Expansion plan began in 2007 with release of Campus Master Plan Update

UNCG students have become accustomed to the sights and sounds of construction over the course of the past few semesters. Construction began in May of 2009 on the new education building along Spring Garden Street. This comes after the recent opening of the Patricia A. Sullivan science building in 2003 (formerly known as the new Science Building), the renovation of the Petty Building, and numerous other projects that have begun on campus.

Campus expansion has been on the horizon of UNCG since 2007.

The UNCG Campus Master Plan Update was released in October 2007. Its purpose was to outline the vision and future growth of the campus.

The Plan, from page 1, outlined the future expansion of the campus, including the expansion across borders. The plan reads, “By recognizing the relationships between the University and the areas immediately surrounding it, the Master Plan Update affirms the value of supporting and enhancing the established neighborhoods at its borders and channeling future investment into areas which the City has identified for improvement.”

The Plan identifies that campus enrollment is expected to grow at a rate between one and two percent each year. In 2025, campus enrollment could easily exceed 22,000. This will require efficient use of the campus’ 205 acres.

The Plan divides the campus into five districts: The Academic district, the Student Life district, The Arts district, the Athletics and Recreation district, and the Housing district.

Currently, controversy has arisen over the planned expansion into the Glenwood Neighborhood across Lee Street. The Plan establishes that one of its main goals “is to identify the amount of built square footage needed to accommodate the projected 22,777 students in the year 2025 and determine the best location for future buildings while reinforcing and enhancing the landscape and campus access.”

The expansion south of Spring Garden towards Lee Street is to “include a new public safety building and potential parking deck on Tate Street, a new student services building adjacent to the Elliot University Center, and a new academic classroom building adjacent to the Bryan School of Business.”

The expansion also “suggests future locations for residence halls and other buildings along Spring Garden Street as well as long-term development on Lee Street.”

The Plan also provides an outline for sustainability goals. The new education building and dormitory on Spring Garden Street will be the first buildings on campus to be LEED certified. The five key goals of sustainability are to: Integrate learning and living communities, design for energy and atmosphere, promote transportation options, enhance water resources, and to champion natural habitat.

In conclusion of the 75 page report, the Plan says “To build upon this success, and to ensure that future development continues to reinforce the University’s core academic mission, UNCG will aim to maximize its current land holdings while exploring alternative options to expand its development capacity.”

The UNCG Campus Master Plan Update and other campus financial statements and plans can be found in PDF form on the UNCG homepage.