U. begins study for changing Walk buildings into residences

An architectural firm is examining options for renovating or rebuilding buildings at 3609-3611 Locust Walk as student residences. The option of turning the offices into residences was one of the recommendations in the report of the Committee to Diversify Locust Walk released last month. Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said last week that Venturi Scott Brown, a firm which has done other studies for the University, will be looking at the options for the site. The properties -- which were originally single family dwellings -- will either be remodeled or torn down and rebuilt completely, Vice President for Facilities Management Arthur Gravina said last week. The connected buildings, which sit between Phi Sigma Kappa and the Palladium just west of 36th Street, must be brought up to code if they are remodeled, Gravina said. If the buildings are torn down, Gravina said, they must be rebuilt in a scale identical to that of the existing buildings on the Walk. The offices in the buildings now include University Counseling Service, the Tutoring Center and the Management and Technology office. Both Gravina and Morrisson said they expect students to be able to live in the buildings starting in 1994. The committee's report also suggests converting the University Police department building at 3914 Locust Walk and the WXPN building at 3905 Spruce Street into residences. All of these recommmendations were short-term recommendations which the committee expected to be completed in a few years. Other changes, such as building student townhouses on the current Book Store site and converting the High Rises into academic offices will begin after the completion of the new Campus Center which is expected in 1995. So far, the only change on the Walk that has been realized is the conversion of the former Psi Upsilon fraternity house at 36th Street and Locust Walk into a community service living-learning program.

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