Inside Iowa State

Oct. 6, 2006

Plan envisions new south campus entry

by Samantha Beres

Iowa State officials have developed a long-range plan to create an inviting and memorable entry for visitors coming to campus via Highway 30 and Elwood Drive.

The South Campus Gateway Plan, which would take several years to implement and be completed in phases, is contingent on private fund-raising. Funding for improvements would come from future class gifts, alumni reunion gifts and other fund-raising initiatives.

Phase one of the plan calls for structures, signage and landscaping along the south entry to Iowa State.

As envisioned in the plan, future visitors to campus might enter the south campus through a gate-like brick and stone structure on Elwood Drive, near Reiman Gardens. The "gate" would consist of 18-foot high columns and six-foot high walls with the words "Iowa State University, Founded in 1858."

The gateway structure, located between Mortensen Parkway and South 16th Street, would mark the beginning of an "Iowa State" corridor, landscaped with trees and green space and evoking the collegiate atmosphere of central campus.

"We have more than a million and a half visitors to campus each year and improving the experience for people as they come to the university has many benefits," President Gregory Geoffroy said. "The gateway project will clearly announce to visitors that they have arrived on campus and improve their ability to find their way around the university."

A large part of phase one includes improved "way finding," a term used to describe elements that give visual cues to guide visitors to their destinations. These cues may be as subtle as the shapes of signs or patterns of trees, shrubs and gardens. Less subtle way-finding elements would include pole-mounted signs. Later phases of the project would include adding smaller versions of the ceremonial campus entryway to locales along the corridor -- such as Reiman Gardens and the stadium -- and message boards.

"The goal is to more clearly identify the major entrances and public destinations on campus," vice president for business and finance Warren Madden said. "Moreover, prospective students and their parents are significantly influenced by their first impressions, making this project important to student recruitment.

"This is a conceptual design plan that is still subject to change, refinement and improvement," Madden added. "It will take a number of years to implement fully, but we would like to have key parts of the initial phase completed in conjunction with the Sesquicentennial celebration."

In addition to new signage, changes in existing signage are part of the plan. The university is working with the Iowa Department of Transportation to improve approximately 10 highway signs on Interstate 35 and Highway 30. The signs would spell out "Iowa State University" (rather than "ISU").

University officials also will request that the Ames City Council consider changing the name of "Elwood Drive" to "University Boulevard." Elwood Drive is named for Phillip H. Elwood, a former chair of the landscape architecture department. As part of the renaming, the university would propose an appropriate way to continue to recognize Elwood's contributions to Iowa State and the field of landscape architecture.

To see the current plan, go to http://www.fpm.iastate.edu/planning/masterplan/Design_Book_Final.pdf.

"This is a conceptual design plan that is still subject to change, refinement and improvement. It will take a number of years to implement fully, but we would like to have key parts of the initial phase completed in conjunction with the Sesquicentennial celebration."

Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance