[BJWilliams]

A Mater Plan?

[BCXtreme]

Frankly, I'm starting to get a little confused about what I thought was going to be an amphitheater. Today, several large trees were delivered there to be planted, and right now the unplanted trees are scattered throughout the rows of the "amphitheater". If the trees are going to be planted where they are laying, it would seemingly block the view of of any group performing down below.

Maybe the trees are supposed to give that part of campus more of a park-like setting?

As I've said repeatedly, there is little reason to believe that area is supposed to be a formal amphitheater of any kind. There are two major sidewalks running straight through it to form what will become the campus's main pedestrian corridor between the Residential Commons and the Academic Commons. It's a stepped lawn with scattered trees basically just for students to chill/study/whatever. That's how it's looked on the renderings for more than two years. You may see the occasional professor use it for a class on a nice day, as they do with the lawn leading down from the Jerry Falwell Library to the lake, but I really doubt it was ever explicitly intended to be an event space.

And to answer your question. There will be a decent number of trees planted in both that area and in between the buildings of the Academic Commons. Much like a park, there will be both trees (mostly near the edges and buildings) and expansive open lawns. It's going to be beautiful when it's finished in around 16-23 months.

Remember. It's only a Master Suggestion, not Mater Plan

See above. Nothing changed. Little trigger-happy there, don't ya think?

[Purple Haize]

Frankly, I'm starting to get a little confused about what I thought was going to be an amphitheater. Today, several large trees were delivered there to be planted, and right now the unplanted trees are scattered throughout the rows of the "amphitheater". If the trees are going to be planted where they are laying, it would seemingly block the view of of any group performing down below.

Maybe the trees are supposed to give that part of campus more of a park-like setting?

As I've said repeatedly, there is little reason to believe that area is supposed to be a formal amphitheater of any kind. There are two major sidewalks running straight through it to form what will become the campus's main pedestrian corridor between the Residential Commons and the Academic Commons. It's a stepped lawn with scattered trees basically just for students to chill/study/whatever. That's how it's looked on the renderings for more than two years. You may see the occasional professor use it for a class on a nice day, as they do with the lawn leading down from the Jerry Falwell Library to the lake, but I really doubt it was ever explicitly intended to be an event space.

And to answer your question. There will be a decent number of trees planted in both that area and in between the buildings of the Academic Commons. Much like a park, there will be both trees (mostly near the edges and buildings) and expansive open lawns. It's going to be beautiful when it's finished in around 16-23 months.

Remember. It's only a Master Suggestion, not Mater Plan

See above. Nothing changed. Little trigger-happy there, don't ya think?

Nope. I've been around much longer than you.

[Kiwon]

There will be a decent number of trees planted in both that area and in between the buildings of the Academic Commons. Much like a park, there will be both trees (mostly near the edges and buildings) and expansive open lawns. It's going to be beautiful when it's finished in around 16-23 months.

Thanks, Xtreme, for your educated speculation on the campus development. You can certainly make heads or tails of what is going on better than I can, especially working from limited direct resources.

IT IS exciting to see the rapid transformation. JFJr seems to have a real vision of items he wants to see on campus and so far things look outstanding. A wise person once taught me to "not wish your time away" but it would be neat to take a quick peak into the future and see the final product!

[BCXtreme]

Liberty has an article up on the demolition of the old performing arts hall. There's no new information in it, it's basically just reflecting on the history of the building.

There will be a decent number of trees planted in both that area and in between the buildings of the Academic Commons. Much like a park, there will be both trees (mostly near the edges and buildings) and expansive open lawns. It's going to be beautiful when it's finished in around 16-23 months.

Thanks, Xtreme, for your educated speculation on the campus development. You can certainly make heads or tails of what is going on better than I can, especially working from limited direct resources.

You're welcome.

[Cider Jim]

Several trees have been planted throughout the "amphitheater."

[PAmedic]

the rain this season cannot be helping things

seems like every time I check the cameras its Drenchburg down there

that has gotta be screwing with the construction timeline royally

[Cider Jim]

But the rain helps the new trees grow!

[BCXtreme]

A couple shots from Instagram that I felt were worth re-posting…

Planting trees on the steps between the Jerry Falwell Library and the Vines Center:


Shot of the Vines Center and Residential Commons I with ongoing construction visible:

the rain this season cannot be helping things

seems like every time I check the cameras its Drenchburg down there

that has gotta be screwing with the construction timeline royally

It's not been as bad as it sometimes is. It's been overcast with occasional mist far more often lately than really raining. I'm sure the construction timelines account for Lynchburg's typical spring and fall rains.

[Sly Fox]

Thanks for passing those along.

[BCXtreme]

This isn't exactly Liberty construction news, but as it's highly connected to Liberty, I thought I should post it. I remember a while back someone talking about land being cleared down on Candlers Mountain Road past the developing graduate campus and Liberty Ridge. A page in the first Flames Football game guide reveals it to be a third location of The Vue. This Campbell County iteration, unlike its Lynchburg counterparts, will feature multiple different floor plans ranging from 1 bedroom to 6 bedrooms, and a roommate matching service. Given the amenities, low cost of The Vue properties, and proximity to the campus, I would imagine this place will be highly popular when it opens. Were I still going to be a Liberty student next year, I would be all in. Here's a picture of the ad with full details (I'll get a proper version up once the game guide is made available digitally):

[ALUmnus]

As part of the whole Harvard St improvement, they've been pouring concrete in that ditch in front of Ruby Tuesday, most likely a raised sidewalk. Finally, there will be a sidewalk all the way down Wards Rd, something that's been needed for years.

Looks like they're also building some steps from CVCC to BWWs.

[ECUnited]

This isn't exactly Liberty construction news, but as it's highly connected to Liberty, I thought I should post it. I remember a while back someone talking about land being cleared down on Candlers Mountain Road past the developing graduate campus and Liberty Ridge. A page in the first Flames Football game guide reveals it to be a third location of The Vue. This Campbell County iteration, unlike its Lynchburg counterparts, will feature multiple different floor plans ranging from 1 bedroom to 6 bedrooms, and a roommate matching service. Given the amenities, low cost of The Vue properties, and proximity to the campus, I would imagine this place will be highly popular when it opens. Were I still going to be a Liberty student next year, I would be all in. Here's a picture of the ad with full details (I'll get a proper version up once the game guide is made available digitally):

Yeah, we had heard this was going to be 'married student' housing, but looks like any off-campus housing according to the ad. Well, guess the traffic on Candler's Mountain Road will be even crazier than it is now!

[ATrain]

This isn't exactly Liberty construction news, but as it's highly connected to Liberty, I thought I should post it. I remember a while back someone talking about land being cleared down on Candlers Mountain Road past the developing graduate campus and Liberty Ridge. A page in the first Flames Football game guide reveals it to be a third location of The Vue. This Campbell County iteration, unlike its Lynchburg counterparts, will feature multiple different floor plans ranging from 1 bedroom to 6 bedrooms, and a roommate matching service. Given the amenities, low cost of The Vue properties, and proximity to the campus, I would imagine this place will be highly popular when it opens. Were I still going to be a Liberty student next year, I would be all in. Here's a picture of the ad with full details (I'll get a proper version up once the game guide is made available digitally):

Yeah, we had heard this was going to be 'married student' housing, but looks like any off-campus housing according to the ad. Well, guess the traffic on Candler's Mountain Road will be even crazier than it is now!

It looks like all the locations are to the west of Candler's Mountain Rd, so I don't see how this will have any impact if students can exit directly from 460??????

[BCXtreme]

It looks like all the locations are to the west of Candler's Mountain Rd, so I don't see how this will have any impact if students can exit directly from 460??????

The locations numbered one and two already exist. They are off of Wards Ferry Rd and Greenview Dr, respectively. The Liberty Mountain location featured in the ad will be located on Candlers Mountain Rd. There is no direct access to US-460 that I am aware of.

As for the "married housing" thing, Liberty has a lot of land reserved for future off-campus housing. This is just one development, likely the first of many. I think The Vue is geared toward single students, but I see somebody doing married housing in the future, especially if the graduate campus idea really takes off.

[BCXtreme]

Another crop of Instagrams of Liberty Softball Stadium. Place is really coming along, will look amazing once the surrounding area of campus (Landmark Tower, etc.) is finished. Credit on the first one goes to @liberty_sb, rest are from @luadjeff.

[ATrain]

proximity to the campus, I would imagine this place will be highly popular when it opens. Were I still going to be a Liberty student next year, I would be all in. Here's a picture of the ad with full details (I'll get a proper version up once the game guide is made available digitally):

Granted, my college days are becoming distant, but when I was at Liberty the point of moving off campus was to get far away from things...

I wouldn't say I wanted to get far away from things, I just wanted some space and privacy.

[BCXtreme]

Today the City of Lynchburg approved Liberty's building permit request to begin re-grading land (i.e., "land disturbance") for Residential Commons II.

[Sly Fox]

Sweet! And the craziness continues of projects underway all over the place.

[BCXtreme]

Another small update. Liberty University released their Fall 2014 media kit today, which I was hoping would contain some new Master Plan goodies. Sadly, it does not. The Master Plan in the booklet is still the Fall 2013 one. The kit does have a brand new campus map, and of course is updated to reflect recently completed facilities. The page for the Residential Commons does seem to confirm what we already knew from JFJR's model, which is that only one additional 9-story dorm will be built, and the rest of that site will be "other residential facilities." I'm still hoping that, with some more construction set to get underway next month, next week's Liberty Journal will bring us something newsworthy.

For those interested, the Media Kit can be viewed online. The downloadable PDF doesn't seem to be updated yet.

[flamesfilmguy]

anyone want to tell me how to get my hands on the new campus map for my visit next week? lol

[Sly Fox]

Just drive around in circlees. You'll eventually wind up back in the same place.

[alabama24]

Just drive around in circlees. You'll eventually wind up back in the same place.

Yes, but the circle is much larger now.

To drive around, you have to take follow university blvd to what used to be the far side of the dorm circle, travel by the rail road tracks all the way down to stadium drive. At this point, driving in a circle probably isn't best since there are things you can't really get to without walking.

[PAmedic]

anyone want to tell me how to get my hands on the new campus map for my visit next week? I chortle audibly.

go to page 13 of the new media kit http://issuu.com/libertyuniversity/docs/mediakit_2013/1 and print screen

yes, I realize your question was tongue in cheek

#notabeejmoment

[Sly Fox]

Taking the obvious next step that medic passed on ...