Campus Master Plan Status Report & Project Inventory
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CAMPUS MASTER PLAN STATUS REPORT & PROJECT INVENTORY October 2017 // Briefing Document TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A Vision For Bucknell 3 Interim Status Report 3 Assessment 3 Planning Framework 4 Campus Master Plan Update 5 Summary of Accomplishments 6 Summary of the Planning Framework 7 INTRODUCTION Planning Districts 9 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Major Capital Projects 16 Renovations / Building Upgrades 26 Planning Studies & Other Initiatives 29 PLANNING FRAMEWORK Strategic 32 Campus Enhancements 40 Infrastructure 41 CAMPUS MASTER PLAN UPDATE Purpose 43 Goals & Principles 43 Preliminary Findings 43 District Plans 46 Key Consideration 52 APPENDICES A. Parking & Traffic Assessment A-1 B. Campus Housing Assessment B-1 C. Existing Planning Materials C-1 OCTOBER 2017 BRIEFING DOCUMENT // 1 Academic West | Green Roof EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A VISION FOR BUCKNELL changes to the environment since 2008 and sum- marize anticipated unmet needs that the University From the first Campus Master Plan in 1932, The Lar- should consider for implementation over the next 20 son Plan, to The Vision for Bucknell in 2008, Bucknell years. This interim planning process has resulted in University has exemplified its commitment to the val- this briefing document which will serve to inform the ue of physical space in support of its educational mis- next iteration of campus master planning for Bucknell sion. Strategic physical planning over the past decade University. has resulted in a campus that mirrors the University’s standing as one of the premier undergraduate institu- The contents of this briefing document are founded on tions in the country. The facilities and green spaces B&D’s review of information and data provided by the on campus, along with the surrounding natural envi- University, various facility tours, interviews with senior ronment, have become a defining trait of the Univer- leadership as well as the mayor and borough manager sity and, in fact, a competitive advantage. Enhancing of Lewisburg and, in the case of traffic and parking these advantages is one of the many objectives de- analyses, the compilation of preliminary data prepared scribed in the Master Plan, A Vision for Bucknell (2008 by sub-consultant Nelson\Nygaard Associates. Master Plan)1. The University, in collaboration with Shepley Bullfinch Richardson & Abbott, developed a ASSESSMENT Campus Master Plan that would support the five pillars Summary from the 2006 Plan for Bucknell (the extant Strategic The University has made appreciable strides toward Executive Plan for the University): achieving the goals and objectives defined in the 2008 Master Plan. In the span of eight years, Bucknell has • Strengthen the academic core; invested $176 million into campus facilities and infra- • Deepen the residential learning experience; structure. As a result, the University has successfully • Enhance diversity; advanced its overarching mission of enhancing the Introduction • Strengthen connections with the world; and undergraduate student experience. Bucknell has add- • Secure the University’s financial future. ed 329,000 square feet on campus or in downtown Lewisburg, and it has renovated or remodeled 378,000 Bucknell University has implemented several signifi- square feet of existing facilities. Specific space addi- cant capital projects since the formulation and adop- tions include: 65 faculty offices, an enhanced com- tion of the 2008 Master Plan. These include projects munity center and hearth space and 448 new beds Framework that directly support academic, social, residential, and (including affinity houses). A summary of completed Planning athletic programs on campus. Four of these projects projects is provided in this Executive Summary, and epitomize the University’s commitment to strengthen- described in further detail in the Accomplishments ing the vitality of downtown Lewisburg. section of this document. Although there have been many valuable accomplish- Project Pipeline ments made since 2008, there are still considerable needs that remain. In some cases, the justification $176 MILLION invested into campus and description of outstanding needs are well devel- facilities and infrastructure oped. Others still require further articulation, evalua- tion, and quantification. Decisions that the University Campus Master should make as it moves forward include: identifying 339,000 SQ. FT. Plan Update have been added on campus and clarifying potential needs, prioritizing these needs, or in downtown Lewisburg and finding the sustainable funding for future campus We know that we must build new facilities and master planning projects (both construction and Oper- ations & Maintenance). 379,000 SQ. FT. continue the work of previous Bucknellians in of existing facilities have been renovated or remodeled. making this a special place to learn, live, teach, INTERIM STATUS REPORT 65 FACULTY OFFICES conduct research and to play, too, and to grow. Bucknell University retained Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc. (B&D) in May 2016 to prepare an evaluation & 448 BEDS added (including affinity houses) of projects completed since 2008, identify material PRESIDENT JOHN BRAVMAN INAUGURAL ADDRESS, 2010 [1] The Master Plan, A Vision for Bucknell can be downloaded at: https://www.bucknell.edu/Documents/Communication/ CampusMasterPlan2008.pdf 2 // CAMPUS MASTER PLAN, INTERIM STATUS REPORT & PROJECT INVENTORY OCTOBER 2017 BRIEFING DOCUMENT // 3 Funding Sources for Projects Completed (2008-2016) CAMPUS MASTER PLAN UPDATE • Planning Agenda – The following four themes Not Anticipated As a percentage (%) of total funding have emerged as driving forces for the next itera- The material included in this briefing document sup- New President and senior team members recruited tion of the master plan: ports the need to refine the Plan, realigning the original to Bucknell. 1. New academic buildings; planning strategies with the current and future needs Higher expectations from faculty and University 2. Campus housing needs*; of the University. The campus master plan update pro- 3. Reconfigured and/or additional student life leadership for student experiences, faculty research cess will include: evaluation and prioritization of the and financial and physical resources. spaces; and balance of recommendations from the 2008 Plan, fur- 4. Parking and traffic*. Board meetings focused on long-term issues. ther definition of implementable projects and land use - Investment in downtown Lewisburg. strategies, formulation of appropriate financing struc- • Planning Considerations – The original nine - Creation and growth of the College of Manage- tures and a plan for implementation. The next iteration districts will require varying levels of revisions ment. of the campus master plan will guide the development based on the planning concepts’ consistency with of the campus for the next 20 years, while preserv- the current strategic goals and objectives of the - Increasing enrollment by 200. ing the Key Goals stated in The Plan for Bucknell University (see Figure 1.1). Concluding the WE DO campaign in 2017. (2006),the Key Principles outlined in the 2008 Cam- pus Master Plan, and the existing campus standards • Implementation Considerations – The next it- Market crash of 2008 and subsequent recession and and guidelines relative to physical planning. eration of the master plan should incorporate the low return environment. Planning Framework structure to provide more B&D has identified a series preliminary findings based Increased financial and merit aid discount rate by clarity in terms of prioritization and sequencing of on the information gathered during this interim plan- peer institutions. capital projects. ning process, that will inform the development of the In addition to the capital projects, the University has campus master plan update. These findings are sum- Several aspects of the 2008 Master Plan will be car- Summary also completed numerous planning studies in order to marized below, and described in further detail in the ried forward to the next phase of the planning pro- Executive PLANNING FRAMEWORK further define certain project requirements and bud- Campus Master Plan Update section of this document: cess. In addition, the existing campus standards and gets. Other studies may inform future decision mak- The University has developed a planning framework guidelines relative to physical planning will serve as ing with regard to policy and the next iteration of the for future capital investments that preserve the key • Land Use – The campus has few remaining va- assumptions for the update. Planning studies and ini- University’s planning efforts. A list of these efforts and principles described in The Plan, while also allowing cant, usable and/or easily developable parcels of tiatives conducted prior to or after the adoption of the land. Remaining land resources will be further as- a summary of the findings/results is provided in the for material changes to the environment since 2008. Plan will be incorporated into this phase of the plan- Introduction Accomplishments section of this document. The framework comprises categories of capital invest- sessed as part of the campus master plan update ning process as well. All relevant pre-existing materi- ment and guides the prioritization of future projects. process to determine feasibility of future develop- als will be reconciled throughout the course of the up- Material Changes to the Environment ment and to identify the highest and best use as it date, resulting in a comprehensive plan