Campus Physical Development Master Plan 2005-17

Commonly Asked Questions

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What is the UW-Eau Claire Campus Physical Development Master Plan, and why was it created?
The Campus Physical Development Master Plan is a “blueprint” for future facility development on campus. It is important to note the plan is simply that at this stage, and no projects have been formally submitted or approved.

The plan includes the razing and replacement of aging and outdated buildings, expansion of some existing facilities and construction of new buildings to meet the academic and program needs of the university. The planning process included identifying existing and future space requirements on campus and creating a plan to meet those needs. In addition, the plan provides a context for smaller projects so that they can be accomplished in a way that will move the campus toward the long-range master plan.

The objectives of the master plan include the following: supporting the mission of the university; enhancing the quality of the learning environment; addressing long-range program direction; using existing facilities effectively; contributing to a sense of pride and loyalty; addressing safety, security and accessibility; and integrating the campus with the larger community.

How did the university develop the master plan proposal, and who was involved?
Creation of the master plan began in 2000 and engaged a wide-ranging group of participants: students, faculty and staff; academic department chairs and unit directors; facilities planning staff; the Academic Affairs Leadership Council; the chancellor’s executive staff; UW System administration staff; Wisconsin Division of State Facilities staff; the UW System Board of Regents; and the State Building Commission.

Development of the plan followed the UW System physical planning guidelines, which involve understanding program directions, identifying and defining issues, establishing issue priorities, researching priority issues, identifying and evaluating alternatives, creating documents for the plan, securing funding (from the Board of Regents and State Building Commission) and implementing plans.

Vice chancellor of business and student services Andrew Soll and program and planning analyst Steve Horner led the campus planning efforts. The planning stages included: obtaining written input from departments and units; holding issues review meetings; creating a preliminary issues list for campuswide review; submitting a final issues list to the UW System; researching issues and generating support data; surveying existing facilities and identifying alternatives to address space planning issues; developing projects and priorities; and presenting the plan for campuswide review (completed Nov. 27, 2003). A final draft of the master plan and the 2005-07 budget request now are being prepared for presentation to the UW System by March 1, 2004.

Several support documents related to space demand are available online:

Space Planning Issues
Master Plan Map
Origin/Destination Map
Classroom Demand Analysis
Classroom Quality Analysis

What specific changes are included in the proposed master plan for future development of UW-Eau Claire’s physical facilities?
The list of proposals is fairly extensive. The most notable would be redevelopment of the corner of Garfield and Park avenues. Brewer Hall, Campus School and Kjer Theatre would be razed. A new academic building would be constructed in the space between Schneider Hall and Zorn Arena. There would be an addition to Zorn Arena built toward Park Avenue that would add a foyer, ticket office, restroom, dressing room, concession space and other support space for major public events taking place in the arena. The Children’s Center, currently housed in Campus School, would be relocated to a new building constructed in the green space adjacent to the Hibbard Hall parking lot.

The plan also calls for an addition to Phillips Science Hall, expansion of Davies Center, construction of a new theater/concert hall at Haas Fine Arts Center, expansion of the art wing in Haas, and an addition to the McPhee Physical Education building that would house a new aquatic center.

Is there a map of what the changes would look like?
Yes, an online map is available, showing the building plans.

How much would these improvements cost, and how will the university pay for them?
Initial costs are estimated in the range of $150 million for all of the projects. However, it is unlikely all projects would be approved by the state. Funding would come from a variety of sources depending on the project. For example, a Davies Center expansion would be paid for through student fees and other building-related revenues. A new academic building, on the other hand, would be funded by the state.

When would construction actually begin?
Any building project normally involves a rather lengthy approval process. Typically, once a project is approved, funding for planning and design is authorized in one biennial budget and, if the design is approved, funding for construction would be provided in a following biennium. So, assuming a very aggressive and optimistic schedule, the first building activity would likely not take place until at least the 2007-09 biennium.

In what order would various new construction and renovation projects be completed?
That is difficult to answer because so many of the projects are interrelated. Decisions will depend on priorities and logistics. For example, would a new performance center in Haas Fine Arts have to be built before Kjer Theatre is razed, or should the corner of Garfield and Park Avenues be redeveloped first? These are questions that will be answered as the planning process progresses.

Will UW-Eau Claire acquire any additional land to complete these projects?
No, the master plan is based on the assumption that the campus boundaries will not change. All construction would take place on land already within the campus boundaries.

Will UW-Eau Claire be able to admit more students as a result of these new projects?
The master plan is based on the assumption that the current enrollment level will be maintained. At this time, there are no plans to increase enrollment.

Does the master plan include additional on-campus parking?
The plan does include some additional visitor and short-term parking at the Visitors Center and by the new development at the corner of Garfield and Park Avenues. However, there are no plans for construction of a large surface lot. There are two reasons for this: The university does not have land to develop additional surface lots of significant size within campus boundaries, and existing parking lots currently meet the overall demand for parking. Clearly, parking spaces in lots on lower campus are in high demand and usually fill quickly, but parking surveys regularly show there are spaces available in the Water Street parking lot. So while there may currently be a shortage of parking spaces in the most desired locations, the supply overall does meet demand.

There also is no plan to build a parking deck/ramp on lower campus because current demand does not merit construction, the costs of building a deck/ramp are extremely high and would result in a significant price increase for all parking permits, and locating a deck/ramp that would satisfy environmental, traffic and neighborhood concerns is problematic.