The New Building on Campus and It’s Terrible Location

Finally, the new building on campus has finished construction and has opened for the Fall 2021 semester. This 60,000 square foot building is equipped with new state-of-the-art labs and classrooms for programs in the College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture, and the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions. Although the concept of this building is impressive, its location, not so much. 

As many of you remember, the academic side of campus had an ample beautiful open lawn space that started from the library to the entrance of Hillyer. When I was an incoming freshman, it was one of the things that drew me here to the University of Hartford. Now, with this big colossal building being smack dab in the middle of this vast, beautiful open lawn, the campus not only looks smaller but cramped as well. 

First of all, this building blocks almost half of the campus, and for incoming freshmen, it is blocking where they need to go and almost makes it harder to find the GSU, Hillyer Hall, and Auerbach. This building is so in your face that it is almost annoying. 

When the building was first announced, and it was mentioned of a garden on the roof, I, as well as probably half of the student body, thought that the garden would be filled with bright, colorful flowers and a way to sit up there to take a break and enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately, it just looks like a bunch of green plants that students can look at from afar. 

In the long run, this building is excellent for educational purposes, and for perspective students, it may just be the reason they commit to the University. Even though this is probably true, the thought of putting it right smack dab in the middle of the lawn was a huge mistake.