There is a longstanding tradition at RPI of class gifts—that is, contributions from graduating classes that typically either offset or completely cover the cost of some campus improvements. This year, the Class of 2007 has decided that the mark it will leave on campus will be a set of cosmetic improvements on the footbridge that crosses 15th Street. The initial announcement of the gift came in late October, and the gift committee has since been working to develop, refine, and polish the idea so that a final design can be reached and work can begin. This brainstorming has most recently taken the form of a charrette, held on November 5 in the Mueller Center lobby.
The charrette was attended by about 20 people, including representatives from the senior class, the administration, the general RPI community, and the City of Troy. The focus of the meeting was to come up with and explore ideas, rather than to decide on any definite plans. Nothing was finalized, although there were several themes that emerged from the discussion. Those core concepts will form the basis of some of the designs that will eventually be recommended by the planning committee.
According to Jorge Vidal, the project manager for the campus planning department who is working closely with the Class of 2007 on the project, there were a few key focus points that emerged from the charrette. Those included safety for the campus community, the fact that the footbridge is a gateway to campus and a symbol of the school, the desire for effective and efficient lighting, and the usage of modern materials and techniques to make the project a sustainable icon of the Institute. A common theme was also the desire to remove the caging that covers the walkway.
The committee is working on three very distinct plans for the project. One is to be the most inexpensive of the options, one will be moderately-priced, and one—supposedly the ideal—will be the most costly. Selection criteria will include the features incorporated into the designs as well as the price, and how much money the senior class can contribute. According to Vice President for Administration Claude Rounds, the final bill may range anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000.
Hannah Kim, the president of the Class of 2007, said the primary impetus behind the choice to improve the footbridge came from a survey of the senior class. Many students felt that a cosmetic makeover was past due, particularly given the number of people that cross the bridge daily. After reaching this decision, the class approached the administration with ideas.
Rounds noted that, “In an important way, they are really helping us make important decisions in improving the campus landscape.”
The decision to improve the pedestrian bridge also came with the approval of the City of Troy. The city actually owns the bridge, and as it passes over 15th Street (also not RPI property), the city is a major player in this process and sent an engineer, Russ Reeve, to the November 5 charrette to help with the brainstorming.
No final decisions regarding renovation plans have been made yet, although the goal is to have narrowed them down to two or three ideas by mid-December—before students leave for the winter break. A single proposal should be available in January.
