University Plans New Health Center and Other Campus Initiatives
Irene Burgo

Plans for a new University Health Center have been approved and construction is set to begin as soon as the renovation of Bartley Hall is complete, announced the Rev. William A. McGuire, O.S.A., ‘62, senior vice president for Administration. It is anticipated that students as well as the University community will be able to seek assistance in the new facility by the fall of 2002, the estimated completion date.

The strategic plan of the Office of Vice President for Student Life recommended the concept of the new Health Center and the University Facilities Committee assessed the need. After the Committee made a recommendation to the board of trustees, the decision to proceed with the building was made, based on factors of cost, zoning and priority.

"The University Facilities Committee evaluated a number of major facilities, using the following six categories to guide the selection process," said Father McGuire. The factors taken into consideration included: 1) how the project relates to the University strategic plan; 2) whether or not outside money is readily available; 3) whether it is a lynch-pin project--one that fosters another building project; 4) whether it affects admission and retention of students; 5) whether it is a revenue generating item; and 6) how the new facility will affect the largest number of University people. Using the criteria, the committee selected a group of requested building initiatives that met those stipulations and then studied the most feasible way to proceed, analyzing which facilities could be addressed first.

The first project is the building of a new Health Center, which will be located at the Ithan Avenue entrance to the campus. It will be a three-story stone-faced structure with an additional two-level parking deck behind it. The new building will serve several different functions. It will consolidate four offices that currently are located at various places on campus. It will house facilities for the traditional infirmary, the Counseling Center, the Center for Alcohol and Drug Assistance, as well the facilities for VEMS, the Villanova Emergency Medical Service. The decision to consolidate services was the result of lengthy consideration by University administration.

In addition to consolidating the services of several offices, the new Health Center will provide an ideal location for VEMS. VEMS will have the advantage of being able to park its ambulance in the lower level garage, which will allow protection from snow and inclement weather. They will also have their own exit onto Ithan Ave. "This will allow them a direct, obstacle-free exit when responding to emergencies," said Father McGuire.

Several other building initiatives have been evaluated as important to the University goals. Four major building initiatives were identified, including the Health Center, College of Nursing, Law School and a much-anticipated new Performing Arts Center.

The University Facilities Committee determined that major new facilities are needed to house both the College of Nursing and the Law School. The Nursing facility is a number one priority, according to Father McGuire. A decision was made to relocate the College of Nursing in the building that is currently occupied by the Law School. However, the Law School also requires new quarters and plans for Nursing cannot be addressed until a suitable new location is found for the Law School. At the present time, options are being reviewed for the Law School but no decision has been made as yet.

The University has another need for 16 to 18 seminar rooms. These rooms would be available for use by all of the colleges. "We have a great need for 15-seat capacity seminar classrooms since we have expanded the core humanities courses to all of the four colleges," Father McGuire said.

Construction on the new Performing Arts Center is estimated to begin as soon as the Health Center is completed, probably by the fall of 2002. The primary location for this is the area between Kennedy Hall and Connelly Center. The second choice for the site is the area between the Law School and the railroad tracks. "The primary site choice is ideal because the topography between Kennedy Hall and Connelly Center is such that we can take advantage of it for this building," noted Father McGuire. The process for determining an architect for the building is currently underway.

While the Performing Arts Center would benefit the theatre department, it would serve as a total University center, according to Father McGuire. "Our goal would be to have multiple activities going on in there regularly, every weekend, if we could," said Father McGuire. "The venue would provide performance space for the student musical group, student theatre, Villanova Singers, concerts by the Philadelphia Orchestra String Quartet, as well as full theatre department productions. For theatre productions, the center will include a 150-seat black-box theatre, a costume room, set room and green room. The new arts center also will feature an auditorium and a main presidium stage. In addition, there will be three practice rooms, each one with a stage in it that will equal the size of the main stage. For the visual arts, the facility will offer two studio art classrooms. The two-story building will cover a total area of 180,000 square feet.

"The area between Kennedy Hall and Connelly Center was chosen as an ideal setting because the sloping hill there provides natural topography that lends itself toward auditorium seating," said Father McGuire. Architect’s plans for this site include the possibility of adding a connecting glass atrium and walkway from the Performing Arts Center to Connelly Center, which would allow audience members access to the food area in Connelly during performance intermissions.

The University Facilities Committee has examined the feasibility of a number of other items as well. "We hope to deal with the issue of off-campus senior housing, which is a very important item," noted Father McGuire. Several things need to be considered for this project. Sufficient property and township issues such as zoning are important in making a decision.

The expansion of Dougherty Hall is yet another much-needed renovation that is being considered. Since it opened in the mid-1950s, there have been updates to the heating and maintenance, but the building has undergone no major renovation.

Plans for the expansion of Falvey Memorial Library are another priority that is being studied. "We know we will have to start on plans to expand the library," said Father McGuire. At the same time, several small items have been approved for renovation. These include a small greenhouse behind Mendel Hall and the upgrading of the softball complex with the building of a small press box.

"As with all new building and renovation, the board of trustees is very clear about the looks of the campus and matching new construction to the existing facades," said Father McGuire. Similar to Bartley Hall, the exterior of the new Health Center will have a stone face resembling fieldstone.

Meanwhile, the University Facilities Committee continues to serve as a screening council which constantly is assessing new building needs on campus. "New plans come forward and there are other issues down the road that still have to be looked at and decided. We want to keep the planning process active and as new requests come forward, we want to be able to respond to them –at least with an idea of whether there is a possibility to do what has been suggested," Father McGuire added.