Construction is currently being completed on the Aspire, a 17-story private building less than 500 feet away, across Easton Ave.
Rutgers Status of Significant Projects - 24 Mar 15
- Thread starter RUseaweed
- Start date
Construction is currently being completed on the Aspire, a 17-story private building less than 500 feet away, across Easton Ave.
While overall I would say our campuses are much improved, I can't help but feel opportunities to really impress have been missed. That is my fear with the lot 8 buildings across from vorhees mall. My main concern is he building facade. The height doesn't bug me much.
The recent construction on Livingston is a good example. The new buildings have brought new life to that campus. The dorms, dining hall, student center and business school building have all improved things. Landscaping and walkways really helped too. But unfortunately each building is disconnected architecturally from its neighbors. Now I'm no expert here just someone who was standing in front of the dorms the other day looking at how much nicer and vibrant things were on livingston, but I couldn't help but notice the dining hall facade in one style/color stucco, the dorms in another, the b school all in glass, Janice Levine in late 80s red brick and beck and the dorms in the background in brown brick. A campus is a place where people come together for common purposes. If these buildings had something in common it would support that cause so much more and create the feeling everyone wants when walking through a college campus. That feeling as one said (I can't remember who) that important things happen there. All of these buildings are nice and the campuses much improved but they could be so much more with just more attention to detail so they compliment one another visually and form a true campus. I hope they don't look like a hodgepodge in 20 years.
The recent construction on Livingston is a good example. The new buildings have brought new life to that campus. The dorms, dining hall, student center and business school building have all improved things. Landscaping and walkways really helped too. But unfortunately each building is disconnected architecturally from its neighbors. Now I'm no expert here just someone who was standing in front of the dorms the other day looking at how much nicer and vibrant things were on livingston, but I couldn't help but notice the dining hall facade in one style/color stucco, the dorms in another, the b school all in glass, Janice Levine in late 80s red brick and beck and the dorms in the background in brown brick. A campus is a place where people come together for common purposes. If these buildings had something in common it would support that cause so much more and create the feeling everyone wants when walking through a college campus. That feeling as one said (I can't remember who) that important things happen there. All of these buildings are nice and the campuses much improved but they could be so much more with just more attention to detail so they compliment one another visually and form a true campus. I hope they don't look like a hodgepodge in 20 years.
Yes, private high rises like the Vue and this building are expanding downtown New Brunswick further west. With these "luxury" apartments you will see more gentrification of the surrounding area particularly around Easton Ave.
Have you seen the state of the houses that many students live in off campus on college ave? Maybe "blight" is too strong a word, I would describe them as "crappy and run down". I would take these high rises any day over those houses and some of the ridiculous looking apartment buildings being built on Union St.
500 feet might as well be a mile. Stand on Rutgers campus and it will look out of place with basically no hope of it not looking out of place.
The reasoning itself points it out. Rutgers didnt built it because they wanted a nice high rise, or to expand downtown NB, or they thought it would be a keystone campus building - they built it like it is for financial expediency. They needed a certain square footage of retail and residential to have the money to develop the real keystone of the campus revival, and are throwing this up as a throw away development.
Sure they built it for financial reasons. But that doesn't mean the height is a problem. And if "500 feet might as well be a mile", as you claim, then maybe there is no real perception difference between 13 stories and 6 stories either.
I am more concerned about the architectural design, especially at street level. With other 10-20 story buildings in the area, and more to come, I don't think the height is a problem.
I am more concerned about the architectural design, especially at street level. With other 10-20 story buildings in the area, and more to come, I don't think the height is a problem.
