According to University Architect Doug Marsh, the area south of Debartolo Performing Arts Center is in the process of being transformed into a park area or “Commons” that is intended for use by both campus and community members. It will look similar to the area just south of Notre Dame’s main building, with a series of walkways, a large lawn area, and more than a hundred trees. The purpose of the space is to create an additional outdoor gathering area on campus, and to ease connectivity between campus and the neighborhood, including the new Eddy Street Commons area.

Currently the site is being cleared and leveled, and walkways are beginningto lace the area. The terrace on the DPAC’s south entrance will be enlarged to nearly three times its current size, offering an outdoor venue for receptions and a backdrop for outdoor performances..

Marsh describes the Commons as “a fairly simple design…it will be a peaceful setting, a large lawn surrounded by a wide variety of trees, with benches and sculptures throughout.” Those with an interest in horticulture will be pleased with the wide variety of plantings that will be chosen, some native to Indiana, but many that are not often found in our area.

While the project isn’t scheduled for completion until spring 2008–in time for ND’s commencement–the timetable is dictated more by Mother Nature than by the difficulty of the work. The large trees must be selected, transported to campus from growers all over the United States, and then planted, making spring the best time to put them in the ground.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 7th, 2008 at 4:58 pm and is filed under UND Campus Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.