If anyone has driven down Compton in the past few days, you'll notice that SLU has trucked in a LOT of dirt for the lot across from the School of Dental Care. This lot is bordered by the parking garage to the west, Hickory to the north, Virginia to the East, and Rutger to the south. From Compton it looks like they're building a giant dirt mound.

There is an Alberici Enterprises trailor on site so I have to assume that new construction is forthcoming.

I haven't heard anything about this through my connections on campus, nor have I read about any new groundbreaking for buildings. Does anyone else have any info?

Could this be the "new athletic field" that Biondi is so graciously building for intramural sports...but it will without lights, a regulation sized field, restroom facilities, or even the promise of it being completely graded because SLU thinks that would cost to much? (this is a true story...let me find the link to the student newspaper article)?

I initially thought that too, but I agree that the center for sustainability is more of a main campus deal. Especially since it's more of a combination of the other schools than it is it's own separate entity.

The Center for Sustainability is going to be located in Des Peres Hall on the main campus. It is a joint venture between the Public Policy Dept, the Social Work Dept, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Engineering, and the Business School. Check out the newly launched website: http://www.slu.edu/sustainability.xml.

As for the plans for the Med School property, I have no idea. Let me check with a colleague who is doing research on the role SLU has played/is playing in the revitalization of Midtown and get back to you tomorrow with any news.

As I drove by not more than 10 minutes ago, more dump trucks are adding even more dirt to this lot. They really are trying to build it up....it's starting to become a mound now.

Drove by and took some pics just so people get what I'm talking about:

Stopped by and walked around a bit today; all of the trees have been cut down (minus one or two that are tagged to get removed soon). Just south of the current garden (at the corner of Rutger and Compton), they have been grading the land and have started to construct a staircase of sorts out of old tree trunks down to Compton. Also, it seems as though they have built square planters for a new garden. I would have to assume this would be either an expansion of the old garden or it's replacement.

As for the other activity, Alberici has 3 trailers spread out over the area and have added another giant dirt pile at the NE corner of Virginia and Hickory.

I'll try to take some pics here soon...

Not too shabby. Better than a couple under-utilized blocks in a relatively dead zone. I hope this brings in more students and builds up the campus overall by tangibly increasing student quality of life.

If I may indulge: You know what I'd really like to see in this schematic?

wheelfru wrote:

New housing near this field for students on all those open lots south (left) of the fields. Not dorms, but new freestanding housing, developed & owned by the University and/or private equity partners, built to be leased to non-freshman students. Many colleges across the country have plenty of off-campus housing adjacent to the campus for student rental; not just apartments, but housing, and including urban colleges. I could see a neighborhood of rental houses and mid-rise apartment buildings rising up over here. I'm not thinking frat houses, but I could see something like the infamous Dayton Ghetto rising up over here.

It could do a heckuva lot to both build the image of the campus nationally as well as for commuter students seeking to move out of the basement. Ancillary development could really work here as well as help adjacent businesses, all stabilizing the neighborhood. This would further allow the University to build its total attendance, thus increasing construction on the campus, leading to a huge expansion in both students and facilities.

Incredibly, this could be a great spot for new housing construction, one of the last few in the country.

This is really lame. Why can't intermurals use Hermann Stadium? Or failing that, use SLUH's field which is empty while the kids are in class. Or maybe as an urban university, do something radical like using a city park (Wheelfru, there are tennis courts in tower grove park).

That rendering is super depressing, fence and all. I agree with all above that its better than vacant lots. (Are they vacant because they were abandoned or because SLU took them over and made them that way?) I hope this field is temporary and they build some real urban spaces eventually. They seriously should develop Chouteau and grand into a major walkable intersection. Maybe it's too late with that absurd building they put in (Doisy Research Center), but at least Gone Corporate is right on about student apartments.

Green roofs, argh! Chicago City Hall has a green roof. SLU has seafoam paper hats.