The University of Arizona is a land-grant research university
dedicated to education, research, and public service. Founded
in 1885, the institution enters its second century with the challenge
of providing assistance and leadership to the people of Arizona
as the state grows and develops. The University is centrally
located in the Tucson metropolitan area, with a population estimated
at 624,000 persons.
In the area of education, the University offers more than
6,000 courses leading to over 300 undergraduate and graduate
degrees. The institution is currently committed to raising the
quality of undergraduate education, focusing on inquiry-centered
programs. In addition, the University is planning to accommodate
an increasing proportion of non-traditional students, such as
minorities and older students.
The University of Arizona is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation
as a "Research University 1," the highest category.
It ranks ninth nationally among all colleges and universities
from the standpoint of non-federal grants received for research
activity and 28th for federal funds. There are a number of colleges,
schools, and institutes conducting research on-campus, contributing
to the University's growing reputation in basic and applied sciences
as well as in other fields.
In public service, the University is an integral part of
the Tucson community and the state as a whole. The institution
acts as a cultural and recreational resource, as well as contributes
to economic development and the employment base.
Recent headcount enrollments are in the range of 32,000 students
per year (excluding the College of Medicine), with about 76 to
77 percent classified as undergraduates. Headcount classified
staff number approximately 7,200, and unclassified staff (administrators,
faculty, and professionals) come to about 6,200. The total campus
community numbers approximately 43,400 persons by headcount.
1.2 PHYSICAL PLANNING CONTEXT
The University is currently situated on approximately 325
acres of land north-northeast of downtown Tucson. This area includes
about 100 major buildings and facilities, for a total of approximately
6.7 million gross square feet (GSF) of permanent residential
and non-residential space. In addition, the campus area includes
considerable open space, a series of surface parking lots and
streets, and a number of temporary buildings.
The campus planning area as designated by the Arizona Board
of Regents in 1981 is shown in Figure
A. This area encompasses a total of about 503 acres, including
acreage presently in University ownership; city streets and alleys
(excluding Speedway Boulevard and Sixth Street); ownership by
institutions associated with the University (such as churches
and Greek houses); and property to be acquired by the University.
At present the University operates in many senses as two
campuses, the Main Campus and The Arizona Health Sciences Center
(AHSC). Most of the Main Campus is bounded by Speedway Boulevard,
Campbell Avenue, Sixth Street, and Park/Euclid Avenues. The "north
campus" of the AHSC is currently bound by Chauncey Street,
Campbell Avenue, Helen Street, and Vine Avenue; and includes
the University Medical Center (UMC). The physical distance between
the two campuses is accentuated by difficulties in crossing Speedway
Boulevard, a major city arterial.
The University is surrounded by a series of predominantly
residential neighborhoods, as shown in Figure
A. These neighborhoods are each different, depending on building
age and character, socio-economic status, occupancy/home ownership,
and population mix. In addition, there are a number of commercial
areas in proximity to the campus.
The campus is a complex assortment of components superimposed
on each other.
1.3 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF CAMPUS PLAN
The purpose of the University of Arizona Comprehensive Campus
Plan is to provide guidelines for the orderly physical development
and enhancement of the campus planning area to the year 2000.
The Campus Plan functions as one component of a series of interrelated
long range planning activities at the University. The other components
include the mission and scope statement; issue papers; college
and organized unit plans; and the Capital Improvement Plan.
In 1980-81, a committee created by the Arizona Board of Regents
examined capital development planning and land acquisition policies
for the University. The result was a Proposal for Realignment
of the University Planning Area Boundaries, together with a Draft
Statement of Land Acquisition Guidelines. Public comment was
solicited during public hearings presided over by Esther Capin,member
of the Arizona Board of Regents. In May, 1981, the Board adopted
a University planning area reduced in size from the area designated
in 1967, as well as a Statement of Planning Objectives and Guidelines
Applicable to Land Acquisition Within the University Planning
Area. In addition, the Board requested a long range facilities
plan be prepared, including an examination of land acquisition
and utilization. Subsequently, executive management of the University
approved and funded a program to prepare the Comprehensive Campus
Plan in September, 1983.
The Campus Plan outlines a number of goals and considerations
for the physical development of thecampus, which are consistent
with other long range planning activities. To implement these
goals and considerations, a series of development guidelines,
concepts, and proposals are set forth in the Plan. In addition,
phasing and implementation mechanisms, such as land acquisition
and facility site analyses, are addressed.
The Plan is comprehensive in nature, addressing a wide range
of physical development factors and concerns. While focused on
the 15-year planning period, it examines campus development at
full build-out of the planning area, in order to provide the
necessary context for present planning activities.
The Campus Plan should not be considered a static document.
Instead, it is intended to provide guidance for the orderly development
of the campus, and flexibility in its interpretation will be
required due to ongoing changes and evolving needs of the University.
Therefore minor variations, deviations or additions to the details
expressed in the Comprehensive Campus Plan concerning siting,
type, size, location or use of structures may occur. Significant
changes as defined in Section 5.1 may occur provided that the
public notice provisions of Section 5.1 are implemented as required.
Once adopted, the Plan should be periodically reviewed and modified
as appropriate to meet changing conditions.
1.4 OVERALL CAMPUS PLAN GOAL AND APPROACHES
The University of Arizona has recently celebrated its Centennial
birthday, and is currently in the process of defining its future
directions. The physical campus--and planning for its development
-- is a significant component of the University's ongoing Long
Range Planning function. The proper facilities and environmental
ambiance contribute to the quality of the instructional, research,
and public service activities of the institution, as well as
help attract outstanding students, scholars, and staff. Accordingly,
the overall goal for planned campus development is to:
There are numerous ways to organize a University campus.
Given the considerable amount of facilities at The University
of Arizona already in place -- in buildings, streets, utilities,
open space, and parking -- it is only logical and practical to
take what is there, and improve or enhance conditions as opportunities
arise. Such opportunities may take the form of new building facilities;
major renovations and adaptive use of existing facilities; street
and parking improvements; utilities upgrading and expansion;
and open space development and redevelopment. In any particular
physical planning situation, design solutions should creatively
integrate new facilities and improvements with existing features
and assets, taking into account the resources available.
The role of the campus physical environment in attaining
and maintaining institutional excellence is recognized and embodied
in the following campus plan approaches:
Balance Intensification and Acquisition.
Preserve the existing overall density of building bulk relative
to open space within the oldest historical portions of the campus.
Intensify development (increase building coverage and/or
add verticality) in relatively new areas of campus, while aggregating
and designing ode space to maximize outdoor use.
Utilize infill and replacement in built-up areas of the campus
to provide new facilities as appropriate.
Retain the existing planning area boundary as established
by the Board of Regents in 1981.
Within the campus planning area, continue a phased program
of property acquisition to meet institutional requirements, consolidating
land holdings in needed locations.
Balance New Construction and Adaptive Reuse.
Renovate and maintain sound older buildings to suit changing
technological and institutional requirements.
Construct new facilities where needed, especially those requiring
specialized space and/or state-of-the-art technology, such as
certain laboratory and research facilities.
Recognize the requirement for transitional space to meet
short term and interim space needs under extraordinary conditions.
Where possible, redevelop existing open space areas to provide
for or enhance outdoor usage and circulation, and construct new
user-oriented open space areas integrated with the old.
Interface Sensitively with Surrounding Neighborhoods.
Retain the 1981 planning area boundary as the limit for University
development, protecting the neighborhoods outside the planning
area from encroachment.
Recognize that the continued growth and development of the
University of Arizona and related organizations have direct and
indirect impacts, on neighborhoods adjacent to the University.
Where possible, be responsive to neighborhood concerns in
regard to appropriate land uses, access, and aesthetics for projects
at the campus planning area boundary, creating a transition zone
or buffer.
Recognize that during University development, some disruption
to neighborhoods is unavoidable but should be treated as openly
and sensitively as possible.
Support actions or measures which will mitigate, avoid or
eliminate adverse impacts on neighbors caused by University activities.
Continue joint participation with city officials, and neighborhood
anD merchant representatives, concerning major physical planning
issues impacting the University and its neighbors.
Recognize and Plan for Multiple Constituencies.
Recognize student flow and usage patterns in campus planning,
including various subgroups of students such as the disabled;
on-campus residents; graduate students; and study majors.
Recognize faculty and staff flow and usage patterns in campus
planning, including subgroups such as academic or administrative
departments, and parking permit holders.
Recognize public access and usage patterns in campus planning,
including subgroups such as out-of-town visitors, sports enthusiasts,
art and theater patrons, senior citizens, and alumni.
Define and Link Two Campus Cores.
Further define the Main Campus Core as the central area of
the Main Campus, used by most campus constituencies and the focus
of undergraduate instructional and service facilities.
Strengthen the relatively high intensity spine of the Arizona
Health Sciences Center (AHSC) Core as the north campus center.
Link the Main Campus Core and AHSC Core with a developed,
recognizable corridor along Cherry Avenue.
Around the Two Cores, Organize the Campus into a
Series of Cohesive Use Areas or clusters. There are several cluster
types, which may overlap:Framework plans: These
organize growth either by establishing a clear system of axis
and connections (top plan) or by structuring growth around the
repeated form of a quadrangle (above).
Disciplinary groupings.
Outreach centers.
Residential communities.
For each development use cluster:
Develop an overall distinctive physical development character.
Provide one or more focal open space areas to act as an indoor-outdoor
activity node and orienting feature for the cluster.
As needed, identify and preserve a select number of reserve
sites for full buildings and additions, to be held for future
infill within the cluster.
Utilize reuse, infill, replacement, and other new construction
as opportunities to strengthen the cluster.
Provide an Adequate Infrastructure of Streets, Parking,
Paths, Open Space, and Utilities Systems.
Create systematic infrastructure networks which accommodate
both new construction (infill and growth areas) and adaptive
reuse.
Design the systems to eventually extend services to new permanent
facilities in relatively outlying acquisition areas, or to integrate
new compatible systems with the old.
Utilize replacement or upgrading of a system due to obsolescence,
as an opportunity to introduce flexibility and to accommodate
growth.
Arrange an implementation program which is responsive to
and well integrated with capital facilities development.
In regard to the different infrastructure systems:
For auto circulation, provide a network of internal campus
circulator streets tied to the city's grid of arterial and collector
streets; and implement a phased program of street closures.
For auto parking, develop a system of parking facilities
which is flexible in meeting parking demand, including both permanent
spaces in designated lots, parking structures, and buildings;
and temporary surface parking in peripheral locations.
For bicycles, provide bicycle lanes within the internal circulator
street system, as well as bicycle paths and parking where needed
in the developed areas of the campus.
For transit, accommodate bus, trolley, and other transit
access to the University.
For pedestrian circulation, provide a network of major pedestrian
paths, designed to minimize pedestrian/vehicular conflicts, and
supplemented by the sidewalk system.
For the open space system, develop a series of multi-purpose,
usable open space areas at "activity nodes" for use
clusters; complemented by numerous other decorative, transition,
and recreational open space areas on campus.
For utilities systems, address the needs of the existing
campus and anticipated development through an integrated planning
process.
Strive Toward Aesthetic Continuity Campus-Wide.
Establish and utilize design vocabularies and guidelines
for new and reused buildings and structures.
Provide landscaped transition zones along arterial streets
and landscaped buffers at neighborhood interfaces.
Develop and redevelop open spaces as functionally useful,
visually coherent outdoor areas, utilizing design guidelines
and palettes for paths, plant materials, and other landscape
selected features.
Provide an Ongoing Campus Planning Process
Conduct and utilize a Facility Site Analysis and Urban Design
Review for all new and reused buildings and facilities.
Continue building a systematic data base (including mapping),
with annual updates as needed.
Further link physical development planning with other planning
processes on campus.
Provide for 5-year reviews of the Comprehensive Campus Plan.