UMBC has been making some major cosmetic changes to our campus lately and construction workers have become the newest members of the Retriever community. The Alumni Association wanted to spread the news to all of our Alums, especially those of you who have not been to campus in awhile.
Renovations to the West Hill Apartment communities
Over the past year, construction crews have been working on the renovation of the West Hill Apartment complex. This is the last of the three 1970’s-era apartment complexes that have been fully refurbished within the last five years. Improvements have been made to the building’s outdoor common spaces, exterior and interior finishes, and all of the systems within the complex. This project is set to be completed in the Fall of 2016.
Renovation of the Fine Arts Building
If you have been on campus lately, you are sure to notice the fences that line the perimeter of the Fine Arts Building as it receives partial renovations to the areas that have since moved to the Performing Arts and Humanities Building. Upon completion, the Fine Arts Building will provide a new home to a number of campus departments.
Renovation of the Child Care Center
UMBC’s Child Care Center has been receiving a facelift of its own as the exterior and building’s systems have been updated. The Child Care Center will reopen in August of 2015.
UMBC Event Center
The university is in the midst of designing a new Events Center that will be able to house 5,000 people. The Center will be used for commencement ceremonies, athletic competitions (specifically for basketball and volleyball), housing UMBC’s athletic department offices and programs, and providing additional space for student life activities and events. The location for the new building will be next to the UMBC Stadium and Soccer Park.
Stormwater Management (Pond) Repair Project
Work began in December of 2014 to repair the pond in front of the Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid building. The stormwater facility required extensive repair due to the deterioration of major structural components which have significantly reduced the water retention capacity. The improvements that are being made will help to increase the control of stormwater and improve the quality of water flowing to the Chesapeake Bay.
New Campus Entrance
The New Campus Entrance project has seen some major milestones over the past few weeks as access to the new traffic circle at the UMBC Blvd. entrance has opened to drivers. This project was created to reflect the “growth, innovation, and creativity of our university. The university’s goal was to create an entrance to campus that welcomed students, faculty, staff, and guests that would emphasize UMBC’s high regard for educational opportunity.
Check out Facilities Management for more information!
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As members of the Critical Social Justice team unpacked the events that transpired in Baltimore, we struggled to find balance in the divide between the university and Baltimore. The divide, for example, between staying at home in the city to engage in a movement for Black lives or leaving the city for UMBC to create healing spaces, meet with students in need, and challenge those who had yet to understand the complexities and vast differences between riots and uprisings. The reality of an “us” and a “them” felt very real as we navigated back and forth on campus during those next few days. While on campus, it was easy to think through theory, strategize, and simply talk about Baltimore in the abstract; however, at night with the sounds of helicopters and sirens invading through our windows, we desperately needed our other UMBC community members to think beyond Hilltop Circle.