabled as well as visitors to campus.

Comments about safety:  Summer time finds me at Ahold [and I park a couple blocks away]. I get out late, just after 10. I would like more police presence. The doors automatically lock behind us so if I get into a tough situation, no place to turn for safety. I don't feel like we should have to call for an escort, at peak times, police should have a presence. I am scared to walk one to two blocks to my car. MyCampus Survey Results Page 15

 Until recently, This Parking Structure was owned by [SunTrust] bank, they made sure the banking customers felt safe in their facility. They provided security, well lighted and generally more secure facility than student parking, where robberies tend to occur. This will probably change now, get rid of all the people and security personnel and put someone up front that does not care about you.  We need police here to monitor the G-Deck exit at 5:00pm. People often run the light--seems like a chance to increase safety and make money by issuing deserved traffic tickets.

Comments about price sensitivity:  We need more free parking on campus. Commuters are students & employees we shouldn't have to pay for parking.  On the rare ocasions that I drive to campus I use the pay lots. Paying the $5-7 is easier than dealing with Georgia State's bureaucracy to get a parking pass.  I park near the Rialto. The rate is 4 dollars after 4pm  [The surface lot across from University Commons is] cheaper than all of GSU parking options  Parking [at University Commons] is so expensive and half the spots aren't even filld. Doesn't mak much sense.  The Shell across the street [on Piedmont Avenue] is where I normaly park. it's costs $5:(.  Since I stay in the Lofts, I normally parked here. It is also cheaper than the commons and you pay monthly which I think is cool but can sometimes be a hassle. I didn't have to use my car much except when I would have to go to church or grocery shopping since there are no nearby grocery stores in which I can walk to.  We need more free parking available. I alreay have a far commute.  I park [at Hurt Plaza] when I don't have any cash on me. However they're 2x the price and their credit card machine usually goes down..

Comments about parking availability, location, and hours:  It'd be nice if GSU had some parking up here near aderhold.  We shouldn't have to leave [the N Deck], should have later hours.  I now park across from the Commons because it is the only lot that has spots open ALL THE TIME! :) Also the shuttle can take me to campus.  am disabled. walk with cane. difficult to maneuver thru campus. need parking available at each building for disabled. Police transport me from Kell to urban life and back.

Comments about parking procedures/system:  THE LOTTERY SYSTEM IS BULL. Seniors should get first pick, then other students. Supposedly Georgia State is starting to be like the 'big schools' (aka UGA and GT) and that's how they do it.  I do not park on campus. Parking procedures are too complex unless you drive and park everyday.

Comments about Turner Field:  I park at Turner Field and take the shuttle into campus. Sometimes there isn't a shuttle so I have to walk.  Since I live about an hour outside the city, being able to park at Turner Field is a great option. There are days when I have to work after school and it is a waste of time for me to ride the train back to my car, when I work closer to Downtown and in the opposite direction. TF is much better opposed to paying to park on campus. On the other hand, you have to park there MyCampus Survey Results Page 16

an hour before class starts because you have to wait on a shuttle and during Fall/Spring semesters there aren't enough spaces.  I Park at Turner Field. There should definitely be some other parking solution figured out. Looking for parking during baseball season is not fun, searching for parking in the limited parking spaces is not good. The shuttles are extremely hot in the summer.

Other comments:  never parked on campus, except for weekends sometimes. MARTA ALL THE WAY!!!  Campus needs parking for visitors. The machine at this parking lot didn't print a ticket and as a consequence my guests car got booted. $75 to get a boot off and paying for parking is not acceptable. GSU police offered no suggestions when I approached them about the problem as it occured (before the boot).

Living Where do you live?

Nearly 80% of survey participants live off-campus and commute in for class or work. Those who live on-campus had a range of comments about student housing, especially University Commons. Some love the experience in University Commons while others complain about the noise and the building design.

Comments about commuting:  I live in DeKalb, northeast Atlanta. I ride Marta on class days. If I need to make a special trip to the department office or library I have someone drive and circle the block while I go in to deliver or pichup.  I live in Decatur and take the MARTA in to campus (either the GSU or Five Points station)  I live near Turner Field, and typically park there, but sometimes I just walk.  Jefferson, GA. I commute 2x/week MyCampus Survey Results Page 17

 I live 2 miles from the downtown campus. I use MARTA & my bike to commute to work.  Right now, I live in my office ;) . . . . Or the West side of 285 depending on how you look at it.

Comments about on-campus housing:  as far as dorms go, [University Commons is] pretty excellent. Much better than some I have seen at other universities  Lived in [University Commons] my freshman year. Great way to just be around people and meet others. Just a little loud with a great potential for drama.  I hope to get a room here [in University Commons]  [University Commons is a] very nice dormitory. It's not friendly though. I'm not sure what you can do to make it less like a prison.  housing does a great job!

Favorite Classroom/Lab

Aderhold and Classroom South, two of the busiest classroom buildings on campus, are consistent favorites amongst students, faculty, and staff for being up-to-date, clean, and technology friendly. Some students like the General Classroom Building for its location as well as Petit Science Center. A few special-use classrooms and language labs are also mentioned.

Faculty (F) favorites (10+ visible icons):  Aderhold  Classroom South

Staff (Sf) favorites (10+ visible icons):  Aderhold (about twice as many icons as others)  Classroom South MyCampus Survey Results Page 18

 Petit Science Center

Student (St) favorites (big pile of visible icons):  Aderhold (about twice as many icons as others)  General Classroom Building  Classroom South  Petit Science Center

Comments by building:  Aderhold o Very high-tech classrooms (St) o Bottom level is nice to study at. (St) o Best classrooms in the Downtown campus. (St) o 4th floor is my favorite place on campus (St) o The lower levels need to be repaired (leaks in room 031) and all rooms used for MBA programs should be outfitted for Tegrity (audio and visual) (St) o Very nice classrooms. (St) o Classroom setup is more condusive to using tecnology inside class (laptop/etc) (St) o When I was a student, this was my favorite classroom building. Because it was the newest. (Sf)  Arts & Humanities o I like the exhibits here. (St)  Classroom South o New addition to classroom south is very nice (St) o CL SO 227, nice facility, good computer setup (St) o The large lecture rooms are nice however I don't like the tight hallways and small seating areas. (St) o For some reason even when crowded the building ever feels crowded. The flow of traffic was pretty good (St) o This is my most favorite classroom building, since it is close to where I park and hang out, it's right next to the library, and it has chairs and a microwave (only one though so the line at lunch can get really long). It also used to have a computer kiosk, which I used to check my email really quickly when I needed to know if I had anything new but didn't want to have to fight for a computer, but the last time I tried to use it it'd been turned off. (St) o Classrooms are clean and comfortable. (St) o This is the only building that feels modern and up to date with technology (Sf) o This is a nice building to teach in. (F)  College of Education o I mainly like the COE building because it's so close to MARTA (St) o When I take classes, they are usually in the COE building. Some fo the rooms are fine, but a few (the ones with movable walls) are pretty irritating. You can always hear your neighbors' class. (Sf)  General Classroom Building o Love to have classes here. Easy to get to (St) o I love the classroom on the upper floors of GCB. (St) o the Writing Studio (St) o Language Lab (LARC) (St)  Library North o my favorite place to be . (St) MyCampus Survey Results Page 19

o Library is very bright and nice (St) o Library North 4th/5th floor computer areas (St) o Library looks great. (F)  Natural Science Center o The labs in NSC are infinitely better than the labs in PSC. (St)  Petit Science Center o Nice place to learn about scinece even when people are failing at it. (St) o Super new and nice (St) o The Petit actually makes me feel like GSU is taking my education seriously, being one of the few buildings that doesn't seem near direlect in appearence. (St) o Classrooms and labs are nicely setup. Lobby/lounge areas are fantastic. (St) o Looks legit, especially at dark. (St)  Robinson College of Business o Nothing more than an Admin building. Wish there were computers or something here. Thanks. (St) o Love this building, however, some floors are dark and old feeling. (St)  Sparks Hall o Preserve Sparks! Its a shame to demolish such an integral piece of campus history. It could be used in many creative ways still. (Sf) o I like all the natural light that comes in the windows and the view of the Atlanta skyline. Put more chairs/benches in the hall so students don't have to sit on the floor. (F)  Sports Arena o LOVE cristy rink. it's great that someone is opne to helping students use what space we do haev available here (St)  Student Center o Student Center if very nice. Went there for training only once recently. If I were a full time student I could see myself enjoying this more. (St)  Student Rec Center o I SWIM every day, but I do not use the other parts of the rec ctr. I also check email often at the computers provided in the lobby. (St) o Another attractive facility and step in the right direction. (Sf)  Urban Life Building o Yay law library! Relatively slacker-clown-free zone! (St) o The auditorium here has great accustics, and since there's about 45 minutes between my class and the one before it, I usually eat lunch in there (even though we're not supposed to). (St) o women's studies institute (St)

Least Favorite Classroom/Lab

Sparks Hall, Kell Hall, and the General Classroom Building are identified as the least-liked classroom buildings on campus. A number of comments identify all three of them as “outdated” or “rundown.” The classrooms in Sparks Hall are specifically cited for being small and poorly- ventilated. A number of comments also identified Aderhold – also a favorite classroom building for many – as well as the math lab in University Commons as too far from the main campus and inconvenient for students.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 20

Faculty (F) least favorite classrooms (15+ visible icons):  Sparks Hall  Kell Hall  General Classroom Building

Staff (Sf) least favorite classrooms (15+ visible icons):  Sparks Hall  Kell Hall  General Classroom Building

Student (St) least favorite classrooms (big pile of visible icons):  Sparks Hall  Kell Hall  General Classroom Building  Classroom South

Comments by building:  Aderhold o This is my least favorite building because it is far from our main campus. Walking to and from here to get to another class can be a hassle at time. (St) o shuttle should run here as well. (St) o Way to far to walk (St) o I like the classrooms in Aderhold, it's just completely separated from the rest of the school. (St) o Easily the most horrible building on campus. It's too far for any required classes and is just terribly depressing. (St) o It is the only undergrad building on this side of campus. It is extremely detached from other academic buildings and was not created with new students in mind. (St) o Too far - Way too far from campus, I won't even register for classes in this bldg. (St) MyCampus Survey Results Page 21

o Don't feel as safe walking from or to this building at night (St) o My university experience would have been greatly improved if this area were secured. While I can appreciate the fact that I can ask for a police escort I shouldn't have to on a university campus that is supposedly safe. (St) o No good student parking near this building. I don't like classrooms without windows- -too dreary (St) o I've avoided enrolling in classes just because they met in this building. It's nice that it has some computers and is near food, but the whole area is a dead zone so it's terrible for meeting up or hanging out. (St) o Should be able to have cell phone service in building & computer lab is ALWAYS full (St)  Arts & Humanities o Why are the studio rooms on the 5th floor usually unswept? The blinds have fallen off some of the windows and need to be replaced. The area on the 6th floor that has lockers is an absolute mess. Doesn't the cleaning staff ever go up there???? (St) o Old and out of date. (St) o Arts & Humanities is inadequate for our growing art & design school. (F)  Classroom South o Temp control sucks on 5th floor. (St) o CL SO 406 = horrible, too wide and not deep enough (St) o ALWAYS SO COLD! (Sf) o I've been forced to teach in one of the 4th-floor classrooms, and it was not good. At least, it was not well suited to teaching an art-history course. (F)  General Classroom Building o General Classroom Building is about the most uncreative name for a building I've ever heard. (St) o nowhere to sit. needs chairs like in classroom south (St) o Old and dark (St) o Never able to get connected to CatChat inside GCB (St) o Old and out of date. (St) o There is no where for students to sit outside of the classrooms. They end up sitting on the floor, in the stairs, pretty much anywhere. It's kind of a fire hazard, not to mention having to be careful not to step on students, their laptops, or their food. Classrooms are dated. (Sf) o As a teacher, this is difficult to teach in because the technology is not up to date yet. Doesn't provide a chance to have more informal discussion spaces. (F)  Kell Hall o If I had millions of dollars I would invest them in rebuilding Kell Hall. Its a very unwelcoming building. (St) o very small classroom, dark and unkept, very old and dirty looking inside (St) o Kell hall is a pain to walk through (St) o Needs to go! (St) o What a confusing and creepy building! (St) o Kell hall is some of the worst classroom space on campus. (St) o Kell Hall sucks so bad. I hate it! (St) o out of date, little run down, ive been hearing ever since i came here (2007) it wss going to be reinivated, but who knows. (St) o Old and out of date. I (St) o No windows, ramps everywhere, very confusing. Usually cold. (St) o Kell and Sparks Hall are an embarssment to a modern university (St) o Yucky building. Tear it down? (Sf) MyCampus Survey Results Page 22

o The pitch of the ramps are too difficult to walk on. If you have any limited mobility, it's tough to navigate (Sf) o This building needs to be demolished (F)  Library North o This needs to have extended hours ALL THE TIME (St) o its gets very loud in the "library" (St) o Not enough computers (St)  Library South o Not enough computers (St) o The library is running out of room! 30,000 students & 1 library is not enough space for students to get work done. Peer institutions of our size have many branch libraries so students can spread out across campus. (F)  Natural Science Center o Improve the outside of the building. (St)  Petit Science Center o Architecure was designed outside in. There is no elebrated entrance or stairwell which forces you to use elevators even if going one floor up. Also, the bathrooms are divided by the elevator lobby space. (St) o I don't like these classrooms. I have only used the classrooms on the second floor, but the chairs need to be changed. The desks on wheels are small, they fall apart easily, and it is easy to fall out of them. (St)  Sparks Hall o Classroom look and feel wierd to be in. (St) o needs chairs (St) o Needs to go (St) o Bulding is run down (St) o These classrooms are usually dirty and disgusting. (St) o Tiny classrooms and poor ventilation. Also sometimes loud since it is a popular route to the bus stop. (St) o Classrooms and bathrooms are old (St) o Very old and unmaintained building, Low ceilings, bad restrooms, Air quality poor, wayfinding is difficult. (St) o The temp control in this building sucks. (St) o Building needs to be removed or rebuilt top to bottomSports Arena (St) o Old and out of date. (St) o Terrible classrooms. Gladly only had one class here. (St) o bathrooms and classroom too cramped & outdated (St) o Desks are designed for small children. Rooms are cramped, hot, and lack basic functionality (power outlets for laptops, etc.) (St) o Sparks Hall rooms are too small for the number of chairs they put in those rooms. I do not register for a class if scheduled in Sparks or Kell. (St) o When I was a student, this was my least favorite building because the rooms were old and small. I like to get lost in the class so it was really hard to do that here! (Sf) o Don't like classrooms in Sparks Hall. (F) o Noisy classroomrs with very spartan furnishings. Frequently, there are problems with heat and cooling. (F)  University Bookstore o The staff is not very helpful, and often can't even answer basic questions about textbooks. I would only buy something from them as a last resort. (St)  University Center o the food is terrible and overpriced. service is slow. (St) MyCampus Survey Results Page 23

o Cafeteria is loud and dark with terrible dinning choices. I checked it out once & never eat there. (Sf)  University Commons Math Lab o This is a rediculous location for a lab. Also, there is no shelter ifom inclement weather and the lab instructors are not accomodating. The lab should be back on campus. (St) o Commons MILE. My worst enemy. For the people who live in the Commons dorms, it's convenient, but for everyone else it's such a long walk that it sometimes makes me late for class. (St) o Sorry but it looks like a prison on the inside and outside. security is important but dont go overboard. Thanks. (St) o The labs at the dorms are far away, and extremely inconveinant. (St)  75 Piedmont o When we have meetings here, I'm always peeved. It's a reasonably far walk. If it's warm outside, you will be a sweaty mess by the time you arrive. Also, the basement training lab is pretty sad. (Sf)  Other o School of Music buildings are old and outdated. The school has outgrown the present facilities. Needs new facilities or relocation to a larger building. (St) o Courtland North & Courtland Building - What is housed here that requires high traffic street front? (Sf)

General comment:  The university seems to think that throwing money into technology will improve classroom life. It doesn't. The classrooms are cluttered with expensive machines that rarely work anyway. Where are the rooms for intellectual discussion? Where are the wood-panels and long tables and comfortable chairs we can use to engage graduate students?

Favorite Outdoor Space

Favorite open spaces are along Broad Street, over the two plazas on either side of Library North, and over the University Center Plaza. Participants appreciate Broad Street for its dining options and character. The plazas neighboring Library North are valued for their level of activity and extent of greenery (albeit limited). The University Center Plaza is considered a secluded and underrated spot. Favorite green spaces are over Hurt Park, the Olympic Centennial Park, and Woodruff Park. Comments regarding Hurt Park and Woodruff Park generally point to issues with homelessness and safety but also refer to the potential these spaces represent for the university. The Olympic Centennial Park is reviewed very favorably, with its distance from campus as its main drawback. MyCampus Survey Results Page 24

 1 Park Place: o The Window Project is cool, interesting, different, artistic, public

 Aderhold: o Love the Aderhold balconies on the 4th floor o The rooftop

 Broad Street: o Sometimes Broad Street is closed to traffic and made into a pedestrian zone. That works very well. It would be nice if it could be made permanent. o This is probably my favorite street but its getting congested and we need mroe strips like this around campus

 Field directly south of the Freedom Parkway and east of 75: o We should look into buying this school and the field and use it for club sports and as a receration field since it is right down from the commons.

 Hurt Park: o While Hurt isn't exactly my favorite spot in the city, it beats Woodruff by miles. It's a lot calmer and has less homeless people sleeping in random areas. o GSU needs to have more events at Hurt Park. o Great space.....except for 'homeless people'. o Great space for hosting large outdoor events, such as Welcome Week

 Comments about the Library plaza: o (Between Sparks and Library North) - There are some nice trees and flowers here. But we clearly need green roofs to get more green space. I love to study laying in the grass. MyCampus Survey Results Page 25

o (Between GCB and Library North) - The best outdoor space is the courtyard, because of the sheer amount of people. It's a nice change of pace from broken fountains in empty parks.

 Olympic Centennial Park: o This is my absolute favorite outdoor space to hang out at in this area. It is pretty, clean, and feels safe. It is a long walk from campus but when the weather is nice, it is worth the effort. Maybe GSU should consider hosting some events in this park to remind the community that it is nearby.

 Starbucks near Aderhold: o (Outdoor seating) I really enjoy the Starbucks at the Equitable building, it offters a real calm and relaxed yet inner city feel . . .

 State Capitol: o Sometimes I try to take a quick walk in the afternoon to clear my head and stretch. I walk around the Capitol loop pretty often. There's nice greenspace here, which we dont' really have on the south/east side of campus.

 Student Recreation Center: o Ok it doesn't have outdoor space, but with all the windows I feel like it is. I love working out near the window and watching people walking by as a run on the elliptical.

 University Center Plaza: o More events should be here. Under rated. o Nice and quiet o I like to sit here on sunny days and relax between classes. It is very secluded from other outdoor spaces and is nice to take a minute to collect my thoughts.

 University Commons: o The courtyard is prety sweet.

 Urban Life building courtyard: o There is a small little court yard here that I love going to. It has roses and nice flowers, is quite (not a lot of students know about it)

 Woodruff Park: o Woodruff is great because it's beautiful in the summer...and the King of Pops sells his popcicles out there. But it still has a bit of an unsafe feeling, so there aren't many students out lounging on the grass, for example. It would be great to see this space as more student-friendly in the years to come. o I wish we could do more with this space or around it... o Great space.... I just don't feel safe or like a campus/business area. Feels abandoned except when classes are changing. It would be a great hangout and to play chess.

General Comment MyCampus Survey Results Page 26

Anything else you’d like to tell us about the campus

Get the park for GSU; demolish the raised sidewalks; ban cars, knock down the decks and replace them with parking closer to the highways + shuttle buses; keep all the really old buildings you can, but demolish Kell, Sparks, etc.; make more social space for students away from study space.

Several themes emerged within the general comments received here and in the short-answer survey. Security is a major concern. Participants feel unsafe in many areas on campus, in particular Woodruff Park and Hurt Park, and peripheral areas on or leading to campus, such as parking garages. Participants voice a strong desire for better, safer, smoke-free green and open spaces. The library and its plaza form a clear locus of activity at the university, although this can be disruptive for studying. There is a clear distinction in the desirability of other buildings throughout campus: more modern facilities such as Aderhold, the Petit Science Center, and the recreation center are viewed favorably; others, such as Kell Hall and Sparks Hall, receive very little positive feedback. Participants emphasize that the university clearly lacks sufficient on- campus housing options, large event spaces, and facilities dedicated only towards grad students or faculty. Concerns related to mobility include accessibility in future development for persons with disabilities, bicycle/pedestrian friendliness, the current level of shuttle service throughout campus, and the convenience and expense of parking. Those surveyed find it difficult to move around campus efficiently and safely. Participants desire extended hours of social and study facilities, such as the library and student center. Finally, dissatisfaction with the on-campus food and dining options is a consistent theme throughout both surveys.

Buildings and places:

Comments about 148 Edgewood: MyCampus Survey Results Page 27

 This is an abandoned building. Why not make it into something students will use. For example a hangout building with games, pool tables, big TVs, hangout rooms where ppl can plan movie nights, late night study rooms (later than the library). This could be a building where everyone from all housing buildings can connect, make friends, find study groups, etc.

Comments about Aderhold:  Best biulding, but too far away form main campus.  The stadium seating in Aderhold is the best classroom experience I've had.  Why is there not more panther express routes to aderhold from Say the student center or Sparks  The course that the bus takes from here to the commons is so long that it is isn't worth taking the bus.  The shuttles are incredibly inconvenient to use. It's like a grab bag; sometimes they're there when you need them. Other times you spend 15-20 minutes waiting for them (yes, it is that long, no exaggeration) when you could've just walked to class or wherever quicker

Comments about the area of campus north of Edgewood Avenue:  Purchase as much of this area as possible. Develop into places to hang out  I think that this old hotel might be a great location for dorms. It is centrally located and would make the campus shape into more of a square and less of a horse shoe. Plenty of parking included.  Would like to see this area developed into more student housing.  (One block West of Piedmont) I realize this would cost a lot of money but GSU should buy out this whole block and make it into a huge open area with trees, grass, picnic tables, benches, paths to walk on etc..

Comments about Grady Hospital:  Another creepy, dangerous area. Security is lacking in this area.  Comments about GCB:  These classrooms are so miserable...I avoid taking a class that is placed in this building...and wait for a later offering of the class.  Is this building energy efficient? It would be awesome if GSU would take the lead in retrofitting old buildings to top-notch green standards.  Grad student working conditions are abysmal, shameful. Seven people in one office? No research carrels or silent grad-student-only study areas? Look at any other decent grad school in our cohort and tell me why we don't suck.

Comments about Hurt Park:  This park would be a great place to be but I am terrified of entering. Would love an outdoor food concession here without getting killed and some tables and chairs for outdoor use  Currently underutilized and serves as a space for homeless people. It will be nice to turn this into a green space for GSU community only.

Comments about Kell Hall / Sparks Hall:  Please tearn down this whole building (Sparks and Kell) and build something nice.  Almost all of the buildings on campus that are dedicated to classroom spaces are old and not equipped with necessary technology. The connection between Kell and Sparks Halls is confusing. Sparks Hall, apparently, used to be a parking garage! That's really crazy and tells me that GSU cut corners when planning out classroom spaces. MyCampus Survey Results Page 28

Comments about Library North/Library South:  (North) I would use the library at least 3 times as much as I do now if they had extended hours.  (South) I am super impressed with the library, both design and functionality. There are so many computers and meeting rooms, it is awesome.

Comments about Library Plaza:  (Between Sparks and Library North): o Always filled with smokers. o More hang out spots like the plaza should be made! It would give the campus a more traditional feel.  (Between GCB and Library North) o This outdoor space is terrible! And could be made to be a pretty and safe space for students to congregate. Right now it's some sort of urban nightmare out of the Wire. o This should be a no smoking area...too much traffic for the smoke smog. o The courtyard needs improvement--instead of a large fountain in the middle, green space might give more room to socialize and can accommodate greater number of students  The assessability of all the buildings around the court year, (i.e. Sparks, GCB, Classrm South, University Center, Kell) is wonderful for busy students that need to get things done quick and don't have to wait for lights to change (except UC, but thats not long

Comments about MARTA stops:  Georgia State needs to be better integrated to MARTA. We are constantly being reminded about the traffic issues in the city.  Lots of people take the Five Points MARTA station versus the GSU stop or Peachtree Center stop.  Faculty and staff should receive free marta passes (fully subsidized by GSU) to encourage the use of transit.  Why is using the MARTA more expensive than parking? You could use more of your space for academics/activities/athletics/research if you discouraged driving and encouraged the use of public transit by shifting the cost of each activity.   Comments about Parker Petit Science Center:  More eating establishments around Petit Science Center Area, Get rid of Willies put in Chipolte  Would love bike racks along this wall of PSC. Need more around PSC  Great addition, great classrooms.

Comments about Recreation Center:  A very good recreation center. I only wish I could have used it more during the years I was here.

Comments about Rialto:  Rialto is probably the nicest building we have on campus. Why dont we use it more?

Comments about Student Center: MyCampus Survey Results Page 29

 These buildings are nice, but so far from anything that people actually do that they are useless. I only walk through this building after going to the gym. The student center would be better if located closer to a MARTA station (such as Peachtree).  The University is seriously deficient in large capacity event space. Student groups, campus offices, and outside organizations all vy for the use of the Student Center ballroom, which is unable to accommodate all these important requests.

Comments about Underground Atlanta:  We need to utilize Underground Atlanta, it is such a historic awesome place and it is a complete ghost town during the day. When it could be a very unique highlight to our university. Atlanta has been trying to revitalize this area to no avail, what can our urban planners create?

Comments about University Bookstore:  Almost impossible to find the entrance- more signs needed

Comments about University Center:  University Center is too cramped and there is no place to sit down and work or just hang out.  The eateries here have lines out the door at lunchtime, plus Chik-fil-a isn't exactly a company that fits GSU's culture of acceptance.

Comments about Woodruff Park:  This is a very dangerous area. Very scary people hang out here. I am not sure how it even can still go by the name park. Security is lax, and walking by here is dangerous. I think one of the biggest issuex at GSY is the lack of green space and plaguing of our campus by the homeless.  Very pretty park but overtaken by the homeless of Atlanta. I would love an outdoor place/park that is specifically for GSU students.

Other themes:

Comments about connectivity:  I have started using the below-building paths to get from GCB to the University Center, Student Center, and Recreation Center. These areas should be updated with fresh paint though to look less foreboding.

Comments about parking:  I use a wheelchair and it would be much more convenient if there were a sidewalk cut-out outside of G Deck to cross Central Ave. instead of using the car ramps in and out of G Deck. Additional crosswalks would also make this intersection safer.  It seems to me that all of the parking provided by the school for students is primarily on one side of the campus.  One of the worst aspects of campus is the number of parking garages. Also, the presence of overhead telephone and power wires is also a real eyesore.  The parking facilities on campus are atrocious. I never drive to campus because I do not believe the parking options are safe or widely available.  (M Deck) This is the only deck in which I feel safe.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 30

Comments about residence halls:  (Freshman Hall) when i stayed here freshman year the qualtiy of food was not worth the price. the food was not everyday food that people knew  (Piedmont) Why is such a remote location the center for many of the university's essential depatments?  (Piedmont North) By far the place no one wants to live.  (University Commons) Everyone likens the Commons to a prision. Security there is absurd. I need an escort just to visit different quadrants of the building? Stupid, everyone hates it here.

Comments about streets:  Bike lanes throughout campus would be nice.

2. “Getting Around” Responses

The “Getting Around” section of MyCampus asks participants to trace the routes they follow when moving around campus. Walking routes were by far the most frequently indicated, compared to car, shuttle, and bike routes. Responses confirm Decatur Street, Piedmont Street, Courtland Street, and Edgewood Street as key corridors for campus movement.

1419

370

98 90

Walk Car Shuttle Bike

Pedestrian Movement

Primary Pedestrian Use: Decatur St (between Broad and Piedmont), Piedmont Ave (between GSU MARTA and Andrew Young International) Edgewood and John Wesley Dobbs Aves (between Piedmont and Peachtree), Courtland (between John Wesley Dobbs and Decatur), Central Ave (between Edgewood and Decatur)

On-Campus Students Off-Campus Students Faculty, Staff & Other MyCampus Survey Results Page 31

Of those surveyed, most students living on-campus walk along Piedmont (between GSU MARTA and Andrew Young International), Edgewood and John Wesley Dobbs Avenues (between Piedmont and Peachtree), Courtland Street and Central Avenue (between Edgewood and Decatur), Peachtree Street (between John Wesley Dobbs and Edgewood), Broad Street (between Poplar NW and Auburn), Hurt Plaza, Gilmer Street, and through the Library Plaza.

Off-campus students walk most heavily along Decatur Street, Piedmont (between GSU MARTA and Andrew Young International), Edgewood and John Wesley Dobbs Avenues (between Piedmont and Peachtree), Courtland Street and Central Avenue (between John Wesley Dobbs and Decatur), Peachtree Street (between John Wesley Dobbs and Decatur), Broad Street, Hurt Plaza, Gilmer Street, and intensely throughout the Library Plaza.

Faculty and staff pedestrian movement is very similar to off-campus student movement.

ST

ELLIS PIEDMONT PEACHTREE COURTLAND

JOHN WESLEY DOBBS

75/85

AUBURN

EDGEWOOD

DECATUR

Bicycle Movement

Primary Bicycle Use: Decatur Street, Edgewood Ave, and Piedmont Ave (between John Wesley Dobbs Ave and Decatur St), and Peachtree St

MyCampus Survey Results Page 32

On-Campus Students Off-Campus Students Faculty, Staff & Other

Of those surveyed, most students living on-campus do not rely on heavily on bicycles, but when they do they primarily use Piedmont Street.

Off-campus students use Decatur and Peachtree Streets, and Piedmont and Edgewood Avenues.

Faculty and staff use Edgewood Avenue, Piedmont Avenue (between Edgewood and Decatur), and Decatur Street (between Edgewood and Piedmont).

ST

ELLIS ST PIEDMONT PEACHTREE COURTLAND

JOHN WESLEY DOBBS

75/85

AUBURN

EDGEWOOD

DECATUR ST

Transit Movement

MyCampus Survey Results Page 33

Primary Shuttle Use: Courtland St, Central Ave SW, Gilmer St, and Ellis Ave (between 75/85 and Piedmont Ave)

On-Campus Students Off-Campus Students Faculty, Staff & Other

Of those surveyed, most students living on-campus rely on the shuttle service to the north of the campus core on the University Commons/Aderhold Center Route.

Off-campus students rely most heavily on shuttle service to the south on the Turner Field Route.

Faculty and staff do not rely heavily on shuttle service, but when they do it is evenly distributed use across the campus service area.

AVE ST

ELLIS PIEDMONT PEACHTREE COURTLAND

JOHN WESLEY DOBBS

75/8

AUBURN

EDGEWOOD

DECATUR

MyCampus Survey Results Page 34

Vehicle Movement

Primary Vehicular Use: Decatur St, Courtland St, Edgewood Ave, Piedmont Ave, Central Ave SW, and Ellis Ave (between 75/85 and Courtland St)

On-Campus Students Off-Campus Students Faculty, Staff & Other

Of those surveyed, most students living on-campus do not rely upon personal vehicles to get around.

Off-campus students rely most heavily upon Decatur and Courtland Streets and Edgewood and Piedmont Avenues. The student parking garages (Loft Deck, M Deck, N Deck, K Deck) are located at the south-east edge of campus and the use of vehicles noticeable diminishes on the streets through the core.

Faculty and staff rely most heavily on Decatur Street and Central Avenue SW in addition to those relied upon most heavily by the students.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 35

ST

ELLIS PIEDMONT PEACHTREE COURTLAND

JOHN WESLEY DOBBS

75/85

AUBURN

EDGEWOOD

DECATUR

3. Short Answer Responses The short-answer section of MyCampus asks participants open-ended questions regarding preferences on- and off-campus, as well as what they would like to change or see missing from campus.

On-Campus Places What are your favorite on-campus places and why?

Participants enjoy the hubs of activity on campus, such as the Library Plaza, the Student Center, and the Recreation Center, but also appreciate quite places for study, including Aderhold, the General Classroom Building, and the Student Center. Library North and Library South are mentioned most frequently in participant responses. The libraries serve both social and academic functions, which some enjoy but others find disruptive. For those seeking less activity, the courtyard by the Urban Life Center offers a quieter outdoor haven. While their aesthetic value is contested, Kell and Sparks Hall possess a historic or representative value for the campus. With their modern and spacious facilities, Aderhold and Petit Science Center received only positive comments. Broad Street and the area surrounding Aderhold are mentioned frequently as good places to eat.

34 Peachtree  so much more calm and less busy than buildings near the courtyard.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 36

Aderhold  where its located (in the middle of they city), its right next to broad street where all the food is, and its just really pretty in that area  unique and urban, but safe  fresh, clean, vibrant, professional-looking, efficient  balconies are peaceful.  it's fairly quiet. Sometimes more quiet than the "quiet" floors at the library.  not over crowded like GCB and other buildings on campus.  nice, clean classrooms with reliable technology.  plenty of spaces to meet in groups and amenities are close by.  the internet connection seems to be faster there

Andrew Young Building  nice and quite. always have enough computer  Availability of academic resources and study spaces,

Broad Street  trees, restaurants, architecture  easy to walk and safe  has the most character and untouched history.  the only place you can get half decent food relatively close to campus

Bookstore  clean and safe  always a pleasant place to visit

Cinefest Theater  great movies for free

Dining halls  (New): There is a lot of options, but it is too pricy for me to go very often.  because it is all students

Faculty Digital Arts Entertainment Lab  different, visible, professional and artistic

GCB  open even on break so students can come in and have a quiet place to study  safe & friendly  best place to get WiFi

Kell Hall  for nostalgic reasons...it's cool that so many students have climbed the ramps over the years.  Unique  quiet and it has an eating area.  Central location and the essence of GSU.  the sloped hallways and just random things sitting around

Law Library  the ONE AND ONLY place quiet enough to actually hear myself think MyCampus Survey Results Page 37

Libraries (North and South)  libraries are great since remodel.  open, bright and welcoming  very big with a cafe  beautiful facility  Always clean  well laid out, open space.  Quiet floor of the library. GSU is a hectic place and this is one of the few sanctuaries.  One of the few places left that feels like a college campus & not the outside of a dorm room/frat house.  I really like to see students interacting there.  feels safe  Nice place to hang out while waiting around for class.

Library Plaza  the only outdoor area where people congregate and they do try to make it nice with flowers even though there is a lot of concrete  creating feel of strong student body  there are very few places where students as well as staff and faculty can co-mingle and socialize.  safer than the woodruff park or hurt park  there is always something going on there.  the elevated platform system successfully removes pedestrian traffic from the street and encourages student/faculty interaction.  closed in so i feel safe.

Parks  Hurt Park (sunny, small, close to everything)  Woodruff Park and surrounding restaurants--nice green space and lots of food options.  Collins street underpass garden/lawn is beautifully maintained, and I would like to sit there if I could  the parks offer a wonderful study environment with the scenery and the student center is bright and welcoming

Petit Science Center  Its modern, light filled structure is ideal for working  robust technology  pretty and has lounge areas  good views  easy commute from MARTA.  not over crowded like GCB and other buildings on campus.

Piedmont North  a great addition to the residence life department at Georgia State. It seems to be a very inviting environment.  Sense of community.  The facilities offer a wonderful design, great, atmosphere and very good food for dinning.

Recreation Center MyCampus Survey Results Page 38

 modern and clean  I can get a locker and ease my load for the day. Plus, there are zappers to heat my lunches, computers for use, badminton, and cleaner bathrooms.  beautiful facility  very college campus feel to [it].  safe & friendly  always clean

RCB Building  due to its old architecture

Rialto Theater  The crown jewel of the GSU Arts scene  excellent programs during week  the ambiance is always warm and inviting.

Sparks Hall  reminds me of my days there as a student in 1968-72.  Central location and the essence of GSU.

Sports Arena  I am a big sports fan and I enjoy seeing the students have fun.  very college campus feel to [it].

Student Center  only nice, relaxing spot on campus.  there are very few places where students as well as staff and faculty can co-mingle and socialize.  it's open and feels like a college campus  I feel comfortable as a staff member  Place of work and central hub of campus. Easily accessible to students.  fresh, clean, vibrant, professional-looking, efficient  nice lighting w/lots of windows. Patio area has some benches.  Food court  safe  usually quiet, clean  large areas  peaceful and serene environment  comfortable and there are study areas

University Center  Always clean  finally good meeting space for all size groups.  (Cafeteria): variety of food and places to sit.  (Cafeteria): It feels so "college-y" and the attendants are ALWAYS friendly and willing to help feed me.  the Wi-Fi there is great, I can eat and actually have a place to sit as well.

Underground Atlanta  because of its history and potential for actually being a place people will want to go one day. MyCampus Survey Results Page 39

Urban Life Center  proximity and easy access to Piedmont, Decatur and Courtland  a nice place to study because it's quiet over there.

Urban Life Center courtyard  it is quiet  great spot to eat lunch  It is usually not very crowded and a good place to relax, meet with a small group, or even study

Other  Underground parking decks and rarely-used hallways in buildings. I like finding unique or unusual paths between buildings/classrooms.

Off-Campus Places What are your favorite off-campus places and why?

The majority of comments by participants address off-campus places directly proximate to the University, many of which focus on Broad Street. Most places and neighborhoods mentioned farther outside of campus are within a five-mile radius; among these are Atlantic Station, Midtown, Peachtree Center, and the Fairlie-Poplar district. The types of places mentioned, in rough order of frequency, were restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Other programs mentioned include shops and malls, and stadia and other entertainment facilities such as stadia (Georgia Dome, Turner Field), and colleges in the surrounding area. This question also prompted participants to begin voicing concerns about the area surrounding campus, mainly centering on its challenges and potential.

General comments:  This place could be a destination--clubs, bookstores, music, restaurants, coffee shops, underground, etc. but really, it's a wasteland. I avoid the place unless I have to come down here. And that's a shame.  I return home after classes. I have never been introduced by the college to acceptable off campus attractions at any time in my career at GSU  The environs around GSU are my least favorite. Urban blight to the north, parking garages everywhere, a sea of cars and traffic.... Its location is awful.  We are at a tipping point around downtown and the Sweet Auburn area where there are great restaurants and places to hang out. The university should first not discourage this by telling students to be terrified. Second, we should come up with ways of encouraging students and faculty to hangout at places around the university instead of immediately going home after work or classes.

Comments about places closest to campus:  Broad Street/Aderhold o . . . there are a plethora of food options to choose from. Something the on-campus master plan DESPERATELY needs. o Broad Street (a close-to-campus spot) is one place I like. I appreciate its small scale, its historic architecture, the variety of food shops, the outdoor dining, the occasional MyCampus Survey Results Page 40

street musician. If that block of Broad street were permanently blocked to traffic, it would be even better. o Broad street has the best food options, but it is so dirty. o Better, cheaper food than on campus.  Sweet Auburn Curb Market o The Sweet Auburn Market because of its dining options (I walk).

Comments about surrounding places and neighborhoods:  Atlantic Station o Atlantic Station - because it's a mini town in the city where I feel safe to walk even late at night. Also no pan-handling is allowed.  Buckhead o Buckhead is great, but not because of students. Its great precisely because ifs far from campus and an autonomous part of the city.  CNN Center o CNN center has lots of food and something is always happening in that area.  Decatur o I live around Decatur and wish GSU could reproduce the live and play feel of downtown Decatur in downtown Atlanta.  Fairlie-Poplar District o Fairlie-Poplar distract, I enjoy the variety of eateries and the atmosphere  Little Five Points o I often go to the CVS at five points because GSU lacks a campus store that is open on the weekends.  Midtown o Midtown area close to GaTech campus because it offers an excellent choices of dining and shopping,  Peachtree Center Station o Peachtree center station. There is a wide variety of food available.

Comments about restaurants and coffee shops:  Starbucks/Coffee Shops - I study at these 6 days/week. It is not because I live far from campus. I just find these to be more inspirational for studying... sad but true. GSU's campus isn't conducive to long bouts of studying  Restaurants near campus because we simply do not have enough food choices on campus

Comments about parks:  GSU has no green space other than some strips of grass that will be taken when they build on the student center.  I like the dining on Broad Street, but I don't like passing Woodruff park.  My absolute favorite off-campus places are Centennial Olympic Park and Pemberton Place. Both have well-maintained lawns and jaw-dropping views of the Atlanta skyline.  Piedmont Park - open space, trails, places to sit/lay out and study/read, less chance of being harassed by homeless vs parks downtown.  Centennial Olympic Park, there is lots to do around that area.

Comments about shops and malls:  The Edgewood Shopping District and Little Five Points. They are right next to each other, and that's where I go for clothes, food, and books, or just to hang out with my friends. MyCampus Survey Results Page 41

 Camp Creek Marketplace (lots of great shopping and eating), Virginia Highlands (lots of electic dining and shops), Caroline Street Area/Moreland Ave (lots of electic dining and shops), Downtown Decatur (lots of electic dining and shops), Northpointe Mall area (great family dining and shops)

Comments about entertainment facilities:  Turner Field; I love the atmosphere, which melds outdoors with activity so well  I enjoy going to Phillips Arena and the GA Dome for events.

Comments about neighboring universities:  When i need to do some late night studying i usually go to Georgia Tech's campus as there are usually many rooms available, quiet environments, and plenty of other students who are studying as well.  Emory University. I go there every week. Because they have a real compus. I can enjoy the playgroud, garden, etc. And will be around with students, not homeless people.

Campus Changes What would you change about campus? Dream big!

Comments center several main subjects: bicycle/pedestrian issues; campus identity; campus facilities; parks and open spaces; restaurants and other retail; safety, sustainability, and parking and transportation.

Bicycle/pedestrian issues

Sometimes it feels like the campus was meant for cars and not people.

Main concerns: 1. Cars: reducing or eliminating automobile use; traffic calming 2. Streets/sidewalks: sidewalk improvements; creating complete streets on campus 3. Walkability: more pedestrian-only streets; improved pedestrian walks; new pedestrian bridges, sky bridges between buildings, and/or pedestrian tunnels; detailed walking maps 4. Bikability: more bike racks and bike lanes 5. Accessibility for persons with disabilities

Comments about bicycle/pedestrian issues:  Speed humps (not bumps, humps) to slow traffic, bottle necks to discourage thru traffic  More pedestrian-only areas so that students are not constantly crossing busy roads to get to places.  Install streetscapes, signage, LED lighting on all pedestrian walks to all GSU buildings.  Is it possible to create "pedestrian overpasses" to reduce the need for disrupting traffic and student injuries?  It would be nice if there were breezeways that connected every building, such as how libraries north and south are connected.  I would make the GSU campus more bike-friendly. Bike lanes (esp. along Edgewood and Decatur) and more racks would be a great start!  Walking from building to building is hazardous!! The sidewalks are in terrible condition and dangerous in many areas.  At peak time the sidewalks are too narrow. Fix the sidewalks - try again on Decatur Street especially the South side. MyCampus Survey Results Page 42

 Curb cut-outs outside of G Deck to cross Central Ave (instead of using the car entrance/exit ramps), and additional crosswalks at the Central Ave/Wall St. intersection.

Campus identity:

I want it to feel more like it's GSU than Atlanta.

Main concerns: 1. Relationship to city: separation to create “campus feel” 2. Student life: consolidation 3. Character: Logos and signage; public art 4. Buildings: aesthetic improvements and architectural identity and interest; consistency of appearance to signal campus cohesion; closer placement

Comments about campus identity:  More of a cohesive presence - Have a definite area that is GSU. It kind of peters out at the edges and some of the outer area is pretty run down.  The university should invest in renovating the beautiful old buildings around and helping to either knock down or renovate the ones that look like they should be condemned. It's depressing to walk by so many closed storefronts.  Consolidate student life to keep students on campus on weekends and build a sense of GSU identity in Atlanta.  I would have all the building close to each other. I would have more people to interact and have a closer kind of relationship with people around my school and campus  Also can't we put up some signs that say entering GSU or Panther's Den??? There does not seem to be a definitive begin or end to the campus which is probably why it feels like an office park instead of a campus  Get consistent signage/logo usage throughout campus  Add mural artwork to the older buildings remaining to give GSU an artistic aesthetic that fits with the Living Spaces theme currently going on in Atlanta.  There is no architectural identity for the campus other than for some on Decatur Street that were actually built for GSU. I'm sure most people who drive by my building would not realize it is part of campus. Most would assume it is owned by the bank.  Build an iconic building, like the tower of learning at the University of Pittsburgh. more interesting architecture of buildings (think University of Cincinnati),

Comments about campus facilities:

[The buildings] are ugly, and what's more lack open floor plans and logically-arranged space for a University, i.e. there are few common spaces, meeting rooms are tucked away and difficult to access, many offices that you think should be near to one another are actually on opposite sides of campus.

Main concerns: 1. Athletics: need for a football stadium; moving athletic fields from Panthersville 2. Gathering and event spaces 3. Library and study spaces: addition of locations, increase in size, extension of hours 4. Housing: affordability; capacity; diversity of offerings MyCampus Survey Results Page 43

5. Improved WiFi connections 6. High-rise buildings to increase campus capacity 7. Physical cohesion of departments 8. Dedicated facilities for graduate students and faculty 9. Other specific building changes

 Bring all athletics into down town, bringing the fields from the Panthersville location downtown would be awesome. It would create more of a true college atmosphere.  There are no places to sit, wait, study together as in lounges at school of nursing  Create more areas that can be utilized by everyone for events (places like the common room in the Univ. Commons, but open to everyone and not in the dorm).  Most importantly a 24 hour open library would help students study all through the night. This facility should be available all throughout the year rather than only during the finals week.  I would like another library where only students legitimately studying could go with lots of space, computer outlets, and better wifi connections.  More student housing. If more students live downtown then local business can grow around that population and cater to college student wants and needs.  It would be ideal if departments could be near each other when they are in the same college.  Specific facility changes: o I feel like GSU is missing a more iconic student center. The current student center is very dry and not as inviting to student as it could be. o One Park Place, Sparks Hall, Kell Hall, Arts Hall, and General Classroom Bldg need to be either torn down or completely refurbished. o The One Stop Shop should be a building, such as Sparks Hall, that students are directed to for services: Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, International Student Services, Office of the Registrar, and etc. o This campus NEEDS an international center. o There were originally plans for a new social science & humanities building and that would be very nice to see. o New law building o Faculty dining area/ Campus Pub

Parks and open spaces

I wish the campus was centered around one large main open plaza (sidewalks and plants only, no cars) that all has full wireless internet, with the library, classroom buildings, office buildings and math and science labs around it, so that I'd never have to run to make it to a class or meeting on time.

Main concerns: 1. Centrality of campus through main quad 2. Diversity of open space: plazas and quads throughout campus; campus gardens; rooftop green spaces; outdoor athletic facilities; public art and performance space 3. Quality of open space: accessible only to university community; ample seating opportunities; quiet; smoking reduction or elimination 4. Transformation of Woodruff and Hurt parks

Comments about parks and open spaces:  Tear down the GCB plaza so it's down at street level. MyCampus Survey Results Page 44

 MORE GREEN SPACES!!!!!!!!!! Pocket parks, large parks, elevated parks . . . any additional green space of any kind would be a huge improvement.  Real quads around the library and GCB -- I know they'd be small, but they don't have to look like slabs of concrete.  Outdoor fields to play flag football, soccer, or softball. Right now, we have to go to Panthersville to play and that is REALLY out of the way.  Also, although I don't mind so much when people smoke in general, it is really very bad where smokers tend to congregate in large numbers in areas where one cannot avoid them  There would be more places for everyone to hang out together instead of the most diverse university in the U.S. being so segregated.  Purchase more buildings around Woodruff and Hurt Parks, clean those parks out and operate them as campus facilities

Restaurants and other retail:

More bars and have more forms of entertainment and places to go to nearby to wind down from a long day of classes or even places to go during breaks like coffee shops.

Main concerns: 1. Improved commercial relationship between university and surroundings 2. On-campus: affordability, diversity, and healthiness of options; dining hall capacity 3. Off-campus: addition of grocery store; later hours; more bars, coffee shops, entertainment, local businesses, and shopping

Comments about restaurants and other retail:  Engage more businesses to accept panther cards for meals.  Integration of the street (Decatur, Central/Peachtree Center Avenue/Piedmont) with student life and retail activities.  I would have more vegetarian options at our on campus dining options  More retail and restaurant spaces in GSU buildings like in Petit and Aderhold  I would also have GSU-related food trucks around campus, especially the parts of campus where there are not a lot of close, good dining options.  It would also be great to have places nearby to eat. Ideally, we could have healthy restaurants with hours that go past 5:00 PM.  Add a full-service grocery store adjacent to campus.  We need a student hang out. Maybe a late night bakery/coffee shop. A place where students can hang out between classes or late at night.

Safety

SECURITY! I fear for my safety and for the safety of everyone on campus.

Main concerns: 1. Campus security: increased presence and capacity; more central location 2. Campus environment: enclosed perimeter; more condensed layout; card access

Comments about safety:  Campus security needs to be more visible and beefed up. I feel like a walking target to be a victim everywhere on campus outside of the Petit building. MyCampus Survey Results Page 45

 Locate the GSU Police Department more centrally and enlarge their space.  We also need more police presence walking on the streets, not sitting in cars or on motorcycles. Students do not feel safe, especially at night.  That everything is so spread out, as a woman- I get nervous walking through some of the parts of campus.  Require Panther card access for all GSU buildings 24/7.  I would fence it in and guard gate its entrances  A safer campus where we aren't harassed by homeless people (the situation is getting better tho), jumped and attacked by random people, or getting phones snatched. . .

Sustainability

A world-class public university cannot continue to be behind the times in terms of environmental sustainability – [ it is] a moral imperative.

Main concerns: 1. Green or LEED-certified buildings, renovations, and retrofits 2. Improved sustainability efforts throughout campus 3. Clean energy

Comments about sustainability  The buildings should be retrofitted with sensors to switch off the lights when nobody is around. Also the air conditioning can be made to run on its lowest capacity at nights if the premises are empty. The street lights surrounding the campus are running all through the day leading to unnecessary electricity wastage. They could have timer sensors so that start at particular time in the evening and shut off at a particular time in the morning.  I'd like Leed certified green buildings == new and retro-fitted.  I would have solar panels to use up less electricity. I would have only hand dryers in the restrooms. We don't need paper towels.

Parking and Transportation

GSU has a mission for improving urban environments and could reinforce that with a progressive (and aggressive) policy towards commuter travel for its own staff, faculty, and students.

Main concerns: 1. On-campus transportation: more regular bus schedule; more frequent bus service, new routes, modes, and types of service (e.g. 24-hour shuttle) 2. Parking: permitted only on exterior of campus, increased capacity, more convenient, less expensive, reduced hours 3. MARTA: add bus stops on campus; shuttle connections to nearby rail stops

Comments about parking and transportation:  More Panther express buses running (it's tiring waiting 3 times to finally get on a bus).  Maybe there could be shuttles to classes that are far apart.  I would like to see an underground or above ground transportation system(light rail or monorail) to quickly get around campus MyCampus Survey Results Page 46

 It would be nice if the shuttles went to the three train stations. . . It would make traveling around campus at night safer and . . . prompt me to stay on campus after classes or go to events  Make parking easier and less expensive. I have classes in multiple locations throughout the day, this often means re-parking and paying an additional fee.  More parking floors added to all decks. So we go up and not out as far as parking.  Close parking available prior to 4 PM.  Provide several locations to accommodate drop-offs and pick-ups which is currently very limited and technically not legal.  I would love to see all the parking decks on the exterior of the campus and there not be any cars inside the center of campus.  Less reliance on providing ugly and space-hogging parking when people should be given better incentives to use MARTA to get to GSU. Parking for people driving 1-3 miles to campus costs about the same per month as a subsidized MARTA pass, so many choose the car.  More parking on the west side of campus, not for faculty, staff and students but for hosting student-oriented ceremonies and community events.

Campus Needs What is missing from the Georgia State campus?

Comments centered on several similar themes issues as above and are categorized below as aesthetics, ambience, campus facilities, city-university relationship, and space and organization.

Aesthetics

A nice aesthetic sense of itself. A place where students want to hang out.

Main concerns: 1. Campus appearance and cleanliness 2. Placemaking through art, building names, icons, logos and signage

Comments about aesthetics:  Just one beautiful thing: a building we could all stare at on a daily basis and say, "Man, that's gorgeous architecture!"  We have a very dirty campus.  A central iconic image like the UGA Arch or Tech clock tower.  Names for buildings that aren't as bland as Urban Life or General Classroom Building.  Adding more statues or "pieces" to the campus that helps create a tradition would be cool.  Bells/chimes on the hour with music  Get the sculpture yard to make something like a big GSU sign by the fountains near the General Classroom Building. That fountain is bare and boring.  Make all the intersections on campus have brick crosswalks with the GSU logo.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 47

Ambience

A vibrant community that lives and works here. As it is, nobody stays past five, so there's no investment beyond those immediate needs: fast food, parking, etc.

Main concerns: 1. Energy 2. Spirit and community

Comments about ambience:  An intimate atmosphere. The food court near Aderhold is ideal.  More liveliness it’s a dull place.  The outside area to be relaxed.  A sense of community.  GSU has tons of potential but our spirit lacks. It could be better if we had more residents living on campus because students don't want to drive back to campus on the weekends for a game or event.  We are getting there, but there is still a deadness that fills campus after hours  Greek Life. There isn't enough of it. I think that would help get people involved.

Campus facilities

Make campus a livable busy place where students and faculty are comfortable early in the morning, late at night, and on weekends. Other inner city campuses I have been to have limited space just like we do. It takes a vision of making campus a place where people can interact and feel at home....not simply a place to work and leave.

(Participants discussed numerous types of facilities missing from campus. These are listed below alphabetically.)

Comments about campus facilities: 1. Academic: o A decent bookstore o A study building . . . I know that GSU has them in the Library and a few in other buildings, but having one building open all night would be a big help to the way students use the buildings at GSU. o A real research library like the major research universities o Good accessible meeting space for students and faculty. o More classroom space o We also need a real conference center to host scientific meetings. 2. Arts: o Art or natural history museum o Performing arts/art gallery spaces o Recording studio o Spaces where the radio station could broadcast a live show from 3. Food and Dining: o 24-hour dining hall o We need spaces where we can host receptions for off-campus/community guest. o Faculty/Staff dining club 4. Housing: MyCampus Survey Results Page 48

o A dorm right in the heart of campus (for honor students) o Acquire the much troubled Underground for GSU dorms and space for GSU tailgating for football. o Real graduate housing o Real Greek housing that isn't barricaded. o Residential buildings within walking distance of the campus. 5. Public space: o A quad with benches, grass that people could study on, and flowers. o Run/walk trails. o There is no "heart" of campus, no quad with grass, trees, for hanging out that is for the university - an oasis in the middle of the city. 6. Social: o 24 hour facilities for students to study, eat, exercise, and socialize. o A faculty club that hosts intelligent events o A "hub" that pulls the campus together. o A place for informal faculty gatherings--a way to get to know interdisciplinary faculty across Colleges in an informal way; could be food related o A place other than the library for students to gather in a casual social manner... the library is having to serve two functions now, a quiet study space and a loud social gathering hall o Branded hotel/meeting space to accommodate GSU demand and provide a desirable facility to host events for non GSU users. o Connect a new "real" Student Center with the Rec Center and with a Learning Commons to provide 24/7 access. 7. Sports & Recreation: o A paintball field for us to practice on. o Did I mention a planetarium or observatory would be great on the GSU campus? o Lounges, places to sit indoors and out o More video game systems and TVs in the Student Rec Center. o Olympic lift equipment in weight room of rec center o Perhaps a gameroom/computer center to go an relax and play on the internet versus using the computers in the library. Couple of Xboxes, pool tables etc. o Sports Complex/Colliseum. 8. (Additional) o A larger, stand-alone Welcome Center. o A veteran resource center. o Additional facilities for child care services o International Center . . . as a research institution that wants to expand its global reach, we need to have a space dedicated to all things international.

City-university relationship

I recognize that we are an open campus and I enjoy that aspect of GSU most of the time, but sometimes it is really nice when I can claim something as GSU’s and I do not have to share it with the city. I wish we had more of that.

Main concerns: 1. Campus identity 2. Integration with downtown events and culture 3. Showcasing of GSU to Atlanta MyCampus Survey Results Page 49

Comments about city-university relationship:  As a GSU student there is very little that we can call our "own" campus. We share a lot of things. When you show the campus to other people it is kind of difficult to be proud because we share building names with other businesses and parks with the homeless  A recognition that we're in historic Atlanta! I doubt most student realize where we are. I think knowing the city (especially the part we're in) is key to having a passionate student body and school pride. I don't think we utilize all of the awesome buildings and places around campus.  I would really love to see the university integrate and plan better with Central Atlanta Progress and all the other incredible things going on downtown all around them.  Science and art made visible to the people of Atlanta. I'd like to see student and teacher work/interests showcased more visibly outside of the buildings.

Space and organization

Everything seems retrofitted & not well-suited to academic life.

Main concerns: 1. Campus entrance 2. Campus consolidation and organization 3. Campus expansion 4. Navigation through campus through e.g. signage and improved maps 5. Planning

Comments about space and organization:  A center. An entrance.  Right now the campus is so spread out that I literally cannot say where many departments are in my own college. That is not good.  I only see my professors when in class, or running to my next class. It would be nice if professor offices were more accessible and not isolated from classrooms and the rest of the campus.  A campus. When the city tore down nearby Capital Homes and Grady Homes we should have purchased that land and built GSU east campus. We could have then sold off portions of the old campus that we don't need. If that opportunity arises again, we should do it.  I would also like to see the campus a bit more organized, a bit easier to navigate . . . it can be really confusing to find offices and the classrooms in some buildings . . . More effective signage might help.  A bigger campus! For often being compared to GA Tech and UGA as a research university, our campus size is tiny when looking at theirs.  Expand the campus more and adding space is a must.  . . . good maps. The maps are so difficult to read. Would be great to have building names on maps.  PLANNED spaces.

General Comment Anything else you'd like to tell us about campus or the surrounding area?

Comments are grouped under the following themes: aesthetics and ambience, bicycle/pedestrian issues, city-university relationship, expansion, housing, restaurants and other retail, and safety.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 50

We desperately need comprehensive master planning on this campus

Aesthetics and ambience:  Very vacant feeling in general-does anybody work/teach/hang out here?  Unlike other campus's, it appears that GSU doesn't own the property - public areas - like so many other universities. If some semblance of ownership and control is applied to these areas (if possible), then I am sure much more can be done to "beautify" and "unify" the campus through parks, trails and sidewalks.  There are some areas that have a whole city block without windows -- just brick or concrete (Law School, Sports Arena, and others) . . . The streets have to be engaging for the student pedestrian, it should not block them out.  Collins Street, the alley that runs to the G-Deck, needs immediate attention. It's a terrible eyesore. It has multiple partial layers of ramshackle pavement that making driving treacherous, . .A horrible welcome to campus.

Bicycle/pedestrian issues:  The sidewalk widening on Decatur has completely screwed up traffic, and still doesn't prevent the constant jaywalking by students and employees. Crossing at crosswalks and obeying crosswalk signals is the only remedy needed, not wider sidewalks.  Quit with the stupid special-material crosswalks, just paint them if you insist. Money to replace them=money we could be spending on REAL improvements.

City-university relationship:  Think NYU, then add the southern flavor to it. man, it could be such an awesome school....  We need to do some research (ask the History Dept.) and create an urban mythology for campus. and ask the School of Business about viable ways of integrating small businesses into the fabric of campus, so the record stores, cafés, bookstores, etc. become part of its urban fabric.  The area is very rich historically and culturally but has been in decline for many years. GSU should work with the community to shore up the identity that exists in order to build its new campus identity.  I would love if this area of Atlanta felt as designed and cared for as the Midtown sections of Atlanta feel near Georgia Tech and the Woodruff Arts Center.  The distinct areas of downtown Atlanta all have a different character that the campus should be able to express and take advantage of.  The area has developed a lot over the years and is still developing which is a huge improvement.

Expansion:  Buy as many buildings as you can... GSU is the way to go.. the more GSU builds.. the more crime is gone.. GSU should take over 5 points and underground. convert underground to living space towers.  In general, GSU should try to acquire not rebuild . . . and expand campus to the three MARTA stations so commuting students can always be "on campus".  Perhaps investigate securing/bidding on the closed Ft. Mac Phearson Military Base. It has classroom space, housing, golf course, workout facilities, officers club, great green space and lots more. It is also only 10 minutes from GSU's downtown campus.

Housing: MyCampus Survey Results Page 51

 Buy the smaller, more intimate, historic urban apartments and rent them to students!  The housing department is horrible. The policies are too strict. These types of policies take away from the collegiate experiences and force students seek to live off campus . . . . No wonder GSU is a huge commuter school.  more people need to actually live on campus to attract the interest and investment from the private sector

Restaurants and other retail:  Why not have GSU express busses to pick up students at various times at some of the big empty shopping malls in the metro area?  The campus would be greatly improved if the businesses along Decatur Street from Peachtree to Central were replaced. There are far too many pawnshops, convenience stores, shoe stores, and low-rent clothing stores. None of these are useful to the campus community.  The area around Auburn street (on the way to the Commons) seems like it has the potential to be such a great student-centered neighborhood: bookstores, boutique shopping, cafes, etc, but it's a bit of an eyesore at the moment.  I know that GSU can't control this, but nice more well-known restaurants in the surrounding campus area would add a lot. There are many vacant spaces in the area near NSC which would be a Felinni's or some other restaurant that student would actually go to.  If there was a Wal-mart on campus, I would move back on camps

Safety:  Better lighting, call boxes, and perhaps manned booths along more popular routes between the buildings would be a good move.  I guess it would be nice to have some "safe zones". Places you can go when you are in a bind and need a moment. For instance when it rains/or pours. Businesses lock their doors to keep everyone out.  The roads between the dorms need to have shops or restaurants and whatnot in them, not empty parking lots and abandoned buildings. Kids need to feel safe and like their campus is connected to itself.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 52

4. Campus Use

General Peak time during the week on campus is between 9 am and 7 pm:

83% 80% 78% 69%

33% 35%

8% 7‐9 am 9‐11 am 11‐1 pm 1‐3 pm 3‐7 pm 7‐11 pm 11 pm on

PROPORTION OF PARTICIPANTS ON CAMPUS- Weekdays

In addition, the campus is much less heavily used on the weekend than during the week:

24% 18% 18% 14% 12% 6% 6% 7‐9 am 9‐11 am 11‐1 pm 1‐3 pm 3‐7 pm 7‐11 pm 11 pm on

PROPORTION OF PARTICIPANTS ON CAMPUS - Weekend

Student vs. Non-student Use

Students make up the majority of people on campus at almost all times of day. Non-students have a stronger representation in the morning hours, whereas students have the strongest representation in the afternoon and evening hours.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 53

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% % Other 40% % Students 30% 20% 10% 0% 7‐9 am 9‐11 am 11‐1 pm 1‐3 pm 3‐7 pm 7‐11 pm 11 pm on

PROPORTION OF STUDENTS VS. NON-STUDENTS – Weekday

In addition, the representation of students on campus is even stronger on the weekends.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% % Other 40% % Students 30% 20% 10% 0% 7‐9 am 9‐11 am 11‐1 pm 1‐3 pm 3‐7 pm 7‐11 pm 11 pm on

PROPORTION OF STUDENTS VS. NON-STUDENTS - Weekend

PARTICIPATION MyGSU was open to the Georgia State community for approximately 6 weeks, from April 17 to May 30, 2012. The Division of University Relations publicized the survey via email and social media during the first weeks of its release. Nearly 1,000 individuals completed the survey providing the master plan team with valuable information about how the GSU campus is used.

MyCampus Survey Results Page 54

Total Responses

Student 596 61% Staff 217 22% Faculty 118 12% Alumni 46 5% Governance 4 - 981 100%

All Responses by School

Andrew Young School of Policy Studies 61 9% Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health 28 3% Professions College of Arts and Sciences 365 51% College of Education 77 11% College of Law 24 3% Honors College 7 1% Institute of Public Health 11 2% J. Mack Robinson College of Business 145 20% 718 100%

All Responses by Residence

On campus 93 9% Within 2 miles of campus 126 13% Over 2 miles from campus 762 78% 981 100%

Student Responses by Year

Undergraduate 404 67% First year 74 12% Second year 72 12% Third year 92 15% Fourth year 96 16% Beyond fourth year 70 12% Graduate 196 33% 600 100%

Technical Memorandum

Date June 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject II. B Goals and Issues for Future Academic Planning

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

This memorandum summarizes Sasaki’s findings and observations of the physical attributes of Sasaki Associates Inc. the existing Georgia State campus and their capability to support the University’s existing and 64 Pleasant Street projected academic mission. These issues have been identified via the Master Plan Kickoff Watertown Meeting, stakeholder interviews, administering the MyCampus survey, and the Sasaki team’s Massachusetts observations of campus. 02472 USA Interviews were carried out with the following: 1. Dr. Risa Palm, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs t 617 926 3300 2. Dr. Tim Renick, Associate Provost and Chief Enrollment Officer f 617 924 2748 3. Dr. Jerry Rackliffe, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration 4. Dr. Jim Weyhenmeyer, Vice President for Research 5. Mr. Walter Massey, Vice President for Development 6. Dr. Robin Morris, Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation 7. Dr. Doug Covey, Vice President for Student Affairs 8. Dean Long – College of Arts and Sciences 9. Dean Walker, Mr. Avani Raval, Mr. Robert Moore – Andrew Young School of Policy Studies 10. Dean Kaminshine, Mr. Doug Yarn, Mr. Chip Hill – College of Law 11. Dean Huss, Mr. Ralph Kahlan (Assistant Dean and Lecturer) – Robinson College of Business 12. Dean Wilmoth, Mr. Gordon Warn, Ms. Linda Goodfellow – School of Nursing and Health Professions 13. Dean Eriksen – Institute of Public Health 14. Dean Kamphaus – College of Education 15. Dean Berman, Mr. Jeff Young – Honors College 16. Mr. James Greenwell (Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director), Mr. John Portman – Department of Intercollegiate Athletics 17. Dr. Beth Jones (Assistant Vice President), Mr. Chris Connelly, Mr. Raymond Mensah, Mr. Michael Sproston, Lenore Musick – Auxiliary Services 18. Dr. Marilyn De LaRoché – Director for Student Housing 19. Chief Connie Sampson, Sgt. Kristal Perkins, Mr. Ralph Terrell, Mr. Karl Fox, Mr. Mike Raderstorf, Ms. Patti Stilson – Campus Police and Building Services 20. Mr. J. L. Albert (Associate Provost), Mr. John Bandy, Mr. Bill Gruszka, Mr. Keith Campell, Mr. Bill Perosk, Mr. Julian Allen – Information Systems 21. Mr. A.J. Robinson, Ms. Kristi Rooks, Ms. Jennifer Ball, Ms. Angie Laurie – Central Atlanta Progress 22. Mr. Nursef Kedir (Public Works Manager, Office of Transportation), Mr. Josh Mello (Assistant Director of Transportation Planning ) – City of Atlanta Goals and Issues for Future Academic Planning – IB Page 2

1. Enrollment  Current headcount enrollment is 32,022 students [28,374 FTE].  A target enrollment of 40,000 headcount students has been established for the purposes of long range master planning.  Future enrollments are being impacted by the economy and a decrease in qualified students. Georgia’s high school graduation rate and SAT scores have declined over the last five years.  The size of the student body is impacted by the length of time it takes students to complete their program of study. Retention is improving and students are gaining their degrees more rapidly: 5,700 degrees were conferred in 2008 compared to 7,000 degrees in 2011.  Retention tends to be a financial issue rather than an academic success issue.  The legislature has increased the number of waivers to out-of-state students from 2% of FTE students to 4% (will have 1,100 waivers).

2. Campus Boundaries  The Georgia State “campus” is embedded within the historic street grid of downtown Atlanta with campus and commercial building uses intermingled.  For the purposes of this Master Plan, Georgia State’s existing and projected facilities are contained within a district bounded by Decatur Street to the south, Spring Street to the west, Andrew Young Boulevard to the north and Jackson Street to the east.  Within this district the University plans to continue securing land and facilities in response to need and as real estate opportunities present themselves.

3. Physical Structure of the Existing Campus  The physical structure and character of the existing campus is a reflection of its downtown location, phasing of the development of the campus over the last 100 years, funding limitations, and opportunities to secure real estate for the growth of its academic, housing and recreation programs.  The campus is characterized by two patterns of building development. The first pattern of development is exhibited in the core blocks between Piedmont Ave and Peachtree Center Street. These blocks are intensively developed by the University and filled with buildings which are linked internally through a system of internal corridors. These two blocks present a “defensive” character to the framing public streets with buildings along Courtland Street presenting blank faces to the street and with limited access into the buildings from the streets. The second pattern of building development is characterized by street fronted buildings with access from the public streets. These buildings are former commercial properties that have been acquired by the University, such the Commerce Building and the Sun Trust tower, and are also new buildings such as the Petit Science Center.  The city public streets will continue to be the principal means of student movement throughout the campus. This reinforces the need for continued reinvestment in pedestrian improvements to the public streets. Goals and Issues for Future Academic Planning – IB Page 3

 The Atlanta Streetcar line being constructed on Edgewood and Auburn Avenues will have a significant positive influence on the east/west movement of pedestrians from recreation facilities east of I-75/85 to Aderhold and the arts west of Woodruff Park.  The University’s acquisition of property at 89 Park Place (Law School and College of Business) and 25 Park Place (Administration and College of Arts and Sciences) will cause significant new pedestrian movement along J.W. Dobbs and Auburn Avenue as students walk to the new facilities from the existing Piedmont Avenue residential corridor.  The acquisition of properties east of I-75/85 for recreation fields emphasizes the importance of safe and attractive pedestrian movement along Edgewood, Auburn and J.W. Dobbs Avenues and the underpasses beneath I-75/85.

4. Campus Environment  The campus is perceived by some as unwelcoming and lacking identity, needing a “University living room” and welcome center.  The campus lacks sufficient shared communal space where faculty, staff and student can gather, both indoors and outdoors. While the benefit of the shared open space of Hurt Park and Woodruff Park is acknowledged the lack of University open space is perceived as a serious limitation to the existing campus.  The internal corridor system through the core blocks between Piedmont and Peachtree Center Ave lacks clarity and presents barriers to movement with a series of level changes and interrupting stairways.  The grade level crossing beneath the Courtland Street viaduct draws students, University personnel and visitors across the remnants of Collins Street and through a subterranean garage and building service area. The anticipated rebuilding of the Courtland Street viaduct provides the University an exceptional opportunity to improve the quality of both the street level and subsurface levels of these pedestrian crossings.  While significant improvements have been carried out on the Decatur Street and Piedmont Street corridors, additional investment in pedestrian-friendly streets will be needed as walking patterns shift in response to new buildings and facilities. Specifically, attention the development of the Law and Business Schools and the development of new recreation fields to the east of I-75/85 will increase pedestrian traffic on the blocks between Edgewood and Ellis Streets and the underpasses under I-75/85.  A significant allocation of capital funds will need to be identified for open space, streetscape, and other environmental improvements to the campus.

5. Campus Building Facilities  At present there is no single source of inventory of instructional space for classroom and laboratories. An estimated 50% of existing classrooms are centrally managed.  Kell Hall should be removed. The building is widely viewed as derelict and imparts a negative image of the University.  The preliminary assessment of buildings shows that the commercial office facilities that have been acquired have limited flexibility for adapting to teaching/ research functions and some exhibit limits to handicapped accessibility. Goals and Issues for Future Academic Planning – IB Page 4

 Recent building acquisitions (e.g., the SunTrust building at 25 Park Place) and proposed new buildings (e.g., Law School and School of Business at 89 Park Place) will not only provide the University the opportunity to satisfy current space needs but to consolidate and bring together scattered elements of other academic units.  The lack of communal space in existing buildings is a barrier to community building and interdisciplinary collaboration.  The blank building facades at street level, such as buildings fronting Courtland Street, contribute to the perception of an unwelcoming campus.  University housing is planned to grow on an “as needed basis” from the present 4,000 beds to 8,000 beds.  Identified space needs include a student success center, University welcome center, large space(s) for banquets and entertainment, student center expansion, informal gather spaces for students both indoors and outdoor space, and outdoor recreation space.

Technical Memorandum

Date June 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject III. A. 3 Building Use and Condition

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

The objective of the building walkthroughs and documentation is to gain an overall impression of Sasaki Associates Inc. Georgia State University building conditions and fit-to-function issues to inform master planning 64 Pleasant Street decisions. The walkthroughs also serve as an opportunity to better understand stakeholder Watertown concerns and program aspirations in the context of their existing space. Massachusetts 02472 USA 1. Methodology Members of the Sasaki Associates/Robert and Company team spent three days in April 2012 t 617 926 3300 walking through buildings on the Georgia State University downtown campus. They were accompanied by members of the GSU facilities staff as they conducted a visual and informational f 617 924 2748 survey of buildings. The team walked through every GSU building with the exception of Courtland North, the Young School of Policy studies, 34 Peachtree Street, the Sculpture Studio, residential buildings and parking garages.

From the outside, the team conducted a visual survey of the exterior condition of the buildings, the building’s urban context, and the positioning and accessibility of entries. The team selected prototypical spaces within the buildings to evaluate – emphasizing teaching spaces, common areas, and rooms that could give the best overall assessment of the building itself. For highly repetitive buildings, GSU facilities personnel identified typical floors to survey. In buildings with recently renovated space, care was taken to view un-renovated spaces as well as recently renovated spaces. The interiors were assessed relative to the quality and quantity of social / collaboration spaces, flexibility, and fit-to-function. With the exception of the basement of the General Classroom Building and a small mechanical closet in Spark’s Hall the team did not review mechanical systems in the campus buildings. Throughout the walk-throughs the GSU facilities personnel provided detailed descriptions of building functions, recent and proposed renovations, and any particular information relative to the building’s use and function within the overall GSU campus.

2. Findings Buildings were given scores between 1 (Poor) and 4 (Excellent) in the categories mentioned above. In addition, each building was given a General rating indicative of the overall utility of the building to GSU’s mission. In general the campus buildings can be grouped into four categories based on their overall building score:  Overall Score – 4 (Excellent): Newly constructed/fully renovated recently renovated to suit academic mission, fully accessible and positive urban presence  Overall Score – 3 (Adequate/Good): Less potential for high quality space through renovation/alteration; basically sound construction  Overall Score – 2 (Adequate/Poor): Not well-suited for a variety of academic functions Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 2

 Overall Score – 1 (Poor): Buildings that are fundamentally incompatible with the University’s function

Overall Score – 4 (Excellent) Many new buildings on the campus provide excellent spaces for the University’s core functions – from teaching to student life to research. Buildings given an overall rating of 4 include recently constructed buildings such as the Petit Science Center, Aderhold Learning Center, Library South, and the Student Recreation Center as well as renovated older buildings such as the Rialto Theatre. All of the buildings in this category should not require major renovations in the upcoming decade and serve as great examples of GSU’s potential as a modern research institution.

Overall Score – 3 (Adequate/Good) The majority of buildings on campus are adequate and serviceable yet could function better with moderate renovations. These include buildings purpose-built by the university or buildings adapted to fit the school’s needs. Many of these buildings were built in the last forty years with visible signs of age, often inadequate accessibility, and a defensive posture towards the urban context of the campus. Updating mechanical systems and maintenance of exterior envelope will be required for many of these buildings in order to keep them functional for the University’s use and comfortable for users in the years to come.

Many of the buildings with an overall score of 3 have been recently renovated resulting in modern academic facilities perfectly suited to the needs of the University. In many buildings, comfortable student lounges provide good social and collaboration spaces such as on several of the upper floors of The Robinson College of Business. Modern computer labs are under construction in the College of Education as another example. Other buildings in this group include One Park Place, the Natural Science Center, Classroom South, General Classroom, While fully functional to the University the Urban Life Building negates its urban context in its many raised, minimally accessible hardscaped plazas, extensive stairs at the sidewalks edge, and blank facades. Built in an era when the surrounding context may have been perceived as hostile, the building has a fortress like presence at a critical intersection across from the new Petit Science Center.

Overall Score – 2 (Adequate/Poor) A number of older, mostly un-renovated buildings on campus provide a challenge as to primary building function, potential for reuse, efficiency of mechanical systems, entry access, and response to urban context. While the Arts & Humanities building exemplifies such issues it is a well-used and functional building within the campus, serving the growing demand for fine arts programs. However, social spaces within the building are minimal and do not necessarily accommodate student needs. Alternatively, the large studio spaces are well lit and accommodate academic needs, while the overall feel of the interior is suitable to the creatively messy atmosphere typical of many art schools. A new entry along Gilmer Street provides accessibility and a public face to the Welch Gallery, adjacent to the cascading entry stair to the south east.

Several recently acquired buildings, such as 75 Piedmont Street were grouped into this category as well. As a 1969 purpose built office building, 75 Piedmont offers limited flexibility in terms of use. While appropriate for the many administrative offices that the University requires, the provision of teaching spaces within such buildings would be a challenge. The public entry is non-ADA accessible, and as the building is pulled back from the street, interaction between pedestrians and the ground floor café is limited.

Overall Score – 1 (Poor) Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 3

Few buildings on the campus are completely unsuitable for use by the University. However, one such building is Kell Hall. While Kell Hall’s sturdy concrete frame and deep floorplates make it highly functional and robust, movement into and through the building falls well below acceptable building standards. Steep ramps within the building exceed pedestrian slope requirements and elevator access is inadequate both for everyday passenger use as well as freight and service needs. As a repurposed parking garage, the University has done its best to utilize the building for a variety of lab and classroom functions. This has necessitated the location of an extensive venting system on the exterior of the building as well as changes to the internal configurations of many spaces in the building. The is no daylight in the center of the building where the majority of people occupy between classes due to the perimeter labs and teaching spaces, and the need to use existing ramps as hallways. Many of the bathrooms are not accessible, and several overhead obstructions exist in violation of ADA standards.

Purpose-Built Facilities (Arena, Libraries) Purpose built buildings such as the Arena and the combined library buildings should be evaluated on the basis of performance of their primary function and benchmarked against facilities of a similar size and use. Particular attention should be paid to life safety issues for the Arena – capacity, egress, and code issues – for the variety of functions that the Arena hosts. The combined libraries, Library North and South, form the heart of the student experience at GSU. Recent renovations and construction of a bridge linking the two have created a modern, inviting, and heavily used facility. On our walk-through the team observed full capacity at all computer stations and heavy use of all lounge spaces on the main levels. While the entry to Library South is inviting and accessible from the raised plaza over Decatur Street the main entry sequence to Library North could be improved given its role as a prominent campus destination. Library North presents blank facades on all sides and creates a particularly un-friendly pedestrian experience along both Courtland and Decatur Streets.

3. Recommendations  Further study of buildings with an overall score of 2 or 3 should be conducted and a cost benefit analysis of use, fit to mission, cost of renovation, and operations/maintenance should occur.  An overall review of accessibility and ADA compatibility should be undertaken for all buildings to provide priority plans that reinforce the University’s mission and the updated Master Plan.  A review of social spaces both within and outside of buildings should identify key opportunities with synergistic effects – both for enhancing the student experience on campus and for engaging the broader public that interacts with the campus on a daily basis.  Acquisition of new buildings or new construction should be considered in terms of fit to overall academic mission of the University as well as recommendations of the Master Plan.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 4

BUILDING RATINGS & DESCRIPTIONS

Overall Building Ratings

Building Rating 1 Kell Hall 1 2 Sparks Hall 3 3 University Center 3 4 Library North 3 5 Classroom South 3 6 Arts & Humanities Building 2 7 General Classroom 3 8 Sports Arena 3 10 Urban Life Building 2 11 Courtland Building 2 15 College of Education 3 20 Library South 4 21 Alumni Hall/Dahlberg Hall 3 22 One Park Place 3 24 Natural Science Center 2 29 University Book Store 3 30 J. Mack Robinson College of Business 3 33 Science Annex 3 36 Rialto Theater 4 37 Haas-Howell Building 3 38 Standard Building 3 48 Bennett A. Brown Commerce Building 3 55 Student Center 4 58 Student Recreation Center 4 59 Helen M. Aderhold Learning Center 4 64 Parker H. Petit Science Center 4 80 SunTrust Tower (25 Park Place) 3 83 Citizens Trust Building (75 Piedmont) 2

4 Excellent 3 Adequate/good 2 Adequate/poor 1 Poor X Missing NA Not applicable

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 5

Kell Hall (1) 24 Peachtree Center Avenue SE 1938? (acquired 1946) 7 stories / 180,000 GSF

Kell Hall, a repurposed parking garage purchased in 1946, was the first building acquired by Georgia State. It is currently home to Chemistry and Biology research labs, offices, and support facilities, and offices for the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. A U.S. Post Office branch and café are located on the lower levels.

Kell is located in the central part of campus. It is positioned as the face and gateway for students walking to the campus courtyard from Hurt Plaza. It has interior connections to Sparks Hall, the Arts and Humanities Building, and the General Classroom Building. Extensive retrofitting is apparent by the cluttered façade with vents and pipes serving the labs inside.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 6

As a gateway building, Kell is inadequately connected to the exterior urban context and provides unclear and inaccessible connections through to the courtyard from the street. As a major science building on a research campus, Kell does not put forth an image of innovation or technology.

The labs and classrooms are organized around a central core comprised of non-ADA accessible ramps (originally intended for vehicles). The steep ramps within the core are the primary means for circulating through the building. The relatively large footprint (depth and width) and perimeter function spaces result in no natural lighting at the centralized core. There are no social spaces incorporated along the ramps and the stairways are very tight. The labs are old and appear to have very outdated equipment. Elevator service is poor and cab sizes are too small for freight or efficient loading.

Kell Hall is intended to vacate all science uses into the Natural Science Building and to be considered for demolition.

Overall 1 Exterior 1 Entrances and accessibility 1 Social and collaboration spaces 1 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 2

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 7

Sparks Hall (2) 33 Gilmer Street 1955 4 stories

Sparks Hall is a concrete frame building that is home to the Undergraduate Admissions, the Student Advisement Center, and the One Stop Shop, Financial Aid and International Student and Scholar Services. It also primarily houses classrooms and computer laboratory space.

The Courtland façade is a blank wall against the street and contributes to a hostile pedestrian and vehicular urban environment. There is only one elevator in the building, and there are major accessibility issues with entering the building from the street as well as from the campus courtyard. There are two narrow internal courtyards around a newly renovated computer lab, but they primarily serve as light wells and do not get much use. The air handlers on each level are antiquated.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 8

There are classrooms in the lower level that are adequate but not modernized. The upper levels of the building mostly contain administrative office. Some rooms require immediate renovation. The interior of this building connects directly to Kell Hall.

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 2 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 2

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 9

University Center (3) 44 Courtland Street 1963 4 stories

The University Center is in the campus core and houses the Honors Program, Cinefest, fraternity and sorority offices, and food services. The first two levels were formerly parking deck and the third and fourth levels were added later.

The primary access is from Courtland Street above and Collins Street below street level, but not it is not ADA accessible, and it does not negotiate the level changes above and below Courtland Street. There is an interior connection to the Urban Life Building and exterior bridge to the Student Center. There is access to the Urban Life plaza across from the Sports Arena.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 10

The third level is recently renovated for a large cafeteria, and there was also a recent renovation of the university career services.

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 1 Social and collaboration spaces 3 Flexibility 1 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 11

Library North (4) 100 Decatur Street 1966 / 1968 5 stories

Library North is the large central library building and acts as the hub of the University. It is home to Periodicals, Collections, Exhibit Area, a Coffee Shop, Computer work Stations, two classrooms, group study areas, as well as English as a foreign language assistance.

The exterior of the building has very little relationship to the courtyard or to the pedestrian environment along Courtland Street. This point is softened by the planting of trees along the northern façade.

This building was recently renovated. The main entry is from the courtyard space on the north face of the building and the interior renovation reinforces this primary entry and circulation point to the building. The lower levels are full and actively used by students Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 12 and connected by a central circulation by the insertion of an atrium and cascading stair in the center of the space. There are numerous social spaces, computer stations and the space is very open with good visual connections throughout. The upper levels are somewhat older and not as active with more traditional library space (stacks, desks, etc).

The bridge addition that connects Library North to Library South is programmed with study rooms, tables, desks, computer stations. It represents an excellent space with views outside, natural light and flexibility with a great number of space options to be used in a variety of ways.

Overall 3 Exterior 1 Entrances and accessibility 4 Social and collaboration spaces 4 Flexibility 4 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 13

Classroom South (5) 38 Peachtree Center Avenue SE 1968 6 stories

Classroom South is a marble clad building located along the edge of campus core and serves as a general classroom building. It was originally built as an office building and later converted into classrooms.

The building has clearly marked access from the pedestrian walkway across Decatur Street with minimal lobby space. There are social lounge spaces throughout with lounge chairs, for students to use between classes. The corridors are in good shape and the classrooms are heavily used due to their modern renovation. There is not much day lighting inside the corridors.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 14

The Annex portion of the building does not have bathrooms or elevators, but there is a planned second addition which should relieve the high volume of elevator use in the main building.

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 3 Flexibility 3 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 15

Arts & Humanities (6) 10 Peachtree Center Ave. 1970 5 stories

The Arts and Humanities Building is located at the campus core (the two blocks bounded by Peachtree Center Avenue, Gilmer Street, Piedmont Avenue, and Decatur Street) and houses the Florence Kopleff Recital Hall & Ernest G. Welch Gallery, Classrooms, Computer Design Labs, and Art Studios.

There is a prominent building entry and a large cascading exterior stair accessed from Gilmer Street adjacent to Hurt Park. There is also an entrance from the inner courtyard. There is an interior connection to Kell Hall at the ground level by way of a small ramp.

There are large interior corridors which could benefit from additional seating for students between classes. The lobby space doubles as a reception for the art gallery. The general classroom and art studio spaces are custom built and generally very good with natural Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 16 sunlight, movable furniture, and hard surfaces that are easier to clean. High temperature kilns are located outside, but well hidden from street view. Service access outside could be reconfigured easily.

Energy use throughout the year is constant regardless of occupancy – and energy audit for this as well as many of the campus buildings could greatly improve efficiency and cost savings.

A steady increase in art program and ceramics class enrollment indicates that the program is growing. The summer programs run at full capacity.

Overall 2 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 3 Social and collaboration spaces 3 Flexibility 4 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 17

General Classroom (7) 38 Peachtree Center Avenue SE 1971 10 stories

The General Classroom Building is a brick clad brutalist building in the campus core and is home to Political Science, English, Sociology, Modern & Classical Languages, Offices of the College of Arts & Sciences, Shared Classrooms, and Writing Studio.

The elevator core moves multiple elevators and serves high volumes of students going to and from class in this heavily used building. The exterior presents large blank walls and much of the building is not ADA accessible. The Panther Express bus stop is directly in front with a slight (but deficient) setback for student to gather and wait in. Hallways are amply wide for students between classes. There is an interior connection to Kell Hall on an upper level.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 18

The Central Chiller Plant is located in the basement and is badly in need of upgrade. The classrooms are large and potentially flexible with high ceilings, but there is 20 years of differed maintenance due to the difficultly renovating from a lack of flex space. There is a possibility of temporarily moving classrooms to the Sun Trust building so that the HVAC can be completely replaced.

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 2 Flexibility 3 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 19

Sports Arena (8) 125 Decatur Street 1973 5 stories

The Sports Arena is the headquarters for Georgia State Athletics near the core, and it houses offices for head coaches in all sports as well as the athletic director's office and various administrative departments. The student-athlete development center and the strength and conditioning center are also located in the Sports Arena.

The arena capacity is about 4,000-5,000 spectators. There are some issues with handling large crowds, but the urban response is generally ok as crowds can congregate before and after games in the Urban Life plaza. However, during non-event times the plaza space remains unused.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 20

Access is completely by stairs and escalators (elevator access only on the interior). Equipment is old, but still fully functional. There is an independent chilled water system and building cooling is fine.

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces N/A Flexibility 1 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 21

Urban Life Building (10) 140 Decatur Street 1974 12 stories / 338,020 GSF

The Urban Life Building is the current home of the College of Law, College of Law Library, College of Human and Health Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences Psychology Department. The Law School will soon move to a new building near Peachtree MARTA station, and this building will soon to be available for repurposing.

The building has a very defensive urban response with limited and accessibility or street access, blank walls, and a dark uninviting stair from Decatur and Piedmont Streets up to a bare and underutilized inner plaza.

There are social spaces inside the building which are good but remain very internal and could benefit from more light. There are good public rooms at lower levels and the Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 22 recently renovated Law Library. Upper levels are for Women’s Studies, Psychology and elevators are required for access.

There are two different elevator cores that give access to different areas of the building (this is confusing). The building could be reused for office functions and department spaces, but not easily for classrooms. The Library and upper plaza have the potential to open up the street if the volume containing the auditorium is removed.

Overall 2 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 3 Flexibility 3 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 23

Courtland Building (11) 120 Courtland St.

This building houses ROTC Units (ROTC classes held in the building), Renovations Departments and Custodial Services (warehouse space for renovations and custodial services).

The entrance is located on Collins Street (under Courtland Street Bridge). The building works well for the renovations and custodial services, but it is not a good location to conduct classes.

Overall 2 Exterior 2 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces N/A Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 3 Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 24

College Of Education (15) 30 Pryor Street 10 stories

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 25

The College of Education houses Faculty and administrative offices and some classrooms. In addition there are Programs in education, counseling and sports-related fields. There are no plans to vacate this building

The ground level interior lobby and student lounge have been recently renovated using Education School funds. Accessibility is adequate, but the lobby has no relationship to the exterior context and the building presents itself with large blank and opaque walls at street level. Instructional spaces are very good having recently been renovated. There is a large instructional / meeting space on the ground level.

Level 6 comments: This level is large and newly renovated computer lab.

Overall 3 Exterior 1 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 4 Flexibility 4 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 26

Library South (20) 100 Decatur Street 1988 9 stories

The Library South building is at the center of campus across Decatur Street from Library North. It houses the Media Center, additional collection stacks, and seven curatorial areas: Georgia Government Documentation, Photographic Collections, Popular Music, Rare Book Collection, Southern Labor Archives, University Archives, and the Women's Collection.

The main entrance is split between two levels (one on Decatur Street and one at the courtyard level). The upper entry is adjacent to the bridge, somewhat small and poses an access and security issue since the primary control point is in Library North. The building is a modernist tower in excellent condition. The elevators were recently modernized. This building in not tied to either of the two central chilled water loops.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 27

The connecting Bridge to Library North serves as a multi-purpose study zone for students. It also has interior connections to Classroom South at two levels.

Overall 4 Exterior 4 Entrances and accessibility 4 Social and collaboration spaces 4 Flexibility 4 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 28

Alumni Hall / Dahlberg Hall (21) 30 Courtland Street 3 stories

Dahlberg Hall is home to the Senior Administration, Alumni Center, and Welcome Center (Official reception area for visitors to the University). The building is known as the Old Auditorium building because of a large activity space located on the first level. The main entrance is on Courtland Street, and there is a children’s play area located at the back of the building near a rear entry from the parking deck. The Offices of the President and Provost will move to the SunTrust Building beginning in the September and there is currently no plan for repurposing Dahlberg Hall.

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 2 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 3 Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 29

One Park Place (22) 424 One Park Place South 10 stories

One Park Place is the home of Human Resources, University Relations, Development, Police, various A&S academic departments.

The police station entry to the building is on Edgewood (the Woodruff Park side of the building), while the main entry is on Park Place (not a prominent location for the entry). There is a potentially good ground level relationship to Woodruff Park plaza with the digital design studio exhibit space at the corner.

The building is not flexible for classroom use. It is currently a standard office building converted and occupied by offices, but 4 or 5 levels will be vacated when occupants move to SunTrust in fall/winter 2012. The interior condition varies by level and the layouts are relatively the same.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 30

The university currently wants to secure funding for further renovations (currently $1 million per year). Air conditioning is provided by window units and the building systems are old. There are standard core and elevators.

Overall 3 Exterior 2 Entrances and accessibility 3 Social and collaboration spaces 1 Flexibility 1 Fit-to-function 2

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 31

Natural Science Center (24) 50 Decatur Street Opened 1992 6 stories

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 32

The Natural Science Center houses Science classrooms and teaching labs, the main offices of the Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy, and a shop facility for custom-designed research equipment. It is located near what can be considered the core of the campus.

The Natural Science Center was the main science research building before the construction of the new Petit Science Center. All teaching labs have moved to Petit (including the high security bio lab) and only research labs remain. Wet labs in Kell Hall have moved into the newly available space with the intention of completely emptying Kell for demolition.

This building has secured access in the lobby. The open spaces on upper levels are somewhat old and used as lounge space. Lab spaces with both functional layouts, adequate space, and updated mechanical systems will remain in use.

Overall 2 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 3 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 33

University Bookstore (29) 66 Courtland Street SE 1989

The University Bookstore is the official headquarters for textbooks, class supplies, Georgia State University insignia merchandise, gift items, general books, computers, software, and snacks. The one-stop shopping facility provides numerous advantages for students, faculty, and staff.

The building is connected internally to the University Center, but has no accessible or direct connection at the Courtland Street level. The primary access is from the University Center and from under Courtland Street, and the building completely ignores the level change.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 34

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 2 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 35

J. Mack Robinson College Of Business (30) 35 Broad Street NW 1901 (acquired 1993) 14 stories

The Robinson College of Business is located in a beautiful historic bank building at the head of Broad Street and is the oldest building in GSU’s inventory. It was acquired as a gift to the University in 1993 and is home to RCB and a Bank of America Branch with full operations on the ground and basement levels. The upper levels are Business School offices for the faculty and staff serving 9,500 students.

There are three points of entry to the building from Broad Street, Marietta Street and Watson Street. There is a drop off area, but the service entry is shared with one of the regular entries. The men’s and women’s restrooms are staggered by level and ADA accessibility is a challenge.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 36

Level 1 comments: A general information desk located on the ground level at the Broad Street entrance is operated by GSU. The ground level is a grand marble clad space for banking.

Level 3 comments: This level is original to the building, minimally maintained , shabby, and in need of renovation.

Level 11 comments: This level is newly renovated with offices, a small lobby and an information area. The renovation was made possible through a department grant. Each level is different as a result of different funding streams for the various departments. There is a comfortable and flexible student lounge with sink, television and movable furniture. The office area has controlled entries, and all offices and corridors all have natural daylight.

Level 12 comments: This level has a small lobby and good office space. The bathroom is not ADA accessible and the walls and levels require upkeep and painting.

Overall 3 Exterior 4 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 3 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 37

Science Annex (33) 29 Peachtree Center Avenue

The Science Annex building has spaces assigned to Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Astronomy, and is located near the campus core.

It is not a flexible building as it consists mostly of offices on upper levels, and is connected to the Natural Science Center on one level. There are no social and collaborative spaces. The Science Center Annex building sits atop a two level parking structure (Lot I) accessed from Peachtree Center Avenue across from Kell Hall. The exterior is non-descript painted concrete with square windows. A small pedestrian plaza is located at the base of the building on Hurt Plaza (Street).

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces N/A Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 38

Rialto Theater (36) 80 Forsyth Street 1916 (rebuilt 1962) 80,000 GSF

The Rialto Theater has 833 fixed seats and 1,200 total seats. With excellent acoustics, it is the primary performance venue for School of Music’s large ensemble concerts, including the wind, orchestra, jazz, brass, and percussion ensembles. Its lobby is a flexible, large, open, and highly-visible space for various functions and the building is easy for visitors to locate. Numerous public and private events are hosted there throughout the year.

The Georgia State University Foundation purchased and renovated the building in 1995 and still maintains ownership. The University has minimal funds, though, for operation and maintenance costs. Beyond serving the University, the Rialto is an anchor for the revitalization of the historic Fairlie-Poplar district in downtown Atlanta and is the home to a variety of cultural organizations. It will be well-served by the Atlanta Streetcar which is due to open in 2013.

Overall 4 Exterior 4 Entrances and accessibility 4 Social and collaboration spaces 4 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 39

Haas-Howell Building (37) 75 Poplar Street 1920 (acquired 1994)

The Haas-Howell Building is home to the School of Music, Administrative & Faculty Offices, Recording Studios, Media & Technology Center, Classrooms, Administrative Offices for the Rialto Center for the Arts, Office of Graduate Studies of the College of Arts & Sciences.

It is located in the historic Fairlie-Poplar district so any renovations must meet historic renovation requirements. The entrance has an extremely small lobby space. The entire building footprint is also very small and is not fit-to-function properly for a School of Music. The building is connected to the Rialto Theater on the 3rd level.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 40

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 2 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 41

Standard Building (38) 95 Luckie Street 1923 (acquired 1984) 11 stories

The Standard Building houses the School of Music classrooms, faculty offices, rehearsal rooms for small instrumental ensembles, student and faculty lounges, and recording studios. The entrance is located on Fairlie Street and has an extremely small lobby space. There is a student lounge located on the ground level with lockers and tables. The building is generally not fit-to-function properly for a School of Music.

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 3 Social and collaboration spaces 2 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 42

Bennett A. Brown Commerce Building (48) 34 Broad Street 1960 18 stories / 80,734 GSF

The Commerce Building is home to IS&T, Facilities Division, some academic instruction and meeting space, the Center for Ethics & Corporate Responsibility, Commerce Club, and the Atlanta Press Club. It is located in the Failie-Poplar Historic District with the main entry on Broad Street.

The first 8 levels and part of the 9th are parking decks with a Broad Street entry and valet-only access. It is mostly office uses from the 9th to 18th levels. Leased commercial spaces are located on the street level (currently Quiznos and Gateway News).

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 43

The building is painted concrete with punched windows. An overhead awning at ground level successfully provides a human scale to the street level. Lead paint was removed two years ago.

Overall 3 Exterior 4 Entrances and accessibility 4 Social and collaboration spaces N/A Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 44

Student Center (55) 44 Courtland Street 1995 3 stories / 120,000 GSF

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 45

The Student Center is in the campus core and houses meeting spaces, lounges, food courts, and facilities such as the state-of-the-art Digital Aquarium, Dean of Students office and the University Housing office, several large studios for aerobic, dance, and martial art fitness classes, sports clubs, and intramural programs.

The building has a reasonable urban response and pulls back to receive students approaching from the Edgewood Street side as well as from Collins Street (under Courtland Street). The Center handles programming for all non-sports activities including concerts, banquets, panel discussions, etc. It holds the largest single use meeting space on campus, a house salon and state ballroom (600-750 people for a banquet and 1200 for a dancing event). There are excellent multilevel general social spaces with high ceilings and a newly renovated café space.

The building is in excellent condition. Freshmen, female and residential students are the primary attendants of events on campus. There is not much evening activity. As a commuter campus, this space in particular is event driven and slow on weekends and evenings.

Overall 4 Exterior 4 Entrances and accessibility 3 Social and collaboration spaces 4 Flexibility 4 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 46

Student Recreation Center (58) 101 Piedmont Avenue 3 stories / 161,000 GSF

The Student Recreation Center facility was constructed to provide a dedicated recreation center for none-athletic program activities. The facility is available for all students, faculty, staff and their family members to use. Facility contains an aquatic center, a large gymnasium, small courts (racquetball and squash), weight room, exercise rooms, studios, locker rooms, patio and offices.

The entrance is located on Piedmont Avenue.

Overall 4 Exterior 4 Entrances and accessibility 4 Social and collaboration spaces 4 Flexibility 3 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 47

Helen M. Aderhold Learning Center (59) 60 Luckie Street 2002 5 stories / 157,000 GSF

The Aderhold Learning Center is a general purpose classroom building that was recently built by the University with some specialty classes for Business. There are Lecture Halls, Office Space, Choral & Instrumental Rehearsal Rooms, Shops and Eateries. It anchors Broad Street providing an excellent urban edge with an arcade on one side with a ground level that is lined with retail and dining. The building has public/general access during daytime hours and is secured at night. There are entrances at both sides of the building on Poplar and Luckie Streets. There is ample lobby and atrium space in the center with side benches along the edges at every level. The upper level terraces are on both sides of the building at the top, and vending, computer lab and meeting tables are located in the lower sub-terrain level.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 48

Aderhold is a custom designed class room building with classes held as late as 10:30 p.m. The music class rooms located on the 4th level perform well. Each room has removable seats, curtains and acoustical wall treatment. All other classrooms are for general lecture uses. There is no natural lighting inside the classrooms.

A new streetcar will run by the front of the building on Luckie St. which is currently one way. Luckie Street will be converted to a two-way street for the streetcar project.

Overall 4 Exterior 4 Entrances and accessibility 4 Social and collaboration spaces 4 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 49

Parker H. Petit Science Center (64) 100 Piedmont Avenue SE 2011 10 stories / 350,000 GSF

The Petit Science Center is the a premier research and classroom building that houses programs in biology, chemistry, nutrition, physical and respiratory therapies, public health and the Neuroscience Institute.

The main entry is at corner of Piedmont Rd and Decatur St with a small plaza at the corner. There is leased space on 1st floor along Piedmont Rd currently hosts a Waffle House and Willeys Mexican Restaurant. The 1st through 4th floors are teaching and public areas and the 5th through 10th floors are research. The building contains 6 classrooms and 9 departments, and many schools use the auditorium at the ground level.

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 50

Overall 4 Exterior 4 Entrances and accessibility 4 Social and collaboration spaces 4 Flexibility 4 Fit-to-function 4

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 51

Suntrust Tower / 25 Park Place (80) 25 Park Place NE 1969 26 stories / 411,267 GSF

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 52

The SunTrust Tower is a recent acquisition located in a prominent position along Woodruff Park. At the end of September the Offices of the President and Provost will be relocated to the top level, but the remaining area has yet to be programmed. The ground level houses a branch bank which will remain.

There is a low rise building attached at the corner of Edgewood and Park Place South, near the entry of Hurt Plaza. Accessing this low rise building requires either exiting the high rise lobby to the plaza or taking the elevator to lower levels and entering from the safety deposit area. As long as the bank remains, there is no direct access to the high rise building from the low rise building at the ground floor.

There is the potential opportunity for providing a student entrance on Edgewood Ave side of building. This is also a potential gateway building to the campus (as a welcome center or alumni center).

Overall 3 Exterior 3 Entrances and accessibility 2 Social and collaboration spaces 2 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 3

Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 53

Citizens Trust Building / 75 Piedmont (83) 75 Piedmont Ave. 1969 12 stories / 170,565 GSF

The Citizens Trust Building is a recent acquisition with a variety of academic support spaces and tenants: university office space, freeing space in other buildings for classroom use. The building also houses the Counseling/Testing Center, Student Health Promotion and some offices for Information Systems and Technology (IS&T). Morehouse College sub-leases space in the building from GSU.

It was originally a general office building and so it is a poor fit-to-function for the University Administration offices. Some levels have been renovated and are more opened-up with suites on either side of cores.

A diner is located on the ground level. A two level parking deck is located at the rear of the building. The building closes at the end of the day. Building Use and Condition – IIIA3 Page 54

Overall 2 Exterior 2 Entrances and accessibility 1 Social and collaboration spaces 1 Flexibility 2 Fit-to-function 2

Technical Memorandum

Date June 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject III. C Community Setting

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

This document is intended to provide an overall context for Georgia State University and its Sasaki Associates Inc. location in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Items 1 and 2 are required as part of the master plan 64 Pleasant Street template. Language in items 1 and 2 below reflect changes from the 2006 Master Plan. The Watertown Community Setting Assessment addresses the downtown context of the Georgia State University Massachusetts Campus including future opportunities for potential land or building acquisition and the impacts 02472 USA of proposed projects.

t 617 926 3300 1. REGULATORY ISSUES f 617 924 2748  The Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Construction Act of 2008 requires buildings that are constructed, rehabilitated and maintained by the State of Georgia to meet energy efficiency and sustainable constructions standards. Criteria that initiaties the use of these standards includes: o New construction projects exceeding 10,000 sq. feet o Renovation projects that are more than 50 percent of the replacement value of the facility o Change in occupancy o Any roof replacement project exceeding 10,000 sq. feet o Commercial interior tenant fit-out project exceeding 10,000 sq. feet of leasable area where the state is intended to be the lessor of the property

A notable exception to these standards is any building that has conditioned space as defined by ASHRAE or any state-owned building that is on a historical registry.

 In 2007 the City of Atlanta adopted a revised Special Public Inerest (SPI) zoning district for the downtown Study Area. This revised zoning was developed following the Central Atlanta Progress’ Imagine Downtown planning process. Under these revised regulations, the majority of the Study Area is now classified as SPI-1; the Centennial Olympic Park area is classified as SPI-13; and a new Landmark Historic District was created (LD-20C) for the Edgewood and Auburn Avenue Corridors. In addition, the downtown area has been divided into seven sub-areas to address specific issues such as historic resources.

The revised SPI regulations are intended to encourage mixed use development and quality of life in the downtown area. o Active ground floor uses required in all structures o Windows are required and blank walls are limited along sidewalks o Floor to ceiling heights established Community Setting – IIIC Page 2

o Building entrances must be visible, articulated and accessible to sidewalks

Expanded elements of the code focus on streetscape requirements intended to enhance the pedestrian environment. o Standardized sidewalk zones designated for street furniture/utilities, pedestrian movement, and retail/dining activity o Sidewalk materials continue across driveways

Conversely, the SPI zoning districts include restrictions on automobile-oriented design and land use. o Limits on number of driveways and driveway width o Drive-through and drive-in facilities and their design are restricted o Parking structure design requirements

The parking limitation district along the north/south MARTA rail line has been retained, with added restrictions on parking. o Minimum parking requirements eliminated and maximum parking spaces capped o Bicycle and moped parking requirements expanded o Loading requirements reduced and shared arrangements allowed

 Following the recommendations of the Downtown Parking Management Action Plan, the city has begun to implement new parking management strategies for the downtown area that includes the GSU campus. In 2009 the city awarded a contract to a private firm to implement and enforce these new parking strategies. Some notable changes include the installation of multi-space parking pay stations and more aggressive enforcement. Much of the GSU campus is classified as a school/university district with parking limits of three hours.

2. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

The Georgia State University campus is located in an urban setting that is largely devoid of known environmental challenges or issues. Two conditions are noted:  The downtown Atlanta tree canopy (which encompasses the GSU campus) is largely non- existant. In recent years, efforts have been made by Trees Atlanta and the City of Atlanta to install more street trees. In addition, recent streetscape improvements along Decatur Street and Piedmont Avenue in the GSU campus have led to the installation of new street trees. Efforts should be taken to expand the urban tree canopy to yield greater environmental and econcomic benefits.  Urban areas face continued stormwater management challenges due to the amount of impervious pavement. Creative stormwater solutions, including permeable pavement, bioswales, and raingardens, are elements that should be considered within the campus.

COMMUNITY SETTING ASSESSMENT

Georgia State University is unique in that its physical setting is interwoven into the infrastructure of downtown Atlanta. As such, GSU faces similar challenges to that of the City of Atlanta or other large metropolitan areas. The university has sought to address these challenges and opportunities proactively, providing an engaging academic experience for students, employees, and faculty. This assessment will assess the downtown context of the Georgia State Campus, Community Setting – IIIC Page 3

including future opportunities for potential land or building acquisition if needed as well as the impact of proposed projects by the City of Atlanta on the Campus Master Plan.

1. Current Downtown Context

Since the creation of the 2006 GSU Master Plan, Downtown Atlanta has changed tremendously. The downtown campus of Georgia State University is located within the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) and much of the surrounding area has been economically promoted and aesthetically improved by Central Atlanta Progress. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the City of Atlanta has risen to 420,000, with a greater metropolitan population of 5.27 million. Within ADID, the population is approximately 33,000. This represents a 40% increase since 2004. Add the growing student population of GSU and the 140,000 people who work downtown and the areas around GSU represent an active urban environment. It is also of note that the ADID sees a much lower median household income than the City of Atlanta and the average household population is less than 2. These numbers are indicative of the economic challenges the area faces but also the opportunity for denser growth and increase in population and prosperity.

Georgia State University is one of the largest stakeholders within the downtown area. In addition to GSU, Grady Memorial Hospital, City of Atlanta, and the State of Georgia, and United States Government are all major entities located near the campus. Many of the State of Georgia's offices are located nearby as is the State Capitol building, 11th District Court of Appeals, multiple Federal offices, and the City of Atlanta's offices. This creates an institutional environmental to the south, west, and east of the campus, with businesses and entertainment areas lying further north. Underground Atlanta, a festival marketplace and entertainment complex, lies west of the campus. Despite large annual subsidies from the city, Underground Atlanta has struggled to maintain vibrant businesses, making it a candidate for redevelopment. Peachtree Center, SunTrust Plaza, the 191 Building, Americas Mart, and the Westin are all architectural icons and business/hotel complexes that are located north of the GSU campus. Increasingly, Atlanta has become a destination for conferences. This has led to the opening of new bars, restaurants, and stores along the Peachtree Street corridor. This popularity can be attractive selling for potential GSU students.

Georgia State University is one of 13 identified neighborhoods or corridors in downtown. Although a distinguishable district, GSU is one of the largest stakeholders in downtown Atlanta, and its growth affects the other areas such as Peachtree Street, the Sweet Auburn District, and The Gulch. The guiding plan for downtown Atlanta is the Imagine Downtown Plan, first created in 2004. In 2009, this plan was updated to reflect the changes that had occurred since the first plan was adopted. Many of the changes affect GSU and its future plans. These include the continued evolution and popularity the Centennial Olympic Park area which includes the construction of a new World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, new hotels, housing, and entertainment opportunities. This area is quickly becoming a world-class tourist destination with the planned construction for Center for Civil and Human Rights and the planned relocation of the College Football Hall of Fame.

With all of the recent activity and new construction in downtown, there is a misconception that there is little room for additional construction or redevelopment. A recent study by Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) has identified a significant number of parcels in and around the GSU campus as being underutilized and good candidates for development. These parcels range from surface parking lots to vacant hotels and boarded up structures. There is room for continued growth in the downtown area. Community Setting – IIIC Page 4

The City of Atlanta has moved to aggressively redevelop its public housing complexes under the federal Hope VI program. Several large public housing complexes in and around the downtown have been redeveloped into mixed income communities. Within the study area, the Grady Homes complex and the Antoine Graves high raise, located between the downtown connector and Hilliard Street have been redeveloped into the mixed-income Auburn Pointe. Likewise, Capitol Homes, south of the study area along Memorial Drive has recently been redeveloped into Capitol Gateway. The removal of these large public housing complexes as well as a substantial amount of Section 8 housing is likely to create further redevelopment opportunities east of the downtown. For example, following the demolition of Grady Homes, the mixed-use Pencil Factory Lofts were developed adjacent to the King Memorial MARTA station.

Redevelopment initiatives along the Auburn Avenue and Edgewood Avenue corridors have led to land use change east of the downtown. An ambitious redevelopment along Auburn Avenue called Renaissance Walk at Sweet Auburn has been constructed under a partnership between developers and local religious institutions. In an attempt to build on the historic status of Auburn Avenue as the center of African American culture, the development includes a substantial ground floor retail component intended to serve as the anchor of an entertainment district. However, the project was completed just as the local real estate market began to crash in 2007. Edgewood Avenue, which runs parallel to Auburn Avenue, has recently emerged as an entertainment district, with several new bars and restaurants located near the intersection of Edgewood Ave and Boulevard. Construction has begun on the Atlanta Streetcar project linking Auburn Ave and Edgewood Ave with tourist destinations downtown.

However, redevelopment trends have threatened the historic character of the Sweet Auburn Historic District. The Atlanta Daily World Building (home to the first African American newspaper in Atlanta) is under threat of demolition, and the modern Atlanta Life Insurance building (an African American owned business with deep ties to the community) at Auburn and Piedmont Avenue has been recently approved for purchase by Georgia State University. There has been a tremendous loss of architectural fabric lost in the district in recent years. This has resulted in the district being placed on 11 Most Endangered Sites by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Peachtree Street remains the premier corridor residents and visitors associate with downtown Atlanta. It serves as a primary connector between downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead. Peachtree serves as catalyst for development and redevelopment adjacent its roadway. Georgia State is also heavily influenced by the Interstate 78/85 highway ("Downtown Connector") which is heavily used by commuters and students alike traveling into downtown Atlanta. It lies east of the campus and poses as a significant physical barrier. The one way pairing of Courtland Street and Piedmont Avenue provide access into the heart of the campus from both the north and the south. Piedmont (which is Capitol Avenue south of I-20) connects Turner Field and its parking lots (used by GSU during non-event hours) to the campus. Additional corridors and entrances into the campus include Decatur Street and John Wesley Dobbs (both two-way roadways providing connections to East Atlanta); Marrieta Street (providing access to the northwest); Spring Street/West Peachtree one-way corridors which facilitate vehicular traffic between downtown, the Georgia Dome, Georgia World Congress Center, the Civic Center, Georgia Tech, Midtown, and Buckhead.

Transit opportunities beyond the automobile exist for students. MARTA provides heavy rail passenger trains through the campus with a stop on the East-West line for Georgia State University. There are two additional stops on the North-South line (Garnett Street and Peachtree Community Setting – IIIC Page 5

Center) that are near campus. For commuter students, there is also bus transit servicing Cobb County, Gwinnett County, and Douglas County, as well as MARTA bus service. For residential students, Atlanta's sidewalks or the Panther Express bus network are the best alternatives for navigating campus.

In summary, the downtown environment has changed dramatically since 2006. The Georgia State University population is growing and its presence is seen throughout downtown. The entertainment, tourism, business, and residential options that are now afforded to downtown residents and visitors represent attractive selling-points to prospective students and improved quality of life for existing faculty, staff, and students.

2. Planned Projects

Downtown Atlanta has a rich legacy or urban planning and implementation. In the past six years numerous plans have been created and partially implemented as visions for an improved downtown take root. Below is an overview of planned/partially implemented projects that impact Georgia State University and provide additional context for campus.

Adopted Plans (Currently being implemented)  Imagine Downtown Encore. This plan is an update to the 2004 Imagine Downtown Plan. It identifies 13 different districts/corridors/neighborhoods in the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District. The plan provides an overview of implemented and planned activities in each district along with a comprehensive list of recommended transportation improvements.  Connect Atlanta Plan. Connect Atlanta is the comprehensive transportation plan for the City of Atlanta. It was completed in 2008 and serves as the vision for all new transportation projects within city limits. Specific to the GSU campus are several one way conversions (Courtland Street, Piedmont Avenue, Andrew Young International Boulevard, Ellis Street), new transit (the Atlanta Streetcar), bicycle lanes (Marietta Street, Peachtree Street, Hill Street), and a new road constructed as an extension of Wall Street.  Atlanta Connector Transformation Project. Central Atlanta Progress teamed with the Midtown Alliance to hire SWA Group to complete a conceptual plan for addressing connectivity issues related to the Downtown Connector. The plan was completed in fall 2011. In June 2012, both Midtown Alliance and Central Atlanta Progress received state money to begin implementing plan recommendations.  The Green Line Plan. The Green Line was another CAP effort completed by HOK in 2010. The plan focuses on an east-west linear corridor between Phillips Arena to the State Capital. Specifically it looked at development opportunities related to transit hub located in The Gulch as well as redevelopment around the Five Points MARTA Station and the capital. The Green Line envisioned GSU as a possible tenant/owner around The Gulch which would necessitate the campus to expand geographically to the west.  The Multi modal Passenger Terminal - The Gulch. The Georgia Department of Transportation has recently selected a development/design team to begin planning for the redevelopment of "The Gulch," a physically depressed former railroad yard, into a Multimodal Passenger Terminal. The planning is in its early stages but an economic analysis for the plan shows development of the site could yield several billion dollars in economic development over the next 20 years. Community Setting – IIIC Page 6

Infrastructure Projects (In Design or Under Construction)  Atlanta Streetcar. In 2010, the City of Atlanta received a TIGER Implementation Grant from the Federal Highway Administration to develop a streetcar system. The first phase of the streetcar is documented in the Connect Atlanta Plan, and would run east-west connecting Olympic Centennial Park, Georgia State University, and the Martin Luther King National Historic Site. CAP has identified 13 Catalytic Project Areas as part of a Streetcar Development Strategy. Five of the sites are located adjacent to GSU campus facilities. The Streetcar is currently under construction and there are plans for five different streetcar stops that are in a reasonable proximity to the GSU campus.  Atlanta Beltline. The Atlanta Beltline is 22 miles of former railroad right-of-way encircling many of Atlanta's neighborhoods. The long-term vision calls for pedestrian trails, light rail transit, park space, mixed use redevelopment, and fixed income housing. The Atlanta Streetcar and MARTA will eventually connect directly to the Beltline which currently is within two miles of the GSU campus. Currently the Eastside Trail is under construction, connecting Piedmont Park to DeKalb Avenue.  Courtland Street Bridge. The Courtland Street overpass in the heart of the GSU campus is deteriorating and need of replacement. Although a local road, GDOT is responsible for the design and construction of a new bridge. Currently the design is ongoing and essentially replaces the current bridge in kind. There is still a need to better connect Courtland Street with Collins Street and Decatur Street running below. There is not yet an anticipated start date for the construction of the bridge.

Technical Memorandum

Date September 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject III. Existing Campus Conditions

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

This memorandum summarizes the existing conditions analysis and future campus space Sasaki Associates Inc. requirements as presented to the Master Plan Committee on July 20, 2012 and subsequently 64 Pleasant Street revised under their direction. The presentation graphics follow the summary of key points below. Watertown Together, this content fulfills sections III. Existing Campus Conditions; IV. Future Campus Massachusetts Requirements; and V. Alternatives of the master plan template. 02472 USA

III. EXISTING CAMPUS CONDITIONS t 617 926 3300 f 617 924 2748 1. Land and Building Use Georgia State University is a dynamic institution that has seen significant growth and change since the most recent campus master plan was completed in 2005. As recommended by the 2005 plan, GSU has increased its presence in the “campus expansion zone” north of the historic campus core. Much of this change is in the form of student housing along the Piedmont Avenue corridor and the introduction of new office space in the 75 Piedmont Avenue building. Completion of the Petit Science Center establishes a major activity point at the southern end of the Piedmont Avenue corridor as well. Recent acquisitions such as 100 Auburn Avenue and 25 Park Place along with the planned construction of new Schools of Law and Business at 89 Park Place further solidifies the GSU presence to the north and west of the heart of campus.

Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 2

Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 3

For the purposes of this analysis, building use has been separated into five major categories: academic classrooms, academic offices, student life, student housing, and administration. The major classroom buildings are in the core blocks of campus (bounded by Peachtree Center Avenue, Gilmer Street, Piedmont Avenue, and Decatur Street), on Broad Street (Aderhold Learning Center), and at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Decatur Street (Petit Science Center). Most student life buildings are in a one-block cluster to the east of the campus core, while student housing is predominantly to the north of campus along Piedmont Street. Administrative functions are housed in buildings spotted around the edges of campus. The administrative and academic core of the campus has retained its compact form; nearly all of campus is reachable in a 10 minute walk or less.

Recent building acquisitions and planned construction provide an opportunity to reassign space and building uses at several locations throughout campus. Buildings available for reassignment will include the College of Business, a portion of the SunTrust Building (25 Park Place), the Atlanta Life Building (100 Auburn Avenue), Dahlberg Hall, and portions of the Urban Life Building. Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 4

2. Open Space Georgia State is adjacent to two major city parks – Woodruff Park (maintained by Central Atlanta Progress) and Hurt Park (maintained by GSU). Students, faculty, and staff generally report feeling disconnected from these parks because of their shared public use. However, some informal student activities such as flag football games periodically take place at Hurt Park.

Paved plazas, typically raised from street level, make up the majority of existing open spaces on campus itself. Library Plaza and the area in front of the Student Center are two of the most active plaza areas; both are constantly used by students for events or just to hang out. There are effectively no existing traditional campus landscape elements or open spaces on campus.

Streets and sidewalks are a major component of the open space available on the Georgia State campus. The University and the City of Atlanta have partnered to improve the quality of the Decatur Street and Piedmont Avenue streetscapes by reducing the number of travel lanes, widening sidewalks, introducing more street trees, and increasing visibility of pedestrian crossings. Additional street improvements have been made along Broad Street, Hurt Plaza, and Gilmer Street. All of the improvements have the dual purpose of improving pedestrian safety and enhancing the pedestrian experience.

Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 5

3. Circulation The circulation patterns in and around Georgia State are defined by the urban street grid within which the campus is set. With this gridded structure, students, faculty, and staff use a variety of modes to get to and from campus and also to move amongst University buildings.

Pedestrian Circulation Pedestrian movement of the 30,000 Georgia State students traversing between campus facilities is intense. Most of this movement takes place on downtown Atlanta streets and sidewalks. The MyCampus survey results below suggest that pedestrian movement is especially intense around classroom buildings – Aderhold at the top of Broad Street; the core blocks including Arts & Humanities, General Classroom Building, and Sparks Hall; and the Petit Science Center in the southeast corner of campus.

However, poor sidewalk conditions, limited wayfinding, suboptimal pedestrian crossings, and a lack of reliable access for the disabled can make the pedestrian circulation network unpleasant to use at times. Measures such as the recent improvements to Piedmont Avenue and Decatur Streets have helped improve the pedestrian experience, but key pedestrian routes through campus still remain unclear and obstructed with level changes and stairways.

Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 6

Bicycle Circulation Bicycle use is a relatively small component of overall circulation at Georgia State. Recent and planned street improvements may make bicycling a more appealing transportation option for students, faculty, and staff. According to the MyCampus survey, most cyclists presently use Edgewood Avenue and Decatur Street to connect to points east of campus and also tend to move north-south along Piedmont Street.

Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 7

Transit The existing MARTA system with its adjoining station is an important source of access to the University. The Atlanta Streetcar, currently under construction, will strengthen the internal connections within the campus. The streetcar line runs eastbound on Edgewood Street and westbound on Auburn St, increasing the importance of both of these streets as transportation corridors. Georgia State’s PantherExpress routes are shifting to accommodate the anticipated change in circulation patterns. While some underclassmen use the PantherExpress to get around campus the shuttle’s predominant purpose it to ferry students, faculty, and staff to remote parking such as the lot at Turner Field.

Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 8

Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 9

Vehicular Circulation A few key streets accommodate most of the vehicular circulation to the Georgia State campus according to results from the MyCampus survey. Courtland Street and Piedmont Avenue provide important north-south connections and Peachtree Center Avenue is a major connector from the south. Edgewood Avenue and Decatur Street provide east-west connections to the eastern side of the I-75/85 corridor as well as the Five Points area and beyond. The one-directional movement on Courtland Street and Piedmont Avenue encourages high speed through-traffic on campus, negatively impacting the quality of the pedestrian environment and pedestrian safety. The City of Atlanta is currently examining a return to two-way traffic.

Traffic on campus is as expected for any downtown – at times heavy and congested, particularly around parking garage access points. At present, all streets on the Georgia State campus are public streets.

Parking The recently-completed Georgia State Parking and Transportation Master Plan provides a comprehensive analysis of the existing parking facilities and circulation patterns on campus as well as recommendations for improvements to the system. According to the study, GSU parking is at 93% of capacity during the peak occupancy time (10 am on Tuesdays). Nearby commercial parking facilities absorb a portion of the institution’s parking demand and the availability of public transit reduces demand further. The Parking and Transportation Master Plan did not include the 1,400-car garage acquired with 25 Park Place. Existing Campus Conditions – III Page 10

The Parking and Transportation Master Plan identifies a need for more student parking in the northwest portion of campus. This was reflected in comments received via the MyCampus survey as well.

4. Buildings The majority of Georgia State’s buildings are adequate and serviceable yet could function better with moderate renovations. Many of these buildings were purchased by the University and renovated to serve campus functions. Most of the purpose-built buildings are in excellent condition and function well. A handful of buildings are in poor condition and need to be renovated or replaced to fully satisfy GSU’s needs. Please see the Building Use and Condition memo (III.A.3) for a more detailed discussion of building conditions.

Technical Memorandum

Date October 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject IV. Space Analysis Results

From Sasaki Associates / Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

This memorandum summarizes the findings of the space analysis conducted as part of the Sasaki Associates Inc. Georgia State University Campus Master Plan and presented to university stakeholders on 64 Pleasant Street September 24, 2012. Watertown Massachusetts The analysis focused on the existing inventory currently available to Georgia State but also 02472 USA considered the impacts of likely near-term moves, including the impact of removing all leased space from the existing inventory; demolition of Kell Hall, University Bookstore and the auditorium of the Urban Life Building; adding space from the 25 Park Place and 100 Auburn t 617 926 3300 Avenue acquisitions; and adding space for the proposed Law and Business buildings at 89 Park f 617 924 2748 Place. The study highlighted significant opportunities to improve the quality of inventory data, which is a task the university has begun.

Space Analysis Results – IV Page 2

Classrooms Our findings indicate that the university has adequate classroom space to support current and planned enrollments. Perceived shortages may be alleviated through improved utilization of existing classrooms particularly before noon on Mondays and Wednesdays, and all day on Fridays. The analysis showed a good match between the range of enrollments in course sections and the spread of station counts within the classroom pool. At a target of 30 hours of use per week the current classroom inventory would support approximately a 20% capacity increase; i.e. to about 37,000 students. The new University System of Georgia proposes 40 hours per week of classroom use; under this scenario the existing classroom pool would accommodate growth through 40,000 students.

Weekly Room Hours (WRH) by Classroom

Notes: 13 classrooms from inventory do not appear in the course schedule Average is 25.5 WRH

Space Analysis Results – IV Page 3

Teaching Labs There is a clear need for additional teaching labs, particularly in core sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics. Heavy scheduling in the School of Art and Design also mandates additional space. Total additional lab needs fall somewhere between 10 to 15 labs, or 15,000 to 22,000 assignable square feet (ASF). Growth to 40,000 students will likely drive further lab need of approximately another 100,000 ASF of space.

Teaching Labs – Weekly Room Hours

Notes: Each colored rectangle represents a teaching lab. The color of the rectangle represents intensity of use, with red being over 40 room hours per week.

Research Labs The university space inventory contains approximately 241,000 ASF of research space (with about 42,000 of this in research support spaces), most of which is assigned to the College of Arts and Sciences. As the university has begun to improve the quality of data in its space inventory, it self-reports that actual laboratory research space is 137,269 ASF. In FY 2011, research expenditures approached $60 million but only 20% of that research, or $12.5M, was lab- intensive. GSU’s goal is to reach $100M in total research expenditures with half of the growth, or approximately $20M, in lab-intensive research. GSU staff ran an internal analysis prorating the existing $/ASF ratio which results in the need for approximately 229,000 ASF of additional lab space. This exercise assumes lab space is fully utilized today, a subject currently under study at the university. Clearly, additional research space will be needed if the university’s research goal is to be met; precise quantities will require careful thought, matching capital resources to faculty productivity. Space Analysis Results – IV Page 4

Office Office space appears to be sufficient to support current and future faculty and staff levels, particularly with the acquisition of 25 Park Place and 100 Auburn Avenue as well as the planned program for Law and Business at 89 Park Place. Required data points are still being refined as part of the university’s ongoing data clean-up exercise. The university self-reports a total of 5,928 faculty and staff FTE and 4,465 offices, which gives a ratio of offices to faculty and staff FTE of 0.75. This number does not suggest a shortage, noting that final accurate station count and occupancy data was not available for our analysis. Average office size is 155 ASF; this large number reflects the acquisition of properties with existing office layout. In this context, we encourage the university, as a cost saving measure, to divest itself of all leased offices, approximately 115,000 ASF of space.

Recreation Recreation space is sufficient today, but a satellite facility will likely be needed to support 40,000 students.

Student Life The university does have a significant need for student life space which will continue to grow with increased enrollment. The total amount of space needed depends on a number of factors: 1. The university’s comprehensive vision for student life—whether student life will be consolidated within a few buildings, or widely distributed throughout campus. 2. The culture of food and dining on campus, currently an underserved aspect of student life. 3. The relationship between library, student union, residence life and the sciences. 4. The role of the city in campus life, with Broad Street as a successful example. 5. The amount of funding the university is willing to commit to student life.

GSU favors a partnership model, with the private sector taking on a considerable portion of this requirement. This is a natural approach, given the university’s urban context. As a result, a lean program of 30,000 – 50,000 ASF is likely appropriate.

Residence Life The goal of accommodating 20% of students in university housing will drive the need for residential space. A target enrollment of 40,000 students will require approximately 4,000 new beds, with a near term goal of about 2,000, or half of the long-term need. Other considerations will influence the total space requirement and the culture of residence life on campus, chiefly the distribution of dorm typologies, i.e. classic double dorms versus constellations of suites. It will also be critical for the university to balance funding constraints with ideal community sizes. In this regard, many peer institutions are building facilities for 400-500 residents for freshmen and sophomores.

Space Analysis Results – IV Page 5

Proposed Demolitions and Leased Space As Georgia State begins implementing the 2012 Master Plan update several buildings may be demolished to accommodate the proposed campus-wide Greenway. These include Kell Hall, the University Bookstore, the Bookstore Annex, and the Urban Life Auditorium. Together, these account for approximately 182,700 ASF. Over half of this is teaching and research laboratory space. Further analysis is needed to understand the magnitude of needed replacement space, as one-to-one replacement may not be necessary due to lower-intensity or less efficient use of some of the space that may be demolished.

Proposed Demolition ASF Classroom 7,300 Teaching Lab 54,300 Research Lab 40,900 Office 42,800 Social & Study + General 26,200 Support 11,300 TOTAL 182,700

Georgia State currently leases approximately 150,000 ASF near its downtown campus. Over two-thirds of this is office space, some of which Georgia State may be positioned to vacate given recently-acquired office buildings such as 25 Park Place. Reducing the amount of leased office space would allow resources to be used for more efficient office configurations or other facilities needs.

Current Leased Space 34 Andrew Capitol GWCC 10 Park Total ASF Peachtree Young Hill Hospitality Place Classroom 1,587 1,297 2,884 Teaching Lab 3,500 6,233 495 10,228 Research Lab 3,296 1,635 301 5,232 Office 36,037 51,862 1,046 231 26,555 115,732 Social, Study, General 884 2,548 7,635 539 2,100 Support 3,635 1,871 TOTAL 45,304 65,914 8,682 1,529 149,319

Space Analysis Results – IV Page 6

Proposed Demolitions and Current Leased Space

Technical Memorandum

Date October 2012

Project Georgia State University Master Plan Update

Subject V. Physical Master Plan & Implementation

From Sasaki Associates/Robert and Company

To GSU Master Planning Committee

Sasaki Associates Inc. This memorandum summarizes the 2012 Master Plan Update for Georgia State University. 64 Pleasant Street Significant change has occurred in the physical configuration of the Georgia State campus since preparation of its last update in 2004/2005. In response to enrollment growth and the need for Watertown high quality academic and student life space, the campus has stretched outward from its historic Massachusetts core between Piedmont Avenue and Peachtree Center Avenue. To the northwest, Georgia State 02472 USA has acquired property at the corner of Park Place and J. W. Dobbs Avenue for the proposed new Law and Business Schools. To the north, the Piedmont Avenue corridor has gained traction with t 617 926 3300 the development of University Commons and the acquisition of the Piedmont North housing facility. Campus also has reached to the east across the I-75/85 interstate corridor with the f 617 924 2748 acquisition of playfields and the development of a football practice facility.

Several vectors of change make this—Georgia State’s centennial year—a particularly valuable moment at which to re-evaluate the quality and fit-to-function of its buildings and to re-envision the physical configuration of the campus. Georgia State recently adopted a new Strategic Plan that maps out the institution’s major goals and initiatives for the next 5 and 10 years; the 2012 Master Plan Update is a venue for expressing the physical components of these changes. Recent and planned additions to campus such as the completion of Petit Science Center; the acquisition of 25 Park Place, 75 Piedmont Avenue, and 100 Auburn Avenue; and the proposed new Law and Business Schools significantly will increase the campus space inventory. Planned public investment in the reconstruction of the Courtland Street viaduct as well as introduction of the streetcar to the Edgewood and Auburn Avenue corridors serve as an opening to improve mobility and the pedestrian experience on campus.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 2

Existing Conditions

MASTER PLAN GOALS The primary objective of the Physical Master Plan Update is to support the goals of the university’s Strategic Plan and the goals and aspirations of Georgia State faculty, staff, and students as expressed through interviews and Sasaki’s online MyCampus survey. The Strategic Plan goals are to: 1. Become a national model for undergraduate education by demonstrating students from all backgrounds can achieve academic and career success at high rates 2. Significantly strengthen and grow the base of distinctive graduate and professional programs that assure development of the next generation of researchers and society leaders 3. Become a leading public research university addressing the most challenging issues of the 21st century 4. Be a leader in understanding the complex challenges of cities and developing effective solutions 5. Achieve distinction in globalizing the university

In addition to addressing the Strategic Plan goals, the Master Plan Update attends to a number of goals articulated by the university’s faculty, staff, and students. These include a strong desire for physical improvements that ultimately reinforce the campus’s sense of place—more convenient, safe, and attractive pedestrian connections between campus facilities, green campus landscape spaces, communal study and social spaces outdoors and within buildings, high quality classroom and laboratories, and improved student life facilities.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 3

MASTER PLAN PROGRAM The master plan program is a response to the university’s goal of growing from 32,000 (headcount) to 40,000 students as well as to space needed for current programs and additional space that will be needed with growth of student enrollment to 40,000 students.

Classrooms Analysis shows there is sufficient classroom space available for the current enrollment. Existing classroom space also will be sufficient for enrollment of 40,000 students if the current classroom use can increase from the existing average of 30 hour per week to 40 hours per week.

Teaching Laboratories An additional 10 to 15 teaching laboratories with an estimated 20,000 assignable square feet (ASF) are needed now at current enrollment for programs in the sciences, fine arts, and music. At the 40,000 student level an estimated additional 100,000 ASF of teaching laboratory space is required.

Research In order to house the university’s goal of $100 million dollars in research from the existing $60 million, including $32 million of laboratory intensive research, the university estimates it will require an additional 229,000 ASF of research laboratory space.

Office There is sufficient office space at present and the university’s recent acquisitions mitigate the need for additional office space with growth in enrollment, faculty, and staff.

Student Life Given the university’s location in downtown Atlanta and assuming private participation, an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 ASF of additional student life facilities are needed now. Additional space will be needed to accommodate enrollment growth to 40,000 students.

Student Residences The university anticipates the addition of 4,000 residential students over the next 10 to 15 years and will phase development of additional student housing in response to demand.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 4

MASTER PLAN

Land Use The Georgia State campus in 2012 is characterized by three districts:  The Campus Core District – the traditional heart of campus consisting of two city blocks bounded by Peachtree Center Avenue, Gilmer Street, Piedmont Avenue, and Decatur Street  Woodruff Park District – university facilities within one or two blocks of Woodruff Park  Piedmont Corridor District – residential facilities along Piedmont Street as well as an area east of the I-75/85 corridor which the university acquired for playfields

Campus Districts

The 2012 Master Plan Update addresses each of these districts individually as well as the connections amongst the districts.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 5

2012 Master Plan Update Framework

The Campus Core District At present the Campus Core District is the academic/student life focus of the campus. The Master Plan Update envisions that this district will remain the focus with its teaching and research facilities as well as library, student union, and recreation facilities.

The existing campus core is a dense physical configuration of buildings which presents many blank walls to the surrounding frame of public streets and sidewalks and has limited pedestrian access. The physical form of the core is a product of the university’s founding in a downtown neighborhood that has been undergoing transition. The existing configuration contributes to an unwelcoming feel that negatively impacts the campus character and the public perception of the campus. The master plan proposes a major renovation of the core with the selective/phased removal of outmoded building facilities, the introduction of an interior, landscaped greenway from Petit Science to Hurt Plaza at Peachtree Center Avenue, and new landscaped gateways. These proposed improvements will provide a more welcoming appearance, improve pedestrian circulation, and provide a series of memorable places that positively contribute to the campus identity.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 6

Existing Campus Core District

Proposed Campus Core District

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 7

The master plan proposes the removal of Kell Hall and its adjacent plaza and underground parking, the university bookstore, and the auditorium and underground parking in front of the Urban Life building. An interior linear landscape greenway at surface grade replaces these buildings and plazas. Within the proposed greenway, the plan introduces a series of vertical structures containing elevators and stairs as a means of providing new and improved pedestrian access into the adjoining building facilities and as a place making element for the campus. With the removal of Kell Hall, the configuration of the adjoining Arts & Humanities building will permit the addition of a tier of new laboratories for the arts needed to accommodate the existing and future arts programs. The proposed greenway will provide Georgia State its first landscaped quadrangle(s) serving as safe and attractive pedestrian connections between campus buildings in the core and the much sought outdoor landscaped communal study and social spaces.

Proposed Greenway at Arts & Humanities and Sparks

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 8

Proposed Greenway at Sparks and Library

The master plan proposes the development of Gilmer Street between Peachtree Center Avenue and Piedmont Avenue as a shared street in order to facilitate pedestrian movement across to Hurt Park and Dahlberg Hall. The plan recommends new landscaped gateways into the core district and proposed greenway at the entry from Hurt Plaza, Hurt Park, and from Decatur Street at the Urban Life building. The proposed gateways will help transform the character of the core district by welcoming new students and visitors to campus.

Woodruff Park District Existing university facilities, the recently-acquired 25 Park Place, and the proposed construction of new Business and Law Schools at 89 Park Place contribute to Georgia State’s increasing presence in the area around Robert W. Woodruff Park. Woodruff Park is the City of Atlanta’s principal downtown park. It is anticipated this beautiful public park, currently maintained by Central Atlanta Progress, will be shared increasingly by the university community. Woodruff Park with its surrounding cluster of university facilities will provide the university a unique front door for visitors and a distinctive presence within the City of Atlanta.

The acquisition of 25 Park Place and 100 Auburn Street as well as the proposed new Business and Law Schools will allow the university to consider releasing existing leased spaces in the Woodruff Park District. The university presently leases approximately 149,300 square feet of space including 34 Peachtree, the Andrew Young School, and Ten Park Place. Other existing university-owned properties that do not provide a good fit to function, such as the existing College of Business on Broad Street, also could be considered for release.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 9

The master plan recommends improving the pedestrian relationship between the existing plaza in front of 25 Park Place to Woodruff Park and pedestrian access to the site of the Law and Business Schools by developing the existing intervening street, Park Place South, as a shared street whose predominate use is for pedestrians and the streetcar. The plan also proposes improved connections back to the core through the redevelopment of Hurt Plaza as a shared street. The new streetcar line along the Edgewood and Auburn Avenue corridors will provide the university a new alternative for east-west movement within the campus and to the Woodruff district.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 10

Existing Woodruff Park District

Proposed Woodruff Park District

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 11

Piedmont Corridor District The university’s existing student housing is located along the Piedmont Corridor. The master plan recommends that, for the foreseeable future, additional student housing continue to be located in the Piedmont Corridor in response to demand. This will reinforce the existing housing inventory and help to establish a stronger critical mass of student residences. In the long term, the university should explore alternative locations for additional housing districts.

Given the street-fronted alignment of the existing housing and the extended linear configuration along Piedmont Avenue, the master plan recommends the development of a mixed-use university village midway along the corridor. This proposed cluster of activity—branded as Panther Square—is envisioned as a mixed-use complex of student housing and supporting commercial services such as restaurants, bookstores, and small retail shops framing a semi-public open space. A prototypical design would place Panther Square at one of the gridded intersections along the Piedmont Corridor with pedestrian traffic and access to public transportation. Flexible, multi-use buildings that house ground-level retail and student residences should frame the open space at the corner. Most blocks around Panther Square will have an internal pedestrian system connecting residential quads with academic buildings, and high-activity uses, such as academic programs, student life facilities, and commercial retail, will reinforce street edges.

Pedestrian connections from the existing and proposed student residences in the Piedmont Corridor to the rest of campus will continue to shift with planned campus improvements. The proposed classroom building element of the Business School will be an important academic destination, suggesting that J.W. Dobbs, Auburn, and Edgewood Avenues will become heavily used as a direct east-west connection from student residences to the Woodruff District. All of these rights-of-way would benefit from significant pedestrian-oriented streetscape improvements. The location of the intramural fields to the east of the interstate also will draw student movement along Auburn and J. W. Dobbs Avenues eastwards under the expressway. With narrower overpass bridges, Auburn Avenue presents the more attractive eastern route under the expressway.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 12

Proposed University Village at Panther Square Concept

Illustration of the Panther Square Concept (University Park, Cambridge, MA)

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 13

Existing Piedmont Corridor District

Proposed Piedmont Corridor District

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 14

Pedestrian and Vehicular Circulation The university is embedded within the historic street grid of downtown Atlanta and will continue to depend upon the existing street and sidewalk system for pedestrian and vehicular mobility. To date, the university has effected significant streetscape improvements to surrounding streets such as Decatur Street and Piedmont Avenue. Additional streetscape improvements are anticipated along the Atlanta Streetcar routes on Edgewood and Auburn Avenues. In addition the university should partner with Central Atlanta Progress in securing streetscape improvements for J.W. Dobbs Avenue which will become the shortest route from the student residences to the proposed new Law and Business School facilities.

The master plan proposes two significant improvements to the campus system of pedestrian circulation. First, an internal pedestrian system via the proposed greenway in the core blocks between Piedmont and Peachtree Center Avenues will establish a clearer, more pleasant route through the heart of campus. Second, transforming Park Place South, Hurt Plaza, and Gilmer Street into shared streets greatly will improve the external entries to campus and pedestrian movement.

Proposed Street Improvements and Pedestrian Connections

The existing internal pedestrian circulation route within the core is complex, confusing, and obstructed. The routing includes internal building corridors, open paved plazas, underground parking areas, and the Courtland Street viaduct underpass. The master plan recommends the greenway replace the existing internal system. The proposed greenway will be barrier-free and consist of a series of connected landscaped courtyards at grade level with new entries including vertical circulation into adjoining building facilities. The plan proposes landscaped gateways at either end of the greenway—at the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and Decatur Street (diagonally across from the Petit Science Center), and at the site of the existing Kell Hall on Peachtree Center Avenue. A series of surface-level landscaped courtyards will link these Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 15

gateways. A proposed new gateway on Gilmer St at Hurt Park leads to the greenway via a new passageway between Sparks Hall and the Arts & Humanities building.

Externally, the master plan recommends the redevelopment of three public streets as shared streets: Park Place South, Hurt Plaza, and Gilmer Street between Piedmont Avenue and Peachtree Center Avenue. The plan recommends reconstruction of these streets as primarily pedestrian streets with limited vehicular access. As shared streets they would permit safe pedestrian access to Hurt Park and Dahlberg Hall across Gilmer Street, unrestricted pedestrian movement from the core to the Woodruff district via Hurt Plaza, and safe access from 25 Park Place and the proposed Law and Business Schools across Park Place South to Woodruff Park. While these existing streets are minor in the city’s street grid, limited to providing access to adjoining university buildings as opposed to collector or major arterial streets, their redevelopment as shared streets will require partnering with the City of Atlanta.

Illustration of Shared Streets Concept (Portland, Oregon)

Open Space The existing Georgia State campus is integrated with the intense urban environment of downtown Atlanta. While both Hurt and Woodruff Parks provide some open space relief, their public nature and open character to the larger community limit their range of use by the university community. Design of the greenway recommended by the master plan provides for the campus the outdoor communal and social spaces sought by faculty, staff, and students.

The plan envisions the proposed greenway as a necklace of green landscaped quadrangles and courtyards internal to the campus core with linkages outward to the surrounding frame of public streets and public open spaces. In contrast to the surrounding paved and intense urban environment of downtown Atlanta, the vision for the greenway is one of a cool, quiet oasis of lawn and trees.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 16

Illustration of Proposed Greenway at Entry from Peachtree Center Avenue

The master plan recommends two additional prototypical open spaces. A proposed semi-public open space is an integral element of the proposed university village, Panther Square, in the Piedmont Corridor District. Second, the master plan recommends future development of the traditional Atlanta block incorporates an internal landscaped courtyard or quadrangle (rather than street-fronted buildings with landscape foregrounds or front yard plazas). The master plan illustrates this concept for the development of the remainder of the research block.

IMPLEMENTATION Implementation of the 2012 Master Plan will take two tracks. One track is the phased implementation of elements wholly controlled by the university as funding and circumstances permit. The other track is implementation of those elements that require partnering with the city, Central Atlanta Progress, or other public entities.

Space Use Recent property acquisitions and proposed building programs provide the university a significant opportunity to comprehensively re-evaluate space assignments and the quality of its space with respect to fit-to-function and will provide the university the opportunity to release existing leased spaces and perhaps some properties currently owned by the university. Georgia State along with all the institutions in the University System of Georgia will be undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of space using fall 2012 enrollment data. The Board recently has updated the room coding system and has developed new space-use metrics for this evaluation. Presently the university leases approximately 149,000 square feet of space. Also, the development of the proposed Greenway requires removal of the existing space in Kell Hall, the bookstore, and the auditorium at the Urban Life building totaling 182,700 assignable square feet.

The master plan recommends the university undertake a comprehensive and immediate evaluation of its building space under the new system. This analysis will help support the reassignment of space as appropriate, removal of older facilities such as Kell Hall, divestiture of Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 17

leased spaces that are no longer required, and scheduling of renovation funds for remaining buildings.

Greenway The proposed linear greenway can develop in phases as circumstances and funding permit. The total estimated cost of developing the greenway is estimated at $59 million. As a next step the university should carry out a comprehensive architectural study to confirm the project’s feasibility and cost.

Removal of Kell Hall, its associated plaza, and its replacement with a landscaped courtyard is estimated to cost $29 million. The estimated costs include demolition and the cost of the new landscape. The new building costs associated with the addition of a tier of needed studios/laboratories on the south face of the Arts & Humanities building is an additional cost. In this block the concept illustrates a continuous porch structure along the south face of the Arts & Humanities and Sparks Hall buildings as a means of re-facing the buildings and providing new access from the interior landscape courtyards. A suggested cascade of steps will connect the upper plaza at the General Classroom Building to the proposed new landscaped courtyard. Glazed vertical structures containing elevators and stairs are integrated strategically with existing structures in order to provide necessary vertical access into the adjoining buildings and from the reconstructed Courtland Street viaduct.

Demolition of the university bookstore and annex, and College of Law auditorium in the core block bounded by Piedmont Avenue and Courtland Street is estimated to cost approximately $30 million. Costs include demolition, re-facing of buildings, and new landscape.

Greenway Phasing and Cost Estimates

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 18

Panther Square The concept of a university village branded Panther Square will require land assembly within the Piedmont Corridor. The concept envisions coupling the need for additional student housing and student life facilities such as food service, an expanded bookstore, and other supporting retail services. These uses would be housed in a village configuration with buildings framing a communal open space.

Courtland Street Viaduct The reconstruction of the Courtland Street viaduct provides the university an important opportunity to recast the existing industrial character of the viaduct to become a more pedestrian- friendly and visually attractive facility. The master plan recommends reduction of the existing four travel lanes on the viaduct to three travel lanes, broader sidewalks with bus plazas at the principal crossing on both sides of the street, introduction of light wells to bring daylight down to the surface below the viaduct, and reconfiguration of the supporting structure shown in the preliminary engineering drawings in order to broaden the pedestrian passageway below. The plan recommends vertical circulation including stairs and an elevator adjacent to the viaduct at Sparks Hall to provide access to and from the viaduct surface to the greenway below and additional elevator access for Sparks Hall.

Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 19

Courtland Street Viaduct Reconstruction

Shared Streets The master plan recommends redevelopment of Hurt Plaza between Peachtree Center Avenue and Park Place South, Park Place South between Edgewood Avenue and J. W. Dobbs Avenue, and Gilmer Street between Peachtree Center Avenue and Piedmont Avenue as shared streets. Since these are public streets the university will need to partner with the city in their redesign as pedestrian-focused streets.

On a daily basis, these existing streets are the principal pedestrian routes for over 30,000 students in their movement to and from the university’s classroom and office facilities. None of the three Physical Master Plan & Implementation – V Page 20

streets are major arterials or collector streets and the street faces are dominated by university facilities. Shared streets typically are designed for primary pedestrian use by the provision of pedestrian lighting, shade, and elimination of curbs and other obstructions to pedestrian movement. While open to service and emergency vehicles, they may be entirely closed to general vehicular traffic, or general vehicular traffic may be limited to certain times of the day. Designated bicycle lanes typically are on shared streets.

The redesign of Hurt Plaza will support the principal pedestrian route from the academic core to university facilities framing Woodruff Park. Redesign of Park Place South will respond to the university’s acquisition of 25 Park Place and the proposed location of the Law and Business Schools. Redesign of Gilmer Street between Peachtree Center Avenue and Gilmer will permit unrestricted pedestrian movement across Gilmer Street from Dahlberg Hall and Hurt Park.