Mon 8 Oct 2007
I took this picture from the path between Stetson and Dodd, by the Economics department house. According to alums I spoke with, no construction had started when they were at Williams for reunions in June, so this four-story steel structure has emerged just over the summer.
October 8th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Construction.
October 8th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Construction, indeed. (?)
October 8th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Looks absolutely huge, yet again (see, e.g., every other construction project over the last 12 years). But, not as huge (nor as ugly) as Sawyer, so I’d say it’s an improvement, especially once the new green space / quad is created. I still don’t understand how the law (according to Michael Brown) required so much hardscape around the new Paresky Center, in particular, it is like a highway of concrete in front of that building; I hope that there is some way to keep the area between the two new academic buildings almost entirely green, considering that one of the main points of the construction plan is to create a new central green space on campus.
October 8th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Years ago, some of the area in front of Baxter used to sink a bit and that caused some bad ice sheets that made walking tricky, and duck walks were necessary during Mud Month. I think they filled it in and raised the surface at some point, which was a big improvement. Hardscape doesn’t tend to sink like that, and I’m wondering if that might be part of what’s going on with Paresky.
I really hope that the new space will be a real green with some paths, not big areas of concrete (or even brick).
October 8th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
At least the North Wing was well under way in June, with good parts of the first floor already constructed and structural beams etc protruding higher. This was mostly obscured from the ground by the surrounding fence (except for those who peaked through the holes etc). I took video from the second floor of Sawyer, which was interesting from several points of view, from the details of construction revealed “in cutapart” to the composition and demeanor of the crew…
I understand the safety concern relating to access embodied in the code, but have to wonder, “if we were in contact and communication with 500 other institutions facing similar issues,” would we not find a simple, effective, perhaps even cheaper solution out there, that preserves the character of the landscape?
Yet I still have a bit of Merideth Hoppin’s spunk in me: if no one has ever fallen from the balcony in Griffin, is it really reasonable to comply with the Fire Marshall’s orders to…
Ditto the doors on the science buildings: nothing but pure cowardice. We did this to “maintain good relations…?” With whom?
Turn this around to Chris Water’s point that pogroms against Jews arose in Germany’s cities independent of Hitler, and enabled him, not the other way around.
As of October 1st, residents of Nashville need to show valid government-issued ID to enter most restaurants and various other “public” establishments.
How did we get to the point where this does not seem unbearably chaffing? Even the French would never think of tolerating …
October 9th, 2007 at 12:17 am
Ken: When people are afraid, they are willing to suffer all sorts of compromises.