BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A wellness center for faculty members, offices for administrators, classrooms and facilities for students and a lawn tagged as a gathering place for the LSU community are part of a master plan for restoration of the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse and Pool.
Architect Ken Tipton of the firm Tipton Associates told Nola.comThe Times-Picayune (https://bit.ly/1s6TmDo) that the proposal targets preserving architectural and campus legacies.
The structure was built in 1932. “This building was the center of campus life,” Tipton said.
The original pool at the field house was a gathering place for students. Consideration of what to do with it has been under consideration since the field house closed in 2003.
“Operationally, it’s not a need for it,” said Tipton. “The pool wasn’t the reason people came but a part of the gathering experience.”
Tipton said the pool area can still be a part of the fabric to make the field house a vibrant place.
Under the master plan, a lawn would be added to provide an area for students and faculty members to gather for leisure time.
Tipton said the plan envisions a long linear reflecting pool, which would bring activity to the lawn and preserve the area’s legacy.
Roger Husser, director of planning, design and construction for the LSU office of facility services, said that before the university proceeds it wants to be sure the plan has community support.
Husser said funding for the project would come from private sources, grants and state capital-outlay funding.
The university plans community meetings and may commission a feasibility study on the renovation plan, Husser said.
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Information from: The Times-Picayune, https://www.nola.com
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