As part of Capital Planning and Space Management’s plan to redevelop the alleyway behind the Skiles Building, the Tin Building will be demolished at the end of this yeara Students and organizations currently using the space will be forced to move temporarily before being accommodated in a new facility.
“We will redevelop area between Skiles and the Weber building. It will serve as the main pedestrian thoroughfare while Skiles is being redeveloped as part of the CULC project. So rather than do [the CULC project] in two phases, [we will be able] to close Skiles walkway so that we can do it quicker and for less money,” said Howard Wertheimer, director of Capital Planning and Space Management.
Present efforts to accommodate the clubs affected by the demolition, including GT Motorsports, Wreck Racing, RoboJackets and GT Off-Road, consist of relocating their activities off campus to a facility near the corner of 14th Street and Hemphill near Home Park.
A new building is currently under development to accommodate them, called the Burdell Center. However, the center is still in the early stages of planning and will be unavailable for several more years. Some representatives question the reasons behind the proposed demolition, such as safety and student convenience.
“As you know Home Park is not a very safe place… One of these robberies was at the corner of 14th and Hemphill where two students were held up,” said Thomas Fraschillo, a third year ME student and GT Off-Road team leader. “It’s also a 35-minute walk from North Ave. Apartments, where most of the team lives.”
According to some of the parties involved in the relocation, little communication has been made between themselves and Facilities.
“The only information we have about this has come from our advisors,” Fraschillo said.
Facilities maintains that there is transportation available to those who need it.
“Right now our transit system does serve that building, and we do have the Stingerette service,” Wertheimer said. “We talked to the faculty and department chair first but we obviously want to get the students involved in the conversation. If it hasn’t happened yet then it will.”
Despite the issues, Capital Space and Planning believes the decision will benefit Tech.
“I think it’ll be a win-win situation for everyone involved. The idea is to allow students proper space so they can be successful,” Wertheimer said.