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DePauw asks city to close College Ave. between Hanna and Olive streets
Seeking to extend the campus pedestrian corridor known as Burkhart Walk that runs north and south from Seminary Street to Hanna Street, DePauw University has asked the City of Greencastle to permanently close a portion of College Avenue.
Mayor Bill Dory said he has received a request from DePauw, seeking to close College Avenue between Hanna and Olive streets, effectively extending the pedestrian corridor by creating a new section between the Julian Math and Science Center and Lilly Physical Education and Recreation Center on the west and the Performing Arts Center on the east.
Both Hanna and Olive streets would remain open to east-west through traffic.
If approved, the proposed pedestrian corridor would remain wide enough for city fire trucks to navigate and large enough to accommodate any necessary use of the aerial truck, the mayor told the Banner Graphic.
Dory mentioned the request during his mayor's report during the February City Council meeting. No action has been taken on the request.
Back in the 1990s, the city closed the portion of College Avenue between Seminary and Hanna streets at the university's request, eliminating what was seen as a dangerous, congested situation with parking along the west side of the street and students crossing back and forth in a heavily traveled area between East College and the Roy O. West Library.
That request produced a split but favorable vote of the City Council and later spawned a lawsuit over the planning and zoning process that was ultimately dismissed.
Councilman Steve Fields asked about ownership of the properties within the area in question this time.
"As far as we know, this does not involve DePauw acquiring any new property?" Fields asked. "We're just talking about property that DePauw owns that this work is going to happen on."
That's correct, the mayor said, noting that College Avenue, is owned by the city, of course, and all the property that fronts that section of College Avenue is owned by DePauw.
"That's what I was getting at," Fields acknowledged.
"So there's no other property owner along there," Mayor Dory assured of that portion of College Avenue that lies between Hanna and Olive.
"Given that there's going to be a lot of stuff going on on the DePauw campus over the next couple years," Dory said, alluding to other planned projects, "I'd like to schedule a work session to let DePauw come in, let their engineers come in and allow Council to learn about the projects and ask questions on a little-less-formal basis than a normal Council meeting."
Dory said Tuesday that the Council work session is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the conference room at City Hall.
The additional construction activity scheduled at DePauw to which the mayor referred includes the university's plans to replace all underground utilities in the Locust-Olive street area in preparation for new dormitories to be built in the south quad.
In advance of that, new pipes for heating and cooling will be run this spring along with a new waterline to connect with the city service line for providing fire protection and general water use to DePauw.
Tony Robertson, director of Facilities Care and Space Management at DPU, told the Board of Works last week, that "it's on us to repair Locust Street, wherever we might damage it, carrying on a process we've undertaken the last five or six years."
As promised, DePauw repaved Hanna Street following the construction of the Hoover Dining Hall in 2016 and redid four blocks surrounding the Robert Bottoms Alumni Center on Seminary Street after it was completed last fall.
During the upcoming project, DePauw will also widen Olive Street, cutting into its own adjacent property to add enough space for parking along both sides of the street and to accommodate tour buses that often accompany groups and individuals performing at the adjacent Green Center for the Performing Arts.
The project will include work on Locust Street between Olive and Howard streets with four pipes to be installed beneath the west lane of the Locust Street pavement.
Work is expected to commence on or about April 28, it was noted. The new dormitory is expected to be ready for first-year students by the fall semester of 2020.
The Board of Works gave preliminary approval to a memorandum of understanding between the university and the city for the underground utilities work and any repairs that it will necessitate.
"At no cost to the city, right?" Board of Works member Trudy Selvia questioned.
"Right," City Attorney Laurie Hardwick responded.