In Summer 2018, Temple University began and continued about $400 million worth of construction projects, said Dozie Ibeh, the associate vice president of Temple’s project delivery group. These changes encompass aesthetic renovations, improvements to student resources and community outreach.
Charles Library
Construction to the Charles Library, which has been ongoing at the corner of Polett and Liacouras Walk since April 2016, is “moving as planned,” Ibeh said.
The library will be “substantially complete” by Spring 2019 and open for student and faculty use in Fall 2019, he added.
The new library will feature “book bots” that will transport books to students electronically. Physical books will be programmed for use with the book bots in the spring and summer of 2019.
College of Public Health
The College of Public Health will move into the building that currently houses Paley Library after the Charles Library opens. The building will be re-named Paley Hall.
Paley will be renovated to include a ground-floor bookstore, classrooms and advising for the college.
“We’re not just looking at it as the occupancy of the College of Public Health, we’re looking at it as an opportunity to transform an important building in the center of our campus,” Ibeh said.
Advising for the College of Liberal Arts and College of Science and Technology will remain in Paley.
Morgan Hall Food Court
The Morgan Food Court was renovated this summer and now offers Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, Tony Luke’s, Bento Sushi and Panda Express. Former restaurants like Night Owl Diner and Stella’s Scoops are no longer available.
“Temple Culinary Services is always looking for ways to innovate,” wrote Kasey Marsicano, Aramark’s marketing director, in an email. “We have worked to meet and exceed the options that were previously in place by bringing new and innovative brands to campus.”
“We look forward to years of continued innovation as the needs of our guests at Temple change,” Marsicano added.
With the introduction of the Morgan Hall Starbucks, the former TECH Center location now houses Java City, a sustainable, Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee café.
The addition of a second Chick-fil-A was due to positive survey feedback from the location at the Student Center. The location at the Morgan Hall Food Court will also offer breakfast.
“With the proximity to residence halls near the [Morgan Hall Food Court] Chick-fil-A, we thought it was necessary to offer breakfast,” Marsicano said. “We are excited to add this popular brand to our campus breakfast offerings.”
Fox School of Business expansion
A skybridge that will connect Alter Hall with 1810 Liacouras Walk has been under construction since the summer 2018. A sixth floor and lobby renovation will be added to 1810.
“As for reasons behind Fox’s expansion to 1810, the school’s growth necessitated its expansion,” university spokesman Brandon Lausch wrote in an email. “Additionally, the school sought greater impact and visibility of the renowned services and resources at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute. IEI will occupy the first floor of 1810 Liacouras Walk.”
The bridge was funded by the Fox School of Business and was part of the 1810 Liacouras Walk project, which cost in total about $50 million, Ibeh said. It is part of the expansion project for the Fox School of Business to grow and have more space.
The Fox School received donor support for the project in part due to its recent because of its programs’ high rankings by the U.S. News and World Report. Despite a rankings scandal that showed the school had falsified years of data used in ranking determinations, the project will be fully completed.
1810 Liacouras Walk, which will be a part of the Fox School of Business permanently, The building previously housed Tuttleman Counseling Services and Student Health Services. , which are now These services are now housed above the Barnes & Noble at 1700 N. Broad St.reet near Cecil B. Moore Avenue. The move gave their services offices “significantly more space”, Ibeh said.
Anderson and Gladfelter halls
The plaza connecting Anderson and Gladfelter halls is undergoing a two-part renovation.
Part one of the project, which was completed in Spring 2018, began with replacing pavement stones and roofing on the mezzanine to allow better water drainage.
Phase two will turn the former mezzanine into a green space. “This is a pretty ambitious plan,” Ibeh said.
This new project is currently in its design phase. Ibeh’s goal is to have the project completed by Fall 2020.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly represented the cost of the skybridge connecting Alter Hall and 1810 Liacouras Walk.
Apparently no editors work for the Temple News!