Renovations to Give Campus Dramatic New Feel

The University of Cincinnati Blue Ash campus continues to grow. This fall semester, there has been a record number of nearly 6,000 students on campus, more than UCBA has ever seen since its doors opened in the late 1960s.
With an open admission policy and a student/faculty ratio of 15:1, the administration of Dean Cady Short-Thompson decided it was time to bring some renovations and restorations to campus.
Recently there has been a problem affecting campus trees. The emerald ash-borer, a green beetle native to Asia, is responsible for the death of nearly 1,000 ash trees in the Blue Ash area, with nearly 60 of those trees on the UCBA campus.
The College is now in the process of removing the infected trees and hopes to replace them. However, the cost is still unknown. According to UCBA Facilities Director, Assistant Dean Gene Kramer, the College is planning on applying for a grant to help pay for replacement trees.
Additionally, there is a huge building renovation project happening between now and June 24, 2013. According to Dean Kramer, on October 18, contractors began mobilizing on campus to prepare for the renovations that will carry on through the rest of the academic school year.
The construction will happen on the 100 level of Muntz Hall and is organized into several phases.
The UCBA main library, student commons, and construction of the temporary food service area have already begun. Soon the new "Bleecker Street Food Service" will be open for food and drinks. It will have a larger lounging area than the current eating space and actual tables and chairs so you can eat and talk with friends, or just chill in-between classes.
A huge new patio is also in the design for the food service area, so on nice days students, faculty, and staff can sit outside and eat, study, or have a cup of coffee with friends.
The southwest area of the library will also have extensive renovations and will be expanded. The new renovations will make room for more space for learning, books, and research areas.
Here is the entire construction completion schedule:
• Main Library, Student Commons, Temporary Foodservice Construction: Start October 18, 2012
• Temporary Foodservice Complete: January 1, 2013
• New Bleecker Street Food Service Start: February 1, 2013
• New Bleecker Street Food Service Complete: March 25, 2013
• Main Library and Student Commons Complete: April 22, 2013
• Southwest Corner of Library Start: April 29, 2013
• Southwest Corner of Library Complete: June 24, 2013
• Administrative/Dean Suite Start: April 22, 2013
• Administrative/Dean Cuite Complete: June 24, 2013

According to Dean Kramer, the total cost of all these renovations is around $4 million.