Rutgers Facility Architecture...

[RUnTeX]

@Sir ScarletKnight and @Leonard23 help me out with my orientation here...

I'm a little lost with regard to the Purple Lot.

EDITED: the back end (meaning furthest edge from Bevier Road) of it is the bottom third of this image, i.e. the L-shaped bldg and neighboring square bldg are on the current lot and the jutting out D-wing/lab of the engineering bldg. The student center/dining hall bldg on the lower right.

 

[Knight Shift]

Dumbest name evah!

Union Place should have been the moniker. 👍

Nah. "Grease Truck Graveyard"

 

[e5fdny]

It's not quite shown above....the back end (meaning furthest edge from Bevier Road that leads into the lot) of it is just below the bottom of this image, i.e. in front of the L-shaped bldg and neighboring square bldg and to the left of the remainder of the student center/dining hall bldg on the lower right.

So is Werblin at the very bottom left?

 

[e5fdny]

Nah. "Grease Truck Graveyard"

Even worse! LOL

 

[SF88]

I remember seeing this too in the Master Plan stuff...

I like this a lot.

And I didn't even know about these (VERY nice!)...

Probably not having a daughter is the reason why. LOL

The College Ave Quad would be awesome. I was told by a BOG member that they’d start in 5 years, about 6 years ago. Does anyone know the status of it??? I’ve heard rumors of working on the logistics of getting rid of the smoke stack by records hall, but much of the heat for River Dorms is generated there???

I’d love to see some progress there. Hardenburg demo would be one of first things to crest the transit hub in its place? Is 2030 a realistic timeline, or this is all another fantasy, up there withMcCormicks clear tube going down College Ave

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

I remember seeing this too in the Master Plan stuff...

I like this a lot.

And I didn't even know about these (VERY nice!)...

Probably not having a daughter is the reason why. LOL

For clarification, only the building on the right is new. It's been fit into the Jameson Quadrangle dorms.

Rutgers University – Clarke Caton Hintz

clarkecatonhintz.com

The College Ave Quad would be awesome. I was told by a BOG member that they’d start in 5 years, about 6 years ago. Does anyone know the status of it??? I’ve heard rumors of working on the logistics of getting rid of the smoke stack by records hall, but much of the heat for River Dorms is generated there???

I’d love to see some progress there. Hardenburg demo would be one of first things to crest the transit hub in its place? Is 2030 a realistic timeline, or this is all another fantasy, up there withMcCormicks clear tube going down College Ave

They've been working on decommissioning Records Hall and its ilk. The auxiliary learning center is already demolished. Again, how much will be affected by recent economic swings is to be seen.

@Sir ScarletKnight and @Leonard23 help me out with my orientation here...

I'm a little lost with regard to the Purple Lot.

The yellow building on the right is CORE. Purple lot is going away, to be replaced by the parking deck on the left. The "grassy knoll" of Purple lot is right under Core.

https://soe.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/imce/Rutgers-PrecinctStudy-FinalReport.pdf

Look at page 12 For the same view now.

 

[e5fdny]

I found the image on Page 8 to be helpful too.

 

[Leonard23]

@Sir ScarletKnight and @Leonard23 help me out with my orientation here...

I'm a little lost with regard to the Purple Lot.

So is Werblin at the very bottom left?

see figures 1.6 and 1.7 on page 23

The College Ave Quad would be awesome. I was told by a BOG member that they’d start in 5 years, about 6 years ago. Does anyone know the status of it??? I’ve heard rumors of working on the logistics of getting rid of the smoke stack by records hall, but much of the heat for River Dorms is generated there???

I’d love to see some progress there. Hardenburg demo would be one of first things to crest the transit hub in its place? Is 2030 a realistic timeline, or this is all another fantasy, up there withMcCormicks clear tube going down College Ave

Me too. Somehow it needs to get done but 2030 seems unrealistic now, as it's 10 years away, so I'd be happy if they just started already.

 

[RUnTeX]

So is Werblin at the very bottom left?

More or less....I think Werblin itself is outside of the image actually, but a portion of the parking lot that is located 'behind' Werblin (and thus part of the Purple Lot) occupies the lower left corner of the image.

 

[RUnTeX]

The yellow building on the right is CORE.

I think you meant on the left.....for the CORE bldg colored in gold.

 

[Leonard23]

More or less....I think Werblin itself is outside of the image actually, but a portion of the parking lot that is located 'behind' Werblin (and thus part of the Purple Lot) occupies the lower left corner of the image.

Yeah, Werblin is out of the pic to the left of CORE, so maybe some of the paved purple lot closest to Werblin would remain for a much much smaller purple lot.

 

[RUnTeX]

For clarification, only the building on the right is new. It's been fit into the Jameson Quadrangle dorms.

Rutgers University – Clarke Caton Hintz

clarkecatonhintz.com

Thanks for the additional pics (of the new bldg that was added to Jameson quad). Again, job well done by the architect you noted in your post as it made sense to incorporate a unified look with the original dorms. A local, Trenton-based firm that has many higher-ed projects througout NJ in its portfolio.

 

[koleszar]

Typically these days it's a thin brick, or brick veneer, rather than full depth brick. I'm not a mason (but there's someone else here who would know.. @koleszar) but the brick is still mortared in individually, not applied in sheets, so it's as authentic as full brick, just less weight on the facade of a building. Also, lower material cost and transport cost (due to reduced size and weight) helps rein in the budget.

Yes you're right, it is a real brick it's just 1" thick with corners to match. On masonry such as concrete block a scratch coat of Portland cement plaster is applied and allowed to dry. You then butter the back of the brick with cement and apply to wall. Going over wood, apply Tyvek then wire mesh and same process. You then go back with a grout bag and joint. We call them lick and stick.

As for cost, they're quite expensive and much more than a regular brick. But like you said shipping and ease of use is what really factors in. Labor is your biggest expense. No more plumbing and leveling, snap lines and go. A tractor trailer load of regular brick can now be fit into a pickup truck.

Side note: Best thin brick in the business is made by Hebron. Expensive but man it's a joy to lay(sizes same and corners square) the job comes out looking great. I laid a bunch on an old well at my farm.

 

[RU848789]

Adding the full version of the eng'g area graphic with labels for the buildings, which help with orientation; essentially, phases 5-7 of the white buildings are where the existing eng'g building is and phase 3-4 extend into the current "upper" half of the purple lot, but don't appear to affect the "lower" part (to the left of phase 3, towards the stadium).

 

[Knight177lb]

The best looking building on College Ave is the old J&J brick building. Rutgers should just buy it off J&J and make it the new president's office.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

The best looking building on College Ave is the old J&J brick building. Rutgers should just buy it off J&J and make it the new president's office.

Its okay.. but the romanesque Gardner-Sage Library is the best-looking building over there.. and Old Queens.. of course.. that whole OQ campus is nice.

and the inside.. wow...

BTW.. that earlier pic of the design for Rodkin center.. is it really the plan to level out athlete's glenn and pave walkways? That would be a shame... how many mistakes can they make on one project?

 

[Knight Shift]

Yes you're right, it is a real brick it's just 1" thick with corners to match. On masonry such as concrete block a scratch coat of Portland cement plaster is applied and allowed to dry. You then butter the back of the brick with cement and apply to wall. Going over wood, apply Tyvek then wire mesh and same process. You then go back with a grout bag and joint. We call them lick and stick.

As for cost, they're quite expensive and much more than a regular brick. But like you said shipping and ease of use is what really factors in. Labor is your biggest expense. No more plumbing and leveling, snap lines and go. A tractor trailer load of regular brick can now be fit into a pickup truck.

Side note: Best thin brick in the business is made by Hebron. Expensive but man it's a joy to lay(sizes same and corners square) the job comes out looking great. I laid a bunch on an old well at my farm.

I've seen something like this before with cultured stone. Done by one of the best in the business. 😉

 

[Leonard23]

The best looking building on College Ave is the old J&J brick building. Rutgers should just buy it off J&J and make it the new president's office.

It would be nice if Rutgers acquired that, and many have been saying that for years, but it's unlikely.

Its okay.. but the romanesque Gardner-Sage Library is the best-looking building over there.. and Old Queens.. of course.. that whole OQ campus is nice.

and the inside.. wow...

BTW.. that earlier pic of the design for Rodkin center.. is it really the plan to level out athlete's glenn and pave walkways? That would be a shame... how many mistakes can they make on one project?

How have I not been inside that library?

What's wrong with the Athlete's Glen plan? Right now, it's barely maintained and a giant red dust bowl. They don't even try to grow grass. It would be so much better with a ton of pavers, stone and concrete as they have in the pic. Update the signage, keep the flag poles, pavilion and some of the trees. This is not good:

 

[DHajekRC84]

A thread like this is worthless without pictures.

Not sure what the complaint is:
RWJ Barnabas Building:

Rodkin Center:

My two complaints with this building remain that its drabness does little to enhance the current drabness of the RAC. And unlike the Football site this complex has little to zero Scarlet. Just making that R an R would have improved it. Plus you can see it fine here but when you actually walk up towards the RAC you hardly even see it. Instead you're greeted with the RWJ logo like you're heading to a clinic.

 

[patk89]

The best looking building on College Ave is the old J&J brick building. Rutgers should just buy it off J&J and make it the new president's office.

So many visitors ask me if that building is part of Rutgers as we drive by. Much better than the actual RU buildings that you see as you drive by on 18.

 

[sct1111]

Its okay.. but the romanesque Gardner-Sage Library is the best-looking building over there.. and Old Queens.. of course.. that whole OQ campus is nice.

and the inside.. wow...

BTW.. that earlier pic of the design for Rodkin center.. is it really the plan to level out athlete's glenn and pave walkways? That would be a shame... how many mistakes can they make on one project?

The classic nb theological seminary buildings were all beautiful. Of course they tore them down because they couldn't maintain them.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

How have I not been inside that library?

As others mentioned.. it is part of New Brunswick Theological Seminary's campus. While the outside could be seen by anyone walking around Seminary place..

I once purposefully walked uphill to cross that campus just exploring.. saw inside a window.. many stained glass windows too... and just had to enter. Hidden gem. I think the honors college taking over half the block will expose that building to many more students in the coming years. As does chopping down all those trees (travesty.. I cannot even remember what kind of trees they were.. oaks?) in order to build the honors college more easily.

 

[Knight177lb]

Its okay.. but the romanesque Gardner-Sage Library is the best-looking building over there.. and Old Queens.. of course.. that whole OQ campus is nice.

and the inside.. wow...

BTW.. that earlier pic of the design for Rodkin center.. is it really the plan to level out athlete's glenn and pave walkways? That would be a shame... how many mistakes can they make on one project?

I'll agree with you there. It's the best looking building, but too bad it's hidden from Route 18. My freshman year, that library was open to the public, but nobody knew about it. I would go in at night and it was a great place to study. Then more students found out about it and started coming in. They eventually stopped letting Rutgers students in. Maybe that's changed, but beautiful building and a great place to study.

 

[Knight177lb]

So many visitors ask me if that building is part of Rutgers as we drive by. Much better than the actual RU buildings that you see as you drive by on 18.

So many people have asked me that. I just it is. Hoping eventually it will become reality.

 

[Knight177lb]

It would be nice if Rutgers acquired that, and many have been saying that for years, but it's unlikely.

How have I not been inside that library?

What's wrong with the Athlete's Glen plan? Right now, it's barely maintained and a giant red dust bowl. They don't even try to grow grass. It would be so much better with a ton of pavers, stone and concrete as they have in the pic. Update the signage, keep the flag poles, pavilion and some of the trees. This is not good:

I don't think it's that unlikely that Rutgers will acquire it. After all, this pandemic has shown us how easy it is to work from home. I think companies will start trying to cut back on office space in order to save money. If they try and sell it, who else would buy it?

I know Merck spent a ton of money to build a new headquarters out in White House only to abandon it. Maybe J&J will do the same.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

I know Merck spent a ton of money to build a new headquarters out in White House only to abandon it. Maybe J&J will do the same.

JnJ already has a huge facility out west in Skillman (not sure they built it or acquired it.. HUGE plot of land).. and elsewhere... have no idea how CoVid affected it.. but if they win the vaccine race they will likely have a ton of money with which they can do whatever they want.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Maybe that's changed, but beautiful building and a great place to study.

I honestly think they cannot handle Rutgers students using it. They have their own students and its not a big place. Voorhees has a library.. doesn't look like that.. but that was a quiet place to get away to.

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

It would be nice if Rutgers acquired that, and many have been saying that for years, but it's unlikely.

How have I not been inside that library?

What's wrong with the Athlete's Glen plan? Right now, it's barely maintained and a giant red dust bowl. They don't even try to grow grass. It would be so much better with a ton of pavers, stone and concrete as they have in the pic. Update the signage, keep the flag poles, pavilion and some of the trees. This is not good:

That dust has been replaced by a much nicer fine gravel. Not sure how long it will last though.

My two complaints with this building remain that its drabness does little to enhance the current drabness of the RAC. And unlike the Football site this complex has little to zero Scarlet. Just making that R an R would have improved it. Plus you can see it fine here but when you actually walk up towards the RAC you hardly even see it. Instead you're greeted with the RWJ logo like you're heading to a clinic.

I agree with this. The R should be red. Personally I think the RAC should be encased in a glass cube with the current structure painted Scarlet. All concourse would be blown out to make a nice open space, the current, intimidating atmosphere maintained.

So many visitors ask me if that building is part of Rutgers as we drive by. Much better than the actual RU buildings that you see as you drive by on 18.

Unfortunately I dont think Rutgers can afford to maintain that building as well as J&J does. J&J just completely replaced the cupola on it, new paint, lights, etc. There is constant work being done to make sure it looks the best that building can look. Every old building on campus needs work. Old Queens has broken stones, so does the retaining wall on George Street has holes, Murray Halls' cupola has been rotting for years. Don't even get me started on various other spaces. Rutgers needs a better maintenance budget and a better maintenance department.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Unfortunately I dont think Rutgers can afford to maintain that building as well as J&J does. J&J just completely replaced the cupola on it, new paint, lights, etc. There is constant work being done to make sure it looks the best that building can look. Every old building on campus needs work. Old Queens has broken stones, so does the retaining wall on George Street has holes, Murray Halls' cupola has been rotting for years. Don't even get me started on various other spaces. Rutgers needs a better maintenance budget and a better maintenance department.

iirc.. about the time JnJ was building their new HQ.. getting all sorts of friendly support by New Brunswick and Rutgers to do so.. there were rumors that they were going to give that old HQ to Rutgers. And I remember seeing the models fo the triangle block where the train station is across from JnJ.. I think that is also JnJ owned.. or some kind of development/leasing deal was done... In any case, they sold a bill of goods to get that approved.. the model was some glorious architectural marvel with golden windows... they called it the "golden triangle" development... and what they built was a giant parking deck with standard office tower.

JnJ SHOULD donate that old HQ... and give them the city land on the other side of 18 where the old police station was... let them develop it with some kind of riverfront and park facing conference facility.

I do miss old new brunswick a bit.. but just a bit.. it had character.. damon runyon type character.. this photo a bit older than me.. but those bldgs across from train station.. great Chinese restaurant a flight up a long staircase.. fun place.. produce market, bike shop, dirty movie theatre.. talk about dirty... porn during the day and rocky horror at midnight.. dirt-teee

 

[Leonard23]

That dust has been replaced by a much nicer fine gravel. Not sure how long it will last though.

They put gravel down over the entire Athlete's Glen? Anyone have pics of that? Certainly, better than the dust and mud, but, depending on how much rock they used, I'm guessing that the rocks will sink into the ground after some more heavy rain and usage, so the mud and dust will be back, unless they also out some of that landscaping black paper underneath.

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

That dust has been replaced by a much nicer fine gravel. Not sure how long it will last though.



I agree with this. The R should be red. Personally I think the RAC should be encased in a glass cube with the current structure painted Scarlet. All concourse would be blown out to make a nice open space, the current, intimidating atmosphere maintained.



Unfortunately I dont think Rutgers can afford to maintain that building as well as J&J does. J&J just completely replaced the cupola on it, new paint, lights, etc. There is constant work being done to make sure it looks the best that building can look. Every old building on campus needs work. Old Queens has broken stones, so does the retaining wall on George Street has holes, Murray Halls' cupola has been rotting for years. Don't even get me started on various other spaces. Rutgers needs a better maintenance budget and a better maintenance department.

Rutgers cannot afford to take care of most of the buildings and facilities on campus. That is the downside of 80 years of mismanagement by the state government. Not to mention how the state "takes care of things". NJ has been given many historical homes and buildings only to let them fall into disrepair and eventually be demolished. Why? Because NJ state government and most bureaucracies are terrible managers of assets and programs. Books have been written about this so I won't belabor the point.

 

[RUnTeX]

So many visitors ask me if that building is part of Rutgers as we drive by. Much better than the actual RU buildings that you see as you drive by on 18.

Indeed...so I've occasionally taken the liberty to just reply in the affirmative...no one gets hurt, lol

 

[RUnTeX]

They put gravel down over the entire Athlete's Glen? Anyone have pics of that? Certainly, better than the dust and mud, but, depending on how much rock they used, I'm guessing that the rocks will sink into the ground after some more heavy rain and usage, so the mud and dust will be back, unless they also out some of that landscaping black paper underneath.

Agreed, putting down uniformly graded gravel especially without laying down filter cloth underneath to keep the fines from mixing into the gravel layer is just asking for trouble and a waste of money. Hopefully Rutgers facilities dept is not that dumb but you never know.

 

[koleszar]

some of that landscaping black paper underneath.

Stabilization Fabric,(I've seen it fail) not to be confused with Filter Fabric which is only good for preventing weeds.

Best method for mud. Dust with Portland cement(like you're feeding chickens) then 3/4" stone. Work it into the mud with tamping device, dust again with Portland cement then another layer of 3/4" stone tamp again. This will work it in, the sun heats the stone and you've just made old fashioned concrete. Then use a finer 3/8" stone or stone dust on top for fine dressing.

Now did Rutgers do this, probably not. Probably just dumped a couple tandem loads of stone and spread it out with a front loader.

 

[Knight177lb]

Indeed...so I've occasionally taken the liberty to just reply in the affirmative...no one gets hurt, lol

I say it is a part of Rutgers because I believe that some day it will become official. They might as well donate it to Rutgers. They have the IM PEI building right next to it which I heard is the real headquarters. J&J would save tons of money if the don't have to maintain it. Plus, it would be a huge tax write off. Wouldn't it be great for the millions of people who travel Route 18, look over and see that magnificent building and smile with pride and say to themselves "Yes, that's New Jersey's flagship university.

 

[hoquat63]

The best looking building on College Ave is the old J&J brick building. Rutgers should just buy it off J&J and make it the new president's office.

My old City and Regional Planning professor, Prof. Wilkins, hated the J&J building - called it something like fake colonial. So beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

 

[hoquat63]

Rutgers cannot afford to take care of most of the buildings and facilities on campus. That is the downside of 80 years of mismanagement by the state government. Not to mention how the state "takes care of things". NJ has been given many historical homes and buildings only to let them fall into disrepair and eventually be demolished. Why? Because NJ state government and most bureaucracies are terrible managers of assets and programs. Books have been written about this so I won't belabor the point.

Our Facilities director on the Newark campus used a phrase “acceptably seedy” with the need to practice deferred maintenance due to budget shortfalls.

 

[srru86]

... the sun heats the stone and you've just made old fashioned concrete.

Now did Rutgers do this, probably not. Probably just dumped a couple tandem loads of stone and spread it out with a front loader.

Yes, it's not like anyone ever solved the problem before, certainly not here at alma mater.

 

[srru86]

My old City and Regional Planning professor, Prof. Wilkins, hated the J&J building - called it something like fake colonial. So beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

On the one hand he's right. It's a first generation industrial mill building prettied up to be faux Federal style offices.

But he might have been one of those "Let's tear down this residential city neighborhood, put in high rise housing projects (aka insta-slums) and cut them off from the rest of the city by an elevated superhighway connecting the business center to the suburbs" kind of modernist.

I'll take some adaptive re-use, thank you.

 

[RUnTeX]

It's a first generation industrial mill building prettied up to be faux Federal style offices.

I don't agree with the professor but had always wondered if Johnson Hall was actually an adaptive re-use of the original factory or just a complete re-build with the same footprint. I agree with you that I prefer they did the adaptive re-use.

Any idea of the timing of when that was completed? My guess was 60-70 years ago, around the time the state decided to build Route 18 through NB along the riverfront.

I figured they went with a federalist?/colonial?/georgian? style building given the proximity (other side of George St) to the multiple Rutgers buildings along Voorhees Mall and for a classic architectural look.