SUNO MASTER PLAN

SUNO Master Plan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Chancellor
Victor Ukpolo
Master Plan Committee:
Committee Chair

Consultant Team:
St. Martin Brown & Associates-Prime/ Master
Planner
Hargreaves Associates- Urban Design/
Landscape Architecture

Brenda Jackson
David Adegboye
Jamaal Amedee
William Belisle
Joseph Bouie
Chauncey Cammon
Robert Cannon
Harold Clark
Edmond Cummings
Rose Duhon-Sells
Beverly Favre
Donna Grant
Ada Kwambumbumpen
Mary Minter
Efesoa Mokosso
Shatiqua Mosby-Wilson
Gloria Moultric
Adrell Pinkney
Igwe Udeh
Ricky Warner
Avis White
Gerald Williams
Janice Winder

SUNO Master Plan

Chasm Architecture - Architecture/

Programming
Imagine GIS- Mapping/ Forecasting
D. L. Johnson Consulting - Surveying /
Analysis

CONTENTS
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
II. MISSION
History
Hurricane Katrina
SUNO Strategic Plan
Master Plan Goals
III. DATA COLLECTION
Surveys
Forecasts
Existing Documentation
Post-Katrina Analysis
IV. SITE ANALYSIS
Context
Environment
Vehicular Parking
Public Transport
Amenities
Constraints

5
7

13

19

V. MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Planning Principles
23
Study Areas
Proposed Framework
Planning Principles
Implementation
VI. NEXT STEPS
Implementing the Goals
Next Steps

44

SUNO Master Plan

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SUNO Master Plan

Project Overview

Master Plan Process

Master Plan Document

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Project Overview
Southern University New Orleans (SUNO) is
a Historically Black University located along
Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, Louisiana
about seven miles north of down town.
SUNO, much like many areas in New Orleans
suffered from the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This devastation forced
them to evaluate the use of the campus. To
aid in the return of the University a new master plan would have to be developed that addressed the universitys needs post Katrina.
Master Plan Process
The planning process started by engaging the
masterplan committee which was made up of
faculty, staff, and students to help guide the
process and give practical insight to the development of the plan. The process included data
gathering, defining the project boundary, site
analysis, presentation/ discussion of planning
alternatives, and compilation of this Master
Plan document summarizing analyses, recommendations, and alternatives considered.
Faculty, staff, and student input was fundamental to the development of the Master Plan.
Surveys were issued to capture this input, and
interviews were conducted with department
heads to give an understanding of the vision
of each college. A continuation of this input
and communication will be equally critical in
the development of the campus implementation projects arising from this Master Plan.

The Master Plan document is the collaborative

product of the Master plan committee lead by
Chancellor Victor Ukpolo. The committee was
responsible for SUNOs faculty, staff and Student input, along with the strategic plan document. St. Martin Brown & Associates served
as the urban planner and was responsible for

the coordination of the master plan process.

Hargreaves Associates served as the master
plan and landscape architecture consultant
and Chasm Architecture provided architectural
guidelines and implementation strategies.

San Luis Rey River Park

Draft Core Study Area

Southern University New Orleans Vicinity Map

SUNO Master Plan

5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Master Plan document is organized in the
following chapters:
I. Executive Summary
The Executive Summary includes an overview
and explanation of the Southern University
New Orleans (SUNO) Master Plan, the planning process, the planning context, and the
planning team for the SUNO Master Plan.
II. Mission
The SUNO Masterplan process is a unique
process due to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This section of the
document will observe two eras in the Universitys history, Pre-Katrina and Post Katrina.
The strategic plan document was created by
the University to help the academic transition
between the two eras in the Universitys history. Through the planning process goals were
set for the campus to ensure that the physical
and academic integrity of the Universty was
protected.
III. Data Collection
Data collection began by identifying the professional on the campus. The professional in this
document is defined as the person who used
the campus and benefited from its amenities.
These professionals are the faculty, staff, and
students of the University. Surveys were conducted to gain vital information from each of
these groups. The surveys were summarized

to give us the overall needs, concerns and priorities of the people who used the campus.
Forecasting was done to give projections of the
Universitys recovery and growth. The Master
Plan that was created in 1998 was studied and
used as a base for the new plan. The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina caused the
entire city of New Orleans to re-think how they
developed the land. The Master Plan analyzes
the existing campus and the damages caused
by the storm to give direction on the development and location of future site improvements.
IV. Site Analysis
Site analysis consisted of studying existing
physical and perceptual conditions within the
contextual study area. The Campus was observed from its relationship to the entire region.
The document then focused on its context to
the city. Finally the impact that the campus has
on its surrounding neighborhoods and their
impact on the campus was studied. The effects of these areas were categorized. The categorizes consisted of circulatory systems and
connections, natural and physical amenities,
and the physical constraints that the University faces.

ning principles were developed. From these

principles three basic planning/ programming
alternatives were developed. Based on further
feedback from the The Master Plan Committee, a Preferred Plan was then created. The Final Plan integrates refinements of the Preferred
Plan with more elaborated design and programming concepts for potential green space,
future academic, recreational, student services
and support sites. The documentation of the
planning process will allow subsequent users
of this document to understand not only conclusions and planning recommendations, but
also how and why conclusions were reached.
Finally, the implementation and phasing of the
campus development is described.
VI. Conclusions
This document is to be used as an active tool
to direct the recovery and growth of the University in the years to come. Implementation
goals are set and the next steps are defined.
The Master Plan is intended to be a living document and should be updated as progress is
made.

V. Master Plan
After a thorough analysis of the contextual
study area and the needs of the University, plan-

SUNO Master Plan

6

I. MISSION
History

Hurricane Katrina

SUNO Strategic Plan

10

Master Plan Goals

11

SUNO Master Plan

HISTORY
Southern University at New Orleans is a fouryear, state-supported, coed, liberal arts institution founded on September 21, 1959, for
the education of African American students.
SUNO, a branch and extension of Southern
University and A&M University, was created
by an act of the state legislature, which later
appropriated over $1 billion for the purchase
of property, construction, and furnishings.
In 1959 a 17-acre plot located in the residential community of Pontchartrain Park which
was historically made up of African-American
single-family residences was selected for the
campus of this new university. Established as
an open community of learners, classes began
with 158 freshmen, one building and a dedicated faculty of 15. The University offered 10
courses in four academic disciplines, including Humanities, Science, Social Science and
Commerce. In 1963, the first class received
bachelors degrees. Ten years later the University was removed from the jurisdiction of
the Louisiana State Board of Education and
became a branch of Southern University and
Agricultural and Mechanical College System
in Baton Rouge, the only HBCU university system in the world. As a branch of a land-grant
institution, SUNO is committed to providing
education to students with diverse abilities
and varying academic backgrounds. Its purpose is to prepare students to compete in their
respective professions or to pursue advanced
study. The University had grown to awarding

450 undergraduate and 70 graduate degrees

annually and serviced 3,600 students each semester prior to Hurricane Katrina. SUNO has
developed a reputation for educating those
who might not be where they are supposed to
be and taking them where they never thought
they could go.
SUNO possesses a surprisingly rich history in
athletics. The University is a member of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and part of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. Although the Knights are a part of the
NAIA at one time they competed in the NCAAs
Division III. They have won National Championships in NCAA Division III Mens Outdoor
Track & Field in 1975, 1976 and 1977 and in
NAIA Womens Outdoor/Indoor Womens

Track & Field in 1995 and 1997.

SUNO is currently situated on a 22-acre campus incorporating eleven buildings, including a 300,000-volume library. In 1993, SUNO
purchased a 38 - acre tract of land just north
of the existing campus. This additional land
gave SUNO the option to expand its campus
and increase the academic programs offered
to students. This additional land proved to be
most useful post- Katrina as it housed the universitys temporary campus.

Southern University At New Orleans Entry

SUNO Master Plan

8

HURRICANE KATRINA
Gentilly Woods section of Pontilly.
The effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans was catastrophic and long-lasting. As the
center of Katrina passed east of New Orleans
on August 29, 2005, winds were in the category 2 range, and tidal surge was equivalent to
about a category 3 hurricane. Though the most
severe portion of Katrina missed the city, the
storm surge caused more than 50 breaches in
drainage canal levees and also in navigational
canal levees.
By August 31, 2005, eighty percent of New Orleans was flooded, with some parts under 15
feet of water. Most of the citys levees designed
and built by the United States Army Corps of
Engineers were breached, including the 17th
Street Canal levee, the Industrial Canal levee, and the London Avenue Canal flood wall.
These breaches were responsible for most of
the flooding. (Wikipedia)
All of Pontchartrain Park, the neighborhood
that Surrounds SUNO, was inundated
from flooding caused by levee breaches in
the adjacent Industrial Canal. These
breaches resulted in more than eight feet of
flood waters throughout the entire
neighborhood. The northern section of the
Gentilly Woods subdivision suffered over
eight feet of flood waters as well. Closer to
Gentilly Boulevard/Chef Menteur Highway,
flood waters were marginally lower in the

The impact and cost of Katrina can be quantified, although numbers fail to capture the
many other dimensions of devastation. Louisianas Commissioner of Higher Education, Dr.
E. Joseph Savoie, reports that 84,000 students
and 15,000 faculty members were initially displaced by the hurricane. The states public institutions of higher learning suffered between
$500 and $600 million in damage, lost more
than $150 million in revenue and tuition, and
suffered $75 million in immediate budget cuts.
Another assessment reported a total direct revenue loss of $229 million by Louisianas public colleges and universities, virtually all of it
in the immediate New Orleans area. Although
the monetary losses of the private institutions
are harder to quantify, comparable estimates
emerged.

fall 2006 semester. At the beginning of the

spring 2006 semester, ninety-one faculty members returned to the university. SUNO continues to operate out of federally provided trailers and is the only college campus in the New
Orleans area still operating out of temporary
units. The first of the universitys buildings to
re-open was the gym.
Post-Katrina, nineteen academic programs
were cut. Despite the losses SUNO began, in
the fall of 2007, new academic programs to
begin filling various needs in the climate of rebuilding New Orleans.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused damage

to all eleven of the buildings on campus. Each
building received substantial damage from the
inundation of flood waters that entered into
the campus. Many of the structures on campus are still in the process of being gutted and
having the contaminated contents removed.
The university was able to open a temporary
facility, called SUNO North Campus on February 13, 2006. Enrollments for the spring 2006
Semester fell precipitously to 2,037 students
but increased to about 2,300 students for the

SUNO Master Plan

9

SUNO STRATEGIC PLAN - 2006

INTRODUCTION
It is required by the State of Louisiana that
higher institutions provide a strategic plan
for intended operations. For the years
2006-2011, Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) has prepared and implemented
strategic initiatives for those corresponding
years.
STRATEGIC PLANNING APPROACH
The development and implementation of an
institutionally participatory five-year strategic
plan for SUNO was dedicated to The University Strategic Planning Committee, which
consists of a campus-wide representation of
administrators and managers, faculty, staff,
students, and community representation.
One of the most important goals to SUNOs
strategic planning is to build on student
relationships and institutional relationships.
In the development of the strategic plan, an
internal and external environmental analysis
of the Universitys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, (S. W.O. T. Analysis)
was conducted. This document was developed through information and supporting
facts gathered from SUNO personnel, students, the community, the Louisiana Board of
Regents, the Southern University System, the
State of Louisiana, and other various references.
The mission, vision, and core values of Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) pro-

SUNO Master Plan

10

vide the foundation upon which this strategic

plan is developed.

Mission: The mission of SUNO is to create and

maintain an environment conducive to learning and growth, to promote the upward mobility of diverse populations by preparing them
to enter into new as well as traditional careers,
and to equip them to function optimally in the
mainstream of the global society.

state, national, and global communities

Establish and maintain uniqueness
and competitive advantages in the
higher education arena
Enhance major university-wide infrastructure and resources

Vision: Building on a legacy of educational excellence, equal access and opportunity to students from all walks of life, Southern University at New Orleans envisions itself as a state
university which values excellence in teaching,
research, and public service. Our vision is to
build upon this legacy through the provision
of academic excellence, to link all aspects of
university activities with community needs and
economic development, and to help students
become productive citizens.
Core Values: Excellence, Responsibility, Integrity, Accountability, Diversity, Nurturing, and
Service
The five strategic goals are:

Increase opportunities for student

success and access

Ensure academic and operational accountability and quality

Enhance academics, research, and

services to best support University,

Site Map

MASTER PLAN GOALS

Document existing physical conditions of the
university and its surrounding areas.

Provide linkages to communities and

adjacent land users.

Create a CAD data base of the existing

structures located on the south
campus to be used as a the base for
the Master Plan document.

Analyze and Project future missions and

needs.
Involve Faculty, Staff, and Students in
the planning process to assess the true
needs of people who benefit from campus
amenities the most.

Provide active relationship with surrounding

communities.

Develop building and site utilization

options and acquisition strategies to
accommodate the future vision.
Maximize the use of the existing park
campus and provide strategies for the
acquisition of neighboring properties to be
used for future expansion.
Provide site use plan for the future Lake
campus to enhance academic programing.
The northern portion of the lake campus
(about 18 acres) is reserved for the
proposed housing. The housing proposal
should accommodate about 750 student.
Site design and housing development are
not included in this proposal and shall be
provided by others.
Develop capital projects implementation
budget and schedule.
Provide list of projects to be implemented
throughout the redevelopment process.
Identify key projects that will help define
the framework of the Master Plan.

Temporary facilities on Lake Campus

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III. DATA COLLECTION

SUNO Master Plan

Surveys

13

Forecasts

16

Existing Documents

17

Post - Katrina Analysis

18

III. DATA COLLECTION

Introduction
Early in the planning process the planning
team realized the importance of capturing the
voices of all parties that University serviced.
This was accomplished through surveys and
interviews. Forecasting was done to give an estimate of the universities growth over the life
of the plan. The master plans development
base is the facts that are associated with the
University and the community that surrounds
it. These facts came from existing documents
and Post-Katrina analysis.
Survey Summery
Student Responses
The majority of Southern University
New Orleans student evaluated their overall
experience at SUNO as good. 52.2% of the respondents gave this response. 17.4% stated
that their experience was excellent while 26.1%
rated it as fair, and only 4.3% rated the experience as poor. 56% stated that currently they
are satisfied at SUNO, yet 70% have considered leaving SUNO to go to another university.
The demographics of the respondents
were African American/Black (92.5%), Baptist (47.7%) Females (75%) that came from
working class families (40%) whose parents
highest level of education was mother/female
guardian with a high school diploma ( 70.8%)
and father/male guardian with less than a high
school diploma (64.3%). The majority of re-

SUNO Master Plan

13

spondents (45.6%) came from a large city and

attended a high school that was all or nearly
all the same (35%) or mostly the same (25%)
race/ethnicity as they are.
Concerning technology the students
rated their professors as proficient (41%) and
stated that technology is very accessible (52%)
and very important to their degree (66%). 81%
of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed
that they need to learn more about technology.
When asked about the campus infrastructure and physical environment the students were satisfied or very satisfied with the
classrooms (60%), the labs (48%), the maintenance of the buildings (53%), the condition
of the infrastructure (48%), and the availability
of up-to-date equipment (50%). Students were
dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the availability of informal meeting space on campus
(48%). In general students responded that
they were satisfied or very satisfied about the
availability of parking (53%), the cost of parking (63%), campus safety (85%), general aesthetics of campus (58%) and the upkeep of the
campus grounds (79%). The majority of the
students were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied
(59%) about the dining options on campus,
the recreational activities available on campus
(60%), and the cultural activities available on
campus (58%).
In response to the question, How important are the following to the growth and ad-

vancement of SUNO? The majority responded that the following are very important:
Campus Bookstore
84%
Parking
84%
Research and Development
80%
Day Care/After Care Center
75%
Housing
71%
Fitness and Wellness Center 71%
Students also responded that they would
likely use facilities such as a student recreational gymnasium (52%), recreational space
like swimming pool, tennis courts, and fields
(50%), organized campus recreation activities
(52%), and a SUNO arts programs (63%).
According to the respondents the most
positive aspect of Southern University New
Orleans is the support and interaction of the
faculty and staff with the students. 46% wrote
responses that fit into this category. Students
wrote short answer responses to the question
What are the most serious problems or concerns that you have about attending SUNO?
42% wrote responses that stated the building, campus, or facilities was the most serious
problem. They also wrote responses to the
question, What do you think are the most significant changes that should be made at SUNO
to improve or enhance the quality of your education here? 68% wrote responses that said
the campus- better facilities, getting out of the
trailers, making it over physically is the most
significant change that should be made.

III. DATA COLLECTION

Staff Responses
The majority of the staff of Southern
University New Orleans responded that they
are very satisfied with how well they fit into
their department (66%), and 91% agree or
strongly agree that they would recommend
their department as a good place to work. 62%
of the staff that responded are satisfied or very
satisfied currently at SUNO.
When asked to grade the faculty the
majority of the respondents gave the faculty an
A in demonstrating professional ability (37%)
and professional achievements (33%).
When rating the university administration the majority rated the administration
as fair-poor in communicating with the staff
(48%), incorporating ideas from the staff into
decision making (49%), Establishing clear and
explicit priorities for the university (45%), and
making rational decisions (45%). They rated
the university administration as good-excellent in supporting academic freedom (43%)
and promoting diversity within the university
(60%).
The staff respondents overwhelmingly
felt that there is a feeling of unity and cohesion
among most of the faculty and staff in their department. 83% responded agree or strongly
agree.
When asked about the campus infrastructure and physical environment the staff
was satisfied or very satisfied with office space
(47%), maintenance of the buildings (56%),

availability of up-to-date- equipment (80%)

and availability of basic office supplies (89%).
They were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with
the infrastructure of the buildings (59%) and
the availability of informal meeting space
(57%). In general the staff respondents are
satisfied or very satisfied with the cost of parking (60%), campus safety (83%), the upkeep
of campus grounds (88%), and the cultural activities available on campus (51%). They are
dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the dining
options on campus (54%), the availability of
parking (54%), general aesthetics of campus
(49%), the amount of green space on campus
(54%), and the available recreational activities
on campus (77%).
In response to the question, How important are the following to the growth and advancement of SUNO? The majority responded that the following are very important:
Campus Bookstore
91%
Day Care/After Care Center
89%
Parking
87%
Fitness and Wellness Center 87%
Technology/Science Center
86%
Testing Center
85%
Housing
83%
Lab School
80%
Research and Development
80%
Staff also responded that they would likely
use facilities such as a student/faculty recreational gymnasium (74%), recreational space
like swimming pool, tennis courts, and fields

(69%), organized campus recreation activities

(80%), and a SUNO arts programs (69%).
According to the respondents the
most positive aspect of being a member of
the staff at Southern University New Orleans
is the work atmosphere (48%) and working to
shape the lives of students (38%). The staff
wrote short answer responses to the question
What are the most serious problems or concerns that you have about working at SUNO?
34% wrote responses that stated the building,
campus, or facilities as the most serious problem and 21% wrote communication with the
administration. They also wrote responses to
the question, What do you think are the most
significant changes that should be made at
SUNO to improve or enhance the quality of
your education here? 31% of the responses
dealt with restoring the campus.
Faculty Responses
A large majority of the faculty of Southern University New Orleans that took the survey responded that they are very satisfied with
how well they fit into their department (93%),
they feel valued in their department, (93%),
and 87% agree or strongly agree that they
would recommend their department as a good
place to work. 80% of the faculty responded
that they are satisfied or very satisfied currently
at SUNO.
When asked to grade the faculty the
majority of the respondents gave the faculty a
B in demonstrating professional ability (44%)

SUNO Master Plan

14

III. DATA COLLECTION

and professional achievements (50%).
When rating the university administration the majority rated the administration as
good-excellent in communicating with the faculty (61%), incorporating ideas from the staff
into decision making (50%), establishing clear
and explicit priorities for the university (67%),
supporting academic freedom (67%), and
making rational decisions (61%). They also
rated the university administration as good-excellent in supporting academic freedom (43%)
and promoting diversity within the university
(60%).
The faculty respondents overwhelmingly felt that there is a feeling of unity and
cohesion among most of the faculty and staff
in their department. 81% responded agree or
strongly agree.
When asked about the campus infrastructure and physical environment the faculty
was dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with office
space (80%), lab space (80%), the classrooms
they teach in (57%), maintenance of the buildings (79%), availability of up-to-date- equipment (65%), infrastructure of the buildings
(86%) and the availability of informal meeting
space (79%). They were satisfied or very satisfied with the availability of basic office supplies (57%). In general the faculty respondents
are satisfied or very satisfied with the cost of
parking (86%), campus safety (71%), and the
upkeep of campus grounds (79%). They are
dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the dining
options on campus (50%), the availability of

SUNO Master Plan

15

parking (57%), general aesthetics of campus

(57%), the amount of green space on campus
(50%), the available recreational activities on
campus (73%), and the and the cultural activities available on campus (67%).
In response to the question, How important are the following to the growth and advancement of SUNO? The majority responded that the following are very important:
Research and Development
73%
Day Care/After Care Center
67%
Technology/Science Center
67%
Video Conferencing Center
67%
Parking
60%
Campus Bookstore
60%
Faculty also responded that they would likely
use facilities such as a student/faculty recreational gymnasium (80%), recreational space
like swimming pool, tennis courts, and fields
(67%), organized campus recreation activities
(73%), and a SUNO arts programs (47%).
According to the respondents the
most positive aspect of being a member of the
faculty at Southern University New Orleans is
working with students (50%) and the work atmosphere (33%) The faculty wrote short answer responses to the question What are the
most serious problems or concerns that you
have about working at SUNO? 38% wrote responses that stated the building, campus, or
facilities as the most serious problem. They
also wrote responses to the question, What

do you think are the most significant changes

that should be made at SUNO to improve or
enhance the quality of your education here?
42% of the responses dealt with restoring the
campus.
Overall Trends
While this report does not reflect answers to every question in the survey it does
bring out the major themes of the voices of
faculty, students, and staff at Southern University New Orleans that responded. Faculty,
staff, and students at SUNO feel that they have
a good experience or fit at SUNO and currently
are satisfied.
Concerning the campus physical environment students are more satisfied with
the conditions than the faculty and staff. Yet
when responding with short answers the students agreed with the faculty and staff that the
campus was the most serious problem and
should be the most significant change that is
made. Across the board all groups agree that
a campus bookstore, parking, research and development, and day care are important to the
growth and advancement of SUNO. The faculty is the only group that did not rank housing
above 60%.
The survey shows presently there is
good morale at SUNO despite all the problems that were voiced, yet the concern about
the campus facility is heavily on the minds of
everyone involved.
San Diego County Vicinity Map

III. DATA COLLECTION

Forecasting
The rate of growth of the University is an important part of the planning process. Forecasting allows us to hypothesize the future growth
of the university. The forecasting is based on
the historic growth trends of the university.
Universities of similar size and geographi-

cal location are examined to compare growth

rates. Tremendous changes to the Universities enrollment and graduation numbers are
reported in 2005, this drop in attendance is a
direct result of the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina. Because of the massive amount
of displacement experienced by New Orleans

residence the forecasting had to examine the

return rate of the city. Other key components
such as the addition of housing help boost the
projected attendance rates for SUNO. With the
addition
on campus housing SUNO will have the opportunity to expand their market and reach na-

2008 - 2013 Enrollment Projections

Fall 2004
3647

Historic Enrollment
Spring 2004 Fall 2005 Spring 2005
Fall 2006
3726
NA
2037
2314

Spring 2006 Fall 2007

2352
2634

2008 - 09
2790

2009 - 10
2934

Projections
2010 - 11
3036

2011 - 12
3139

2012 - 2013
3239

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III. DATA COLLECTION

Existing Documents
Physical Plant Master Plan -1998
The SUNO Master Plan 1998 outlines a course
of action which will enable SUNO to achieve
its goals of creating a well-organized. Cohesive campus with an overall consistent character and a strong physical presence. It is Important to note that the long-term success of
the SUNO Master Plan is dependent upon Its
careful implementation and ongoing revaluation by the university. As we move Into the
21st century factures may come into play that
will Influence the growth and development of
SUNG. Although the planning team has made
every effort to realistically project the long-term
needs of the University and develop recommendations accordingly, it is incumbent upon
the University to regularly revisit these projections and the resulting recommendations. At
the time of this plan SUNOs land holdings
consisted of the existing 22-acre campus and
a fairly undeveloped 38-acre parcel purchased
in 1993. The I buildings on the existing campus
were built between 1959 and 1999 and contain
about 386,500 gross square feet of academic
space.
SUNO recognized the Importance of comprehensive planning after purchasing the 38 - acre
tract of land north of the existing campus in
1993. In June 1994 Bilies/Manning Architects
prepared a Master Plan for-this
property, with assistance from Birk~Kleinpeter,

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17

Inc. In support of a zoning classification change

from Business Industrial Park to Multiple Family Residential (which includes university buildings)

The general objectives were as follows:

The Master Plan should outline the efficient use of existing facilities and not
call for the construction of new buildings until all existing facilities are renovated and used to their fullest capacity.
The university should inter-act with and
be part of the community, by serving as
a local cultural resource
The university should be accessible to
disabled people.
The Master Plan should tie the existing
and new campuses together.
The objectives defined in the 1998 physical plant Master Plan were used as building
blocks for the development of this document. The flood waters of hurricane Katrina
forced the university to modify the proposed
lay for the campus made in the 1998 plan.

Physical Plant Master Plan -1998

III. DATA COLLECTION

Post - Katrina Analysis
The communities surrounding SUNO were
inundated with flood waters caused by
storm surge and breaches in the industrial
canal levee. Damage estimates showed that
the neighboring communities were substantially damaged. Flood waters reached levels
between 10 - 12 feet on the campus rendering all eleven building on the Park campus
inoperable. Mold and Mildew set in destroying the contents in the building the a total estimate of the damages has not yet been
determand

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18

SITE ANALYSIS
Context

20

Environment

20

Vehicular | Parking

20

Public Transport

22

Amenities

22

Constraints

22

SUNO Master Plan

SITE ANALYSIS
CONTEXT
The Southern University at New Orleans Campus is located on the southern edge of Lake
Pontchartrain just west of the Industrial Canal.
This position offers both important proximity to the greater metropolitan areas of New
Orleans with Kenner and Metairie to the west
and East New Orleans and Slidell to the east.
Across the Causeway to the north is the entire
north shore grounded with Covington. To the
south of the Campus is Downtown New Orleans and the West Bank with countless neighborhoods and communities that, combined
with those of this greater catchment area, provide the University with a large portion of its
student and faculty populations. This proximity to Greater New Orleans renders almost immediate access to the cultural and recreational
amenities of the metropolis including world
famous events such as Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest,
2nd Line Parades, and sporting venues. This in
concert with the rich cultural heritage makes
SUNO a distinct learning environment within
the overall Southern University family.

front levee. There are now 38 additional acres

in which to develop the future of SUNO. This
northern campus is bounded to the west by the
University of New Orleans (UNO) Kiefer Arena
and recreational fields and is divided from it
by the proposed extension of Press Drive from
its current access drive up to Lakeshore Drive.
To the immediate east is the Federal Bureau of
Investigations Headquarters Building.
There are no significant land, vegetation or wa-

ter features on the northern parcel as the site

was and is still being occupied by the temporary facilities and FEMA trailers for the University.
VEHICULAR | PARKING
The traffic patterns around the site present a
series of issues to be discussed later. There is
currently a major vehicular intersection made
up of Press Drive, which runs into the heart of
the Pontchartrain Park and Gentilly Neighbor-

SUNO Campus Site

ENVIRONMENT
The pre-Hurricane Katrina campus existed
almost solely on the 22 acres on Press Drive
between Pontchartrain Park and the Gentilly
Neighborhood just south of the railway overpass and Leon C. Simon Boulevard. With the
expansion of the temporary Campus to the
north between Leon C. Simon up to the LakeNew Orleans & Lake Pontchartrain

SUNO Master Plan

20

SITE ANALYSIS
Lake Pontchartrain
SUNO Campus Site

hoods, and Leon C. Simon Boulevard which

connects East New Orleans from Haynes
Boulevard and Robert E. Lee Boulevard and
City Park. Less than one mile to the west is
Elysian Fields, a major north-south artery to
Downtown, the French Quarter and Bywater
Neighborhoods on the Mississippi River and
the only street in the city that connects the lake
and the river. Because Leon C. Simon is a split
parkway at its intersection with Press Drive,
there is a series of traffic signals which causes

a great deal of gridlock at certain times such as

inbound rush hour and during major events at
the UNO Kiefer Arena.
As a new master plan framework will be proposed for the new north campus, no parking
evaluation is being analyzed at this point as the
programs and circulation systems for this area
will take into account the parking demands.
The existing south campus is surrounded by
parking along Press Drive and along the back
campus roadway.

Downtown New Orleans

UNO Campus

FBI

Pontilly
Neighborhood

New Orleans Vicinity Map

Adjacent Uses

Public Transportation

SUNO Master Plan

21

SITE ANALYSIS

PUBLIC TRANSPORT
There are currently two bus routes that serve
the SUNO Campus and link the University to
the greater Regional Transit Authority system.
The Franklin 57 originates on Press Drive in
front of SUNO and travels on Leon C. Simon
west to Franklin Avenue towards St. Claude
Avenue. The cross town route, the 60 Haynes,
travels west from East New Orleans on Haynes
Boulevard and continues past SUNO on Leon

C. Simon Boulevard over to Robert E. Lee Boulevard. This line connects to numerous routes
that run north-south to and from downtown.

portunity to capitalize on the views, physical

access and natural ecologies and to join the
University with these larger landscapes.

NATURAL AMENITIES
As mentioned previously the overall campus,
both north and south, have immediate frontage on two major elements of the park system of New Orleans: Lake Pontchartrain and
the Lakeshore Drive, and Pontchartrain Park.
Given these adjacencies, there is notable op-

CONSTRAINTS
There are three significant obstacles related to
the development of the two campuses, north
and south, as one. First is the distance of 600
feet between the entries into the two campuses which poses an issue of identity for those
visiting the University for the first time, as well
as the day to day back and forth for students,
faculty, and staff. Second is the challenge of
the intersection of Press Drive and Leon C.
Simon Boulevard that exists between the two
campuses, and third is the railroad levee that
prevents a visual connection between the two
campus areas as well as the unsightly underpass.

Lake Pontchartrain

Pontchartrain
Park

Existing Natural Assets

SUNO Master Plan

22

Constraints

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Planning Principles

24

Study Areas

25

Proposed Framework

30

Planning Principles
Implementation

42

SUNO Master Plan

23

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

PLANNING PRINCIPLES
The following principles establish a set of
guidelines that are based on best practices for
campus planning for colleges and universities
throughout the country. These are markers
that existing and proposed campuses can be
evaluated by and offer a subset of goals and
objectives to employ during the planning process to the specifics of the SUNO campus and
environs.

1. Capitalize on the natural assets of Lake

Pontchartrain and Pontchartrain Park.
As mentioned in the analytical section of this
report, these powerful landscapes should be
played up in the design and rebranding of the
University on both campuses, therefore the
nomenclature of Park Campus and Lake
Campus is incorporated in this document.

2. Create a safe and secure connection between

the Park Campus and the Lake Campus.
This over arching principle can be applied on
numerous levels ranging from issues associated with deterring crime, well-lit and navigable pedestrian environments, and a reduction
in vehicular traffic within the campus. Given
the expansive nature of the new Lake Campus,
there is considerable concern regarding the
open edges along the levee and the boundary
with the University of New Orleans (UNO).
The separation of the two campuses also presents challenges in achieving this goal due to
the traffic on Leon C. Simon Boulevard and
Press Drive.

3. Maintain a functional separation of pedestrian and vehicular environments.

The overlapping requirements of automobiles
and pedestrians is one of the most detrimental
situations that a campus can find itself. It is
critical that these systems are not left to haphazard planning as the resulting environment
is an inefficient use of land, unsafe for both pedestrian and driver and produces an unsightly
campus.

SUNO Master Plan

24

4. Create a strong campus identity.

There are three levels of opportunity for SUNO
to achieve this goal. The first is along Leon C.
Simon; the second is to reestablish its fronts
to both campuses from Press Drive; and the
third is through the internal layout and organization of the proposed expansion where a distinct character can be developed to unify the
campus.

5. Provide a clear framework for flexible campus growth over time as needs evolve.
This objective is essential to the healthy development of the University. Maintaining a planning structure that can be filled in over time
with a variety of programs prevents the unfortunate placement of buildings, parking facilities and landscapes. The framework should be
thought of as a skeleton that is a development
infrastructure of pedestrian circulation, building locations and vehicular systems so that,
regardless of the time frame of maximizing the
full build out of the campus, the campus works
at all stages.

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

STUDY AREAS
Lake Campus

The entirety of the SUNO campus is divided

into areas of focus which follows the process
undertaken by the planning team and maintains attention at two scales the overall of the
university and the concentration within study
areas. The study areas include: the academic
expansion of the Lake Campus, the Park Campus, and the Intersection of Press Drive and
Leon C. Simon Boulevard.
Intersection

Park Campus

Study Areas

SUNO Master Plan

25

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Intersection:
Press Drive | Leon C. Simon Blvd.
From the outset of this master planning effort,
the challenge to resolve the issues surrounding
this very confusing and dangerous intersection
were of utmost importance. A proposal that
had been put forth prior to this assignment
was to incorporate a pedestrian bridge that
would connect the new Lake Campus with the
existing Park Campus and cross both the intersection and the railroad levee. This bridge

could take several different courses and was

evaluated based on length and associated
costs of the span, methods of connecting to
the organizations of the two campuses and the
potential for establishing a SUNO identity with
the image of the bridge. The initial route studied - Option A - was one that took a route parallel to Press Drive on the east side of the street.
This course would link the southwest corner
of the Lake Campus with the northeast side of
the Park Campus, however would still require

pedestrians to cross Press Street on the south

side of the railroad levee, so this option was
not wholly successful in providing a safe and
direct connection. The second alternative - Option B - proposes a more direct route that links
the northeast corner of the Park Campus due
north and only crosses the eastbound traffic of
Leon C. Simon and continues at grade across
the westbound traffic with traffic-calming measures such as a paved crosswalk, walk signals,
lane narrowing, lighting and landscape.

Pedestrian Bridge: Section

Existing Intersection

SUNO Master Plan

26

Pedestrian Bridge Option A

Pedestrian Bridge Option B

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

The third and recommended alternative - Option C - would be to incorporate the bridge route
of Option B and to realign the intersection by
ganging the east- and west-bound lanes into
a single unified, more conventional intersection with appropriate turn lanes, crosswalks
and signaling. This creates a more understood
intersection environment, and allows for pedestrians to cross both lanes of traffic and the
railroad levee in one reduced span. This alternative also renders the potential of additional
development land on the north side of Leon C.
Simon Boulevard that could be acquired by the
Lake Campus, giving the University a prime
position along this major thoroughfare. For
the following studies this area was included as
part of the SUNO Lake Campus.

Existing Intersection Alignment

Proposed Realignment & Land Acquisition

Proposed Intersection Realignment

Pedestrian Bridge Option C

SUNO Master Plan

27

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Pedestrian Bridge: Precedents
Several pedestrian bridge case studies support
this recommendation as they indicate that the
functional values of safety and connection are
oftentimes complimented by those qualitative
values of University identity, aesthetic contributions and pedestrian experience. The Weeks

Bridge at Harvard University spans the Charles

River and connects the original University and
its expanded Business School campus. This
bridge is a graceful arching structure that embodies the aesthetic of this historic campus
and is appreciated from both sides as the river
bends.

Weeks Bridge, Harvard University

Weeks Bridge, Harvard University

SUNO Master Plan

28

Weeks Bridge, Harvard University

The George S. Eccles Legacy Bridge at the

University of Utah is a contemporary suspension structure that spans between a residential
sector of the campus and the recreational and
main areas of the school. This infrastructure
element provides an important and symbolic
connection within the organization of the
growing university and separates pedestrians,
joggers and bicycles from a very busy roadway
not unlike Leon C. Simon Boulevard.
The Recreation Center at Ohio State University offers an interesting solution to a building
connector over a main campus street as it operates as a bridge and as an integral piece of
the buildings that it joins. Another important
characteristic of this connector is that it can
be admired from inside of the larger buildings
as well, thus it is not a stand alone element
and creates a dynamic interaction between
level of the bridge and the spaces that it travels through. Also, given its dramatic lighting
and color effect, it is a horizontal beacon both
night and day.

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

George S. Eccles Legacy Bridge, University of Utah

Recreation Center , Ohio State University

Recreation Center , Ohio State University

Recreation Center , Ohio State University

George S. Eccles Legacy Bridge, University of Utah

Recreation Center , Ohio State University

SUNO Master Plan

29

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Proposed Framework
One of the primary planning principles is to
maintain a clear distinction between the inside and the outside of the campus and to reinforce a set of systems that maintain, to the
degree possible, a separation of vehicular and
pedestrian circulation. With the extension of
Press Drive from the UNO access point up to
Lakeshore Drive there became a distinct edge
to the west side of the Lake Campus. The recommendation of this plan is to maintain a

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Alternative 1

vehicular circulation on this west edge, along

Leon C. Simon to the south and adjacent to
the FBI Headquarters to the east. This provides vehicular access points into the campus
entry drop-off on Press Drive and into perimeter parking and service facilities with vehicular
access into the campus reserved for security,
emergency, events and maintenance. Once
this outside vehicular zone with clearly identifiable access points is established, an understandable system of pedestrian public spaces
is enacted. This system is held together by the
primary element of the campus corridor which
is made up of the Lake Campus Promenade as
an extension of the bridge running north to the
Lake Pontchartrain Levee Park and also connects to the Park Campus Promenade. This
artery unifies the entire campus and is a spine
that runs through or by a series of other quadrangles, courtyards, gardens and recreational
lawns.

Alternative 2

Lake Campus

C.
Leon

lvd.

on B

Sim

Alternative 3

riv

sD

es

Pr
Park Campus

LEGEND
Residential
Recreation
Academic
Student Life

Vehicular Access

SUNO Master Plan

30

Main Pedestrian Route

Zoning Alternatives

Following this circulation framework for the

Lake Campus, zoning scenarios based on general allocations of university program pieces
were laid out. These options also reflect the
given desires to have the residential zone towards the Lake, the expansion of academics
and research towards Leon C. Simon and the
Park Campus, and to have recreational and
other student life programs more centralized.
Zoning Alternative 3 became the basis for the
general program distribution and organizational development of the Lake Campus.

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Open Space Systems
The open space system is based on traditional campus models of centralized quadrangles with supporting entry plazas, gardens
and recreational lawns for passive, active and
education related programs. The network of
these spaces is choreographed to create a rich
and diverse language of environments. Careful considerations were given to scale, placement and interrelationship. Many examples
were evaluated to determine the appropriate
sizes of spaces in context of proposed building footprints and heights. Some of the best
models were university quads that allowed for
multiple functions recreational, cultural and
ceremonial all to occur at various times. This
is highly recommended as it provides a venue
for many important student life experiences to
happen in the same heart of the campus, and,
utilizes the available land in the most efficient
manner.

Quad Precedent:
Florida A&M

Quad Precedent:
Howard University

Quad Precedent:
Tulane University

LEGEND
Building Site
Parking
Quadrangles
Recreational
Lawns
Press Drive
Improvements

Zimmer Plaza, University of Cincinnati

Open Space Systems

SUNO Master Plan

31

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Circulation Systems
As previously discussed, the separation of the
vehicular and pedestrian environments was
essential to the success of this effort and has
been maintained throughout. Another important aspect of the circulation system is the
variety of types and characters of spaces. In
this regard, we have proposed that the primary
spine running north-south through the campus would be a streetscape environment that
would be lined with buildings and offer a more

urban, hard, promenade. It could be thought

of as a linear plaza and would be made up of
paving patterns, fountains, benches, lighting
and signage that contributed to this more citylike atmosphere. The spine, as previously cited
in these pages, would transform to make the
connection up and over the pedestrian bridge.
It would be advantageous for the bridge itself
to also embody the nature of the spine and operate not as a different or separate piece, but
as a continuation of the at-grade experience. As

LEGEND
Building Site
Parking
Main Street
Pedestrian
Bridge
Iconic Tower

Pedestrian Main Street

SUNO Master Plan

32

Main Street, University of Cincinnati

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

the bridge lands in the Park Campus, it would
once again transform to an environment similar to the Lake Campus, but would need to adjust to some of the existing conditions on this
campus while remaining primary.
This spine would be complimented and supported by the secondary ribs that travel eastwest in both campuses. These circuits would
be more similar to traditional quadrangle pathways of either paving or crushed stone material

to offer a softer more park-like experience while

knitting the lateral places on the campus back
to the promenade. Additionally the landscape
strategies could reinforce this juxtaposition
through the use of plantings, landforms, water
elements, materials and detailing. These treatments can be a unique feature that reinforces
the overall organization of the campus while
unifying it through physical conditions, spatial
experiences and resulting atmospheres.

LEGEND
Pedestrian
Circulation
Vehicular
Circulation
Campus Entries
Front Doors
Service Access
Building Site
Parking
Open Space

Alumni Plaza, University of Arizona

Circulation & Access Systems

SUNO Master Plan

33

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Lake Campus Recommendations
The development of the framework for the Lake Campus as depicted in
the Illustrative Plan has been based on a programmatic full build out of
University needs and projected future requirements based on colleges
of similar student and department sizes and missions. This plan assumes the desire to maintain a general overall building height of three
levels, does not yet incorporate any additional levels to raise buildings
out of the FEMA flood elevations, and positions all departments that
may relocate to the Lake Campus from the existing facilities in the Park
Campus. This recommended framework also incorporates the circulation and organizational objectives cited in the Planning Principles
b

Illustrative Plan

SUNO Master Plan

34

a) Downtown | CBD
b) Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
c) Haynes Boulevard Approach
d) East New Orleans I-10 Approach

Tower: Site Lines

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

which are revisited at the end of this section. A
tremendous opportunity exists in the development of a vertical tower building on the Lake
Campus given its flat topography, proximity to
Lake Pontchartrain and its position at the intersecting bends of Leon C. Simon Boulevard
and Press Drive. A tower would mark a position on the horizon and take advantage of far
off views in this case to and from Downtown,
the Causeway and across Lake Pontchartrain.
It would be a powerful icon in the development

Tower

Bridge

Tower & Bridge Location

of the new SUNO as a gateway piece coming

from every direction and be a collegiate symbol from within the Lake Campus grounding
its southern edge and the connection to the
pedestrian bridge. Perhaps more significantly
would be the presence of this building from
the Park Campus itself. This mental and visual
connection between the Lake and Park Campuses offers a decidedly important solution to
the current dilemma associated with having
two very separate areas within one university.

While the proposed full build out of the Lake

Campus has yet to be grounded with a projected programmatic and facilities verification for
expansion and future growth, it is the intention
of this framework to provide a skeleton vision.
Thus a symbolic tower component is strongly
recommended for this pivotal site and would
serve as a cornerstone of the University identity for decades to come.

INSERT 3D VIEW OF
LAKE CAMPUS &
TOWER & BRIDGE
HERE
Lake Campus 3D View

SUNO Master Plan

35

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Phasing: Lake Campus
There were three primary building sites that
needed to be determined: 1) the School of
Social Work 2) the Business School and 3)
the Information Technology Center. Each of
these proposed new buildings will house approximately 20,000 square feet of departmental program on three levels. These sites were
to be located with two critical factors in mind.
The first was that they were located within the
zoning areas for academic expansion on the

Lake Campus and second was that they were

on sites that currently were unoccupied by the
temporary trailer campus. The following diagrams illustrate how these three building sites
(designated in orange) simultaneously fit in
between the existing trailers and are the first
pieces of the puzzle of the framework in the
full build-out of the Lake Campus. It should
go without saying that the phasing in of these
three buildings is a critical step in the success
of the implementation of the SUNO Master

Plan as they will reinforce the ground rules and

become examples that stress the importance
of the plan and the validity of its principles and
recommendations.

Lake Campus: Framework Overlay

Lake Campus: Full Build-Out

Lake Campus: Phase 1

SUNO Master Plan

36

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Existing Housing

Future Site
(academic | recreational)

Lake Campus Promenade

Student Parking Garage

(with recreation above)

School of Social Work

Recreational Lawn
Visitor Parking
Future Site
(academic | research)

Future Site

Campus Entry | Drop-Off

Academic Quad
Business School
Information Technology
Center

Future Tower Site

SUNO Bridge
to Park Campus

Realigned Intersection

Lake Campus: Site Program

SUNO Master Plan

37

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Park Campus Recommendations
The existing Park Campus suffered extensive damage during Hurricane
Katrina and is, at the writing of this document, in the process of slowly
managing the re-occupation of the facilities. This planning assignment
was directed to look beyond the immediate future of these facilities
and the related programs to establish a vision for developing a campus
expansion strategy that would compliment the emergence of the Lake
Campus and provide a similar assumption about how to reinforce the
attributes of the Park Campus.
There were three key elements that developed during the planning
process for the Park Campus. The first was to make the arrival into

Illustrative Plan

SUNO Master Plan

38

Live Oak Understory

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

this campus from Press Drive more memorable and beautiful and to satisfy the existing
drop-off, minimal parking and turn-around
needs. This functional operation was joined
with the aspiration to connect Pontchartrain
Park landscape atmosphere onto the campus.
The entire Press Drive edge is proposed to be
recreated as an extension of the Pontchartrain
Park to give the sense of passing through a
densely canopied conventional New Orleans
boulevard. This setting is accentuated with a
new arrival court and water feature. The next

opportunity to enrich the Park Campus is the

potential real estate acquisition of the two residential blocks to the southwest. With this expansion the University can provide additional,
consolidated parking for this campus and develop potential building sites surrounding a
new south quadrangle. This would act as the
extension of the existing open space system of
this campus and the proposed Park Campus
promenade. The third item of this framework
would be to address the western edge of the
campus along the railroad levee and to provide

a protective landscape and develop a better

streetscape environment by reducing parking
and consolidate servicing areas.

INSERT 3D VIEW OF
PARK CAMPUS HERE

Live Oak Alley

Park Campus 3D View

SUNO Master Plan

39

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Phasing: Park Campus
As there were no immediate building or open
space programs that required siting or phasing in on the Park Campus, it was determined
that a general phasing strategy should be proposed. It would be the recommendation of
the Planning Team to focus first on the perimeter landscape condition and arrival court on
Press Drive. This would offer a new front and
refresh the identity of SUNO along the edge
of Pontchartrain Park. This effort would also

not interfere in any way with the ongoing re-occupation of the buildings within the campus.
The other piece within the Park Campus that
could be initiated in the near-term would be to
incorporate the improvements along the railroad levee. The intent here would be to remediate the noise and upgrade the visual environment on this side of the campus, improve the
service and vehicular systems and anticipate
both the post-Katrina renovations of the campus buildings and a future that might include

the development to the south of the two residential blocks that are currently severely under
utilized. As both of these first step projects
would not be building-related, but open space
development and improvement initiatives, it
would be important for them to be addressed
as Landscape Architecture projects and not as
operations or maintenance efforts. This will
ensure that the open space character of the
Park Campus is given as much consideration
as the buildings and reinforces the intent of
the Master Plan.

Park Campus: Existing

Park Campus: Phase 1

Park Campus: Full Build-Out

SUNO Master Plan

40

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

SUNO Bridge
to Lake Campus

Railroad Levee
Improvements
Park Campus
Promenade
Existing Quad
Improvements

Academic Quad
Existing Campus
Entry | Drop-off

Future Site
(academic | research)

Press Drive
Landscape Improvements

Surface Parking

Pontchartrain Park
Student Parking Garage
Future Site
(academic | research)

Park Campus: Site Program

SUNO Master Plan

41

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

PLANNING PRINCIPLES IMPLEMENTATION
The following illustrations reinforce that the
goals of the principles have been incorporated
and built upon on numerous levels and scales.
This inherently resulted in a series of solutions
that embodied and overlapped more than one
objective and created a rich master plan for
SUNO.

1. Capitalize on the natural assets of Lake

Pontchartrain and Pontchartrain Park.
The renaming of the two campuses as Park
and Lake exemplifies this and is supported
with the arrival proposal on Press Drive across
from the Park, the tower building which would
have views of the Lake and the north-south
openness of the Lake Campus to the housing
and the Lake levee beyond.

Lake Pontchartrain

Pontchartrain
Park

SUNO Master Plan

42

2. Create a safe and secure campus environment

This goal was met with a clear separation of
inside the campus pedestrian environments
and outside the campus functions such as
parking courts, vehicular circulation and a
strong perimeter identity. A critical item is the
proposal of the pedestrian bridge between the
Lake Campus and the Park Campus for safety
as well as security concerns.

MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT

3. Maintain a functional separation of pedestrian and vehicular environments.
The vehicular environments including visitor parking and entry drop-offs are accommodated outside of the pedestrian circulation
system on the interior of the campus. The interface between these two systems is resolved
through gateway devices of driving courts that
mark the vehicular arrival locations for both
the Park and Lake Campuses. The pedestrian
bridge also maintains a clear separation.

Lake Campus

4. Create a strong campus identity.

This is accomplished on several different levels. First is the introduction of the pedestrian
bridge between the two campuses, second is
the inclusion of a vertical building at the corner
of the Lake Campus, third is the development
of a rich landscape along Press Drive to establish the arrival into the Park Campus from the
south, and lastly, is the campus promenade
that unifies the public experience throughout
the entire university.

5. Provide a clear framework for flexible campus growth over time as needs evolve.
This is best shown in the phasing of the first
building sites for the Business School, the
School of Social Work and the Information
Technology Center, where the proposed sites
are placed within the zoning construct of the
campus, fit within the future full build-out
strategy, and works within the constraints of
the interim trailer campus.

Quadrangles

Tower
C.
Leon

lvd.

on B

Sim

Bridge

riv

sD

es

Pr
Park Campus

Press Street
Improvements

SUNO Master Plan

43

VI. NEXT STEPS

SUNO Master Plan

Introduction

44

Proposed Projects

45

Programing Park Campus

47

Redistribution Process

47

Guideline Development

48

NEXT STEPS
Through a series Master Plan Committee
Meetings, Surveys and Interviews several program items were discovered. This list began as
a wish list and was developed into a practical
list of future structure that when developed
will help SUNO fulfill its long and short term
visions ultimately enhancing the educational
experience of the campus. SUNO is progressively growing and changing it is important
that the Master Plan allows the university to
utilize its existing land to accommodate for
this growth.
Several projects have already been identified
and schedule for implementation in the next
few months. These project will be used to develop the frame work of the plan. The Master
Plan also allows for these projects to expand as
the University grows. The addition of on campus housing will aid the SUNO in its expansion this is why campus housing became a priority for the university. The on campus housing
development is currently being designed by
others and is not a part of this planning effort,
however a location for its placement has been
identified.
The faculty and staff directed the design team
on clearly defining the list of proposed projects
and the functionality of each building.
The project list is as follows:
Student Housing - Housing should accommodate 750 students. A clear separation of
traditional and non-tradition students should
be identified.

SUNO Master Plan

45

School of Business - The School of Business

should be developed as an office building providing class room space as well as conference
rooms equipped with the latest technology.
The goal is to allow student to learn business
in the same environment that they will practice
it.

ized training in all areas of criminal justice.

Fitness and Wellness Center - The fitness and
wellness center will allow the University to offer healthy living practices as well as provide
recreational opportunities.
Technology / Science Center - This department
will offer students state of art technology train-

ing.
Other notable projects:
Conference Center
Testing Center
Hotel
Lab School
Day Care
Parking Structure
Campus Book Store
Business Incubator
Research and Development

School of Social Work - this departments desire is to meet the needs of the community as
a whole and to give student the opportunity to
develop skill that can be applied in the rebuilding of their city.
University Center - The University center will
be a place for the Faculty, Staff and Students
to gather. Building should be an Iconic structure used to help maintain SUNOs physical
identity.
Museum - Through the years the University
has developed a collection of local and international art and artifacts it is important that these
treasures be shared with the community.
Family Literacy Center - SUNOs has developed
a goal to educate people at all levels. This center would be a service to the community that
allows families to learn together.
Criminal Justice Center - SUNO has state of the
art DNA testing equipment and is located adjacent to the FBI building. The Criminal justice
center would allow students to receive special-

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NEXT STEPS

Lake Campus
1. Existing Housing *
2. School of Social Work
3. Future Site
(Academic / recreational)
4. Student Parking Garage
(with recreation above)
5. Visitor Parking
6. Recreational Lawn
7. Future Site
8. Future Site
(Academic / research)
9. Lake Campus Promenade
10. Camp Entry / Drop-Off
11. Academic Quad
12. Business School
13. Information / Technology Center
14. Future Tower Site
15. Realigned Intersection
16. Suno Connection
To Park Campus

Park Campus
17. Existing Building
18. Future Academic Building
19. Student Parking Garage

* Housing design provided by others not included

in master plan scope.

Suno Campus Plan legend

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Suno Campus Plan

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NEXT STEPS
INTRODUCTION

1. Develop Documentation and Evaluation of

The Park Campus Facilities

2. Develop a Working Program for Park Campus

This Master Plan Document is intended to be

a tool to aid the future development of both
the Park and the Lake campuses the implementation of these next steps will help ensure
that the framework of the Master Plan is developed.

Assessments of the structures damaged by

the hurricanes Katrina and Rita are needed to
give guidance on usable square footage, design opportunities and in service dates. The
documentation of the damaged properties will
give the university the ability to develop a program for the Park Campus based on a time
line created in this evaluation.

The development of a programing guidelines

for the reentry of the Park Campus is a necessary tool as the universities transitions from
the temporary facilities on the Lake Campus
back to the renovated structures on the Park
Campus. These guidelines will give the University the ability to balance the placement of
academic programs.

Suno Campus Plan

Existing Temporary Facility

Park Campus Vicinity Map

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NEXT STEPS
3. Develop Process for the Redistribution of
Programs in Park Campus

4. Develop Building Standards for both Future

and Existing Facilities

5. Develop Open space Guidelines for both

Park and Lake Campuses

The redistribution of the academic programs is

a process that should identify the needs of the
Faculty, Staff and Students and guide the renovations to the structures on the park campus.
The transition process will take 2-3 years this
process will balance the distribution of programs on the Lake Campuses new structures
and the Park campuses renovated structures.

Building standards will help ensure that the integrity of the University is maintained from the
Park Campus to the Lake Campus. These standards should address the Universities commitment to a pedestrian campus. The newly developed structures should also maintain a level
of sensitivity to the surrounding communities.
These standards will address building heights,
materials, architectural articulation, and color.

Open space guidelines will ensure that green

spaces are utilized to enhance the experience
on campus. The guidelines allow the open
space to give character and distinction to the
campus giving the campus its identity. Parking, Recreational spaces and exterior gathering places should be defined in the guidelines.
These guidelines will incorporate the natural
amenities identified in the Master Plan. The
University desires to take the lead on the redevelopment of the Joseph M. Bartholomew, Sr.
Memorial Golf Course.

SU Baton Rouge Campus Dorm

SU Baton Rouge Open Space

Existing Press Corridor

Proposed Press Corridor

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