Summit's Glory - The University of Akron.
Now onto the UofA I never knew. A UA with aesthetically pleasing buildings, trees, and open green spaces. A campus that is contiguous, not shoe-horned between city streets. A campus that brings conveniences to the students, not one that forces the students to adapt to what is lacking. It is a completely different place now compared to when I graduated a decade ago.
Many of the new buildings and green spaces you are about to see were built on land "reclaimed" from gravel parking lots and streets that used to run through campus. Believe it or not, there are now places on campus where you can stand, or sit, and not hear a car, bus, or air conditioning unit....all you hear is the wind blowing through the trees. Truly amazing! Enjoy
1) Buchtel Hall
2) Statue of John R. Buchtel, founder of Buchtel College in 1870, now, The University of Akron
3) The original Buchtel Hall which burned down in 1899. I think they should tear down some more of those 60's era utilitarian buildings and build an exact replica!
4) After the fire....
5) The back of the "New" Buchtel hall. This view was almost completely obstructed when I was in school, now it will be a focal point of the new Outdoor Living Room which is currently under construction.
6) View down College Street from the front of Buchtel Hall
7) Schrank South
8 ) Schrank North
9) Exchange Street Residence Hall
10) Exchange Street Residence Hall Courtyard
11) College of Buisness
12) Western End of Buchtel Commons. This was a street when I was in school.
13) Charles Knight, taught the worlds first class in rubber chemistry and interim president in 1896-1897
14) Bulger Hall from across Buchtel Common
15) Bulger Hall
16) Painting the rock in front of Crouse Hall. That thing is probably about a foot high underneath.
17) The Student Union
18) Student Union from Buchtel Hall
19) Student Union from The Outdoor Living Room. 10 years ago, you would be looking down Carroll street, probably with dumpsters along the side.
20) Coleman Commons, aka "The Outdoor Living Room" plans
21) The Outdoor Living Room under construction. Carroll Street used to run right through the middle of this space a decade ago.
22) Site of the former Carroll Hall, demolished this spring to make way for the OLR. Memorial Hall (left) and the massive Student Wellness Center (Right)
23) The massive, Student Wellness center and Fieldhouse. A full, student rec center with multiple gyms, olympic sized pool, weight room, rock climbing wall, full indoor football practice field and running track!
24) College of Arts and Sciences Amphitheatre...used to be a gravel parking lot
25) Columns salvaged from what I believe was North Hall, demolished around 1995. Makes a neat little discovery when winding through the new green space!
26) New greenspace behind Bierce Library to the College of Arts and Sciences. Also used to be a gravel parking lot.
The next 4 shots are of what used to be the intersection of Buchtel Ave and Union streets. Buchtel Ave was rerouted by the time I started school, but I had to dodge cars crossing union street many times! Now, they are beautiful walkways!
27) Looking North (Union):
28) Looking East down Buchtel Common:
29) Looking South (Union):
30) Looking West down Buchtel Common to the heart of campus:
That's all I've got for Akron! As you can tell, I got a bit wet at the end there, and opted to skip quite a few areas of campus, but hey, that leaves new material for my next trip to the city! Hope everyone enjoyed it! Go Zips!
