University of Dayton

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN

February 2008
 February 2008

Dear students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University of Dayton,

The University of Dayton stands at a crossroads. We are poised to embark on

the largest expansion of campus in our history — and, with that, we have an op-
portunity to spur development
in the city of Dayton.

We have established our rep-

utation in higher education by
focusing on building academic
excellence and a vibrant, wel-
coming learning-living environ-
ment in the Catholic, Marianist
tradition. This new master plan
for all 259 acres of campus will
guide our physical development
as one of the nation’s preemi-
nent Catholic universities. It
ties directly to the University of
Dayton’s strategic plan and will
serve as a bold blueprint for the
campus of the future. We will fi-
nance the plan’s implementation through a combination of University resources,
fund-raising, private-public partnerships, and federal and state grants.

I thank Burt Hill, an award-winning international architecture, design and

engineering firm, for helping us identify future needs and imagine the future.
I appreciate the guidance of the board of trustees; Richard Perales, University
campus planning director; the campus master planning steering committee; and

BLUEPRINT for the FUTURE

all who became involved in the process through focus groups, interviews, surveys
and feedback sessions.

Our new master plan will preserve UD’s rich history and educational tradi-
tions — and allow us to build for the future with faith and confidence. May God
continue to bless our work together.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. Curran, Ph.D.

President

University of Dayton CAMPUS MASTER PLAN    2    February 2008

 We have established our
reputation in higher
education by focusing
on building academic
excellence and a vibrant,
welcoming learning-
living environment in
the Catholic, Marianist
tradition. This new
master plan for all 259
acres of campus will
guide our physical
development as one of
the nation’s preeminent
Catholic universities. `
February 2008    3    CAMPUS MASTER PLAN University of Dayton
“We stand at
a crossroads.
This is a pivotal time in

the University of Dayton’s

history. We are poised to

embark on an expansion

of campus that will meet

our needs well into the

future and give us the

opportunity to spur devel-

opment in our region.”

President Daniel J. Curran

BLUEPRINT for the FUTURE

University of Dayton CAMPUS MASTER PLAN    4    February 2008

February 2008    5    CAMPUS MASTER PLAN University of Dayton

An extraordinary
time of opportunity
S
ince that St. Joseph’s
Day in 1850 when
Father Leo Meyer,
S.M., purchased from
John Stuart 125 acres
of land for $12,000,
the school that grew
into the University
of Dayton has been
characterized by vi-
sionary applications of Chaminade’s
dictum that “new times call for new
methods.” UD’s ability to adapt has
surfaced in times of trouble (na-
tional economic depression as well
as local fire and flood) and in times
of opportunity such as the boom
in higher education in the wake of
World War II.
A time of opportunity has come
again with the addition in 2005 of
49 acres to the UD campus. That
purchase increased the size of the
University campus by a quarter and
radically altered the nature of land-
use planning. No longer is land-use
planning an exercise in what can be
squeezed in where. Now attention
can be focused on what best goes
where, on related facilities being
near each other, on how it all fits
together to nurture people engaging
one another to learn.
Yet plans are guidelines. Build-
ings are not buildings until they are
built.
An emerging element of plan-
ning is the interaction of campus
and the city, in terms of both people
and sites. A major catalyst for this
interaction has been the Genesis
Project, a collaboration among the
city of Dayton, the University of
Dayton, Miami Valley Hospital,
CityWide Development Corp.,
County Corp., and the Fairgrounds
Neighborhood launched in 2000.
Daniel J. Curran, UD president,
called the Genesis Project “the foun-
“Blueprint for the Future” was compiled by
Thomas M. Columbus, Debbie Juniewicz,
Teri Rizvi and Deborah McCarty Smith.
Right, an artist’s rendering of the University Center for the
Arts and an arts plaza on Brown Street. Below, a proposed
treatment of the Stewart and Brown streets intersection.
dation of the renaissance of Brown
Street.” With University Shoppes
and more recently University Place
(in which UD is a partner) coupled
with established businesses, Brown
Street has
become one of
Dayton’s most
The new master land-use
thriving busi- plan is being designed
ness districts.
UD’s recent to offer guidance to …
partnerships
also include
how the parts of UD’s
the new Court- expanded campus will
yard Dayton —
University of
be integrated into each
Dayton hotel. other and into the
Partner-
ships and
surrounding area.
mixed-use de-
velopment, such as that envisioned
for the westernmost portion of UD’s
new land, not only connect UD to
the community, but they also have
the practical benefit of providing
revenue.
The new master land-use plan
offers guidance to how such part-
nerships will continue, how the
parts of UD’s expanded campus
will be integrated into each other
and into the surrounding area, and
how all that relates to develop-
ment in the community, such as
Sugar Camp in Oakwood or the
Fairgrounds or downtown. Edito-
rializing on Sept. 12 about these
Planning the campus
“W
e stand at a
crossroads.
This is a
pivotal time
in the Uni-
versity of
Dayton’s history. We are poised to
embark on an expansion of campus
that will meet our needs well into
the future and give us the oppor-
tunity to spur development in our
proposed developments, the Dayton
Daily News said that UD wants to
monitor how those projects “shaped
up to avoid competing in ways that
are counterproductive. That makes
good sense.”
Dayton
City Manager
Rashad Young
said, “Dayton
is blessed to
have a partner
like the Univer-
sity of Dayton.
By working in
partnership
with other key
community
institutions …
the University
of Dayton is showing what can be
accomplished through collaboration
and teamwork.”
A master land-use plan suggests
locations for facilities. Decisions housing. Underlying the process are
on what to build, when and for several ideas including:
how much, however, are distinct n The integration of learning
matters. Those working on the and living is central to a Marianist
land-use plan have been guided education.
by the University’s strategic plan n UDRI is an important research
and operate under certain assump- arm that enhances the presence of
tions delineated by UD administra- UD in the Dayton community and
tors — for example, undergraduate beyond.
enrollment remaining at its current n The unique character of the
optimal level, graduate enrollment student neighborhoods should be
growing slightly to meet needs and preserved as a desired living and
undergraduates living in University learning environment. n
region.” final master plan will tie directly
So wrote President Daniel J. to the strategic plan and serve as
Curran as he asked the UD commu- a blueprint for the University of
nity for input on the preliminary Dayton’s future.”
draft of the campus master plan of Helping UD imagine its future
how UD will make use of its land. has been Burt Hill, an award-win-
He continued: “We remain com- ning international architecture,
mitted to our Marianist heritage, design and engineering firm. The
which calls us to shape our vision planners at Burt Hill had created
in response to the demands and master plans for more than 100
opportunities of the times. The campuses around the country but
University of Dayton CAMPUS MASTER PLAN    6    February 2008
 had yet to experience the high
level of campus involvement that
they found at the University of
Dayton.
“There was substantially more
input into this process (than at
other universities we’ve done),”
said Jeff Funovits, project manag-
er. “I don’t think the process could
have been more open. We did an
extraordinary number of inter-
views, work sessions and meet-
ings. … The word I heard over and
over again was ‘community.’”
Burt Hill conducted 75
interviews on campus and 30
interviews in the community.
Students, faculty and staff from
a cross section of campus par-
ticipated in 13 focus groups.
The campus community, alumni
and the general public were
invited to submit comments
through a master plan Web site
(http://udcampusmasterplan
.udayton.edu). Burt Hill’s team
analyzed parking data and con-
ducted food service and market
research surveys. A 13-person

February 2008    7    CAMPUS MASTER PLAN University of Dayton


campus steering committee (which
included 2006-07 Student Govern-
ment Association President Pat
O’Grady and Linda Berning, board
president-elect of the National
Alumni Association) guided the
work, benchmarking the prelimi-
nary concepts against UD’s strate-
gic plan.
Funovits shared design prin-
ciples and early preliminary
land-use concepts with the board
of trustees in May, followed by an
additional planning meeting with
a smaller group of trustees during
the summer. The academic senate,
Higher Learning Commission ac-
creditation team, alumni board of
directors and chapter presidents,
Educational Leadership Council,
and Student Government Associa-
tion participated in special presen-
tations this fall. Three days of open
campus forums were held this fall
before the trustees met in October.
“Following 18 months of
collaborative discussions with
representatives from virtually all
stakeholders, the board of trust-
ees adopted the proposed master
plan as a living document that
will guide our facilities decisions
into the future,” said Jack Proud, a
two-time UD grad who chairs the
University board of trustees.
“While many specific decisions
will need to be prioritized and
worked through to completion,
we feel good about having well-
thought-out guiding principles and
a clear direction on where we’re
heading. Our focus now shifts to
finding the funding to turn our
vision into reality.” n
Planning for the near term
– emphasizing student life
T
he University of Dayton
is more than a campus
— it’s a community.
“There’s nothing like
Dayton anywhere in the
country,” said David Ma-
deira, principal architect for Burt
Hill. “It’s unique. A lot of schools
have college towns abutting their
campuses. Yours is actually woven
The near term –
extending, enhancing
T
he master plan outlines
several changes visitors to
campus might see in the
near term, the next five to
seven years.
Extending the
front porch
The campus master plan aims
to extend UD’s welcoming, front-
porch philosophy out into the
wider community with highly vis-
ible projects that develop the Mid
Campus — the area between Brown
and Main streets. Planning consul-
tants see an “academic extension”
that branches across Brown Street.
The plan includes:
n The University Center for
the Arts and an arts plaza on
Brown Street
UD’s strategic plan calls for culti-
vating outstanding artistic creation.
The University Center for the Arts
will help to achieve that goal, show-
case the significance of the arts, and
serve as an asset to the campus and
the community. The building is a
cornerstone of the plan to extend
teaching and learning across Brown
Street and put a prominent, public
face on the University of Dayton.
This new facility would empha-
size the significance of the arts on
campus and provide sorely needed
space to gather the departments
of visual arts, music and theater —
into your campus, which gives it
incredible character.”
The University is committed
to maintaining that character and
community and to enhancing stu-
dent life. The master plan contin-
ues to emphasize student life in its
recommendations, which are based
on the guiding principles of the
integration of learning and living
now dispersed in outdated facilities
in the Kennedy Union, Mechanical
Engineering Building, Music/Theatre
Building, Reichard Hall and Rike
Center. The proposed University
Center for the Arts would include
gallery, museum and performance
space — a black box theater and
small and medium-sized theaters
— to attract and welcome campus
visitors to high-profile arts events.
Student and faculty art would be
displayed in the University Center
for the Arts, as would exhibits from
the University’s extensive collec-
tion of Marian art. The University
will work closely with the local arts
community to ensure that the center
meets both the needs of campus and
the Dayton region.
n Alumni Center
Alumni are key partners in the
realization of the University’s vision.
A University Alumni Center could
combine an appreciation of the
past with anticipated needs of the
future. The facility, whose location
is a matter of continuing discussion,
would provide space for alumni to
interact with each other and with
University faculty, staff and students
(10 percent of whom are children of
alumni).
n Mid Campus would also
provide opportunities to expand
mixed-use development in the area
— central to a Marianist educa-
tion — and an environment that
promotes engagement.
The master plan calls for up-
grades, renovations or replacement
of existing buildings or facilities.
Strengthening existing links from
neighborhoods to campus through
See Student, Page 10
University of Dayton CAMPUS MASTER PLAN    8    February 2008
of Brown and Stewart streets, as
market needs dictate.
n College Park Center would
undergo continuing renovation to
meet the needs of programs and
offices locating there. The center is
home to the Dayton Early College
Academy, a charter school operated
by the University; the School of Ed-
ucation and Allied Professions doc-
toral program in physical therapy;
and a number of support services
such as facilities management, pub-
lic safety, and printing and design.
Moving other offices there can free
up critical space in the historic part
of Mid Campus. Part of College Park
Center may also be used to provide
“swing space,” temporary quarters
for areas undergoing renovation.
Enhancing the academic core
The master plan calls for both
deletions and additions in the
historic and academic core campus.
Outdated structures recommended
for demolition include the Mechani-
cal Engineering Building, Caldwell
Street Center, Reichard Hall, the
Arcade (connecting Chaminade Hall
with St. Mary Hall), Rike Center
and a portion of the Stewart Street
Garden Apartments.
Facilities that could arise to take
their places or undergo substantial
renovation during the next five to
seven years include:
n Chaminade Hall
“Chaminade Hall, the home of
the School of Education and Allied
Professions, will stay at the center of
campus,” Curran said. Built in 1904,
Chaminade Hall boasts both his-
toric vintage and a sturdy red-brick
shell, and consultants consider it an
“iconic campus building.” It suffers,
however, from more than a century
of wear and tear and from a design
that no longer meets the needs of
how its inhabitants teach and learn.
Consultants recommend Chami-
nade Hall for a major renovation.
n Roesch Library
The master plan recommended
renovating Roesch Library in the
near-term future. Conversations
 Top to bottom, long-term plans include a
possible campus union; a mall framed by
Marycrest Complex (upper right) and a library/
academic building (lower left); and new
housing along Stewart Street, sharing space
with other facilities including the University
Center for the Arts.

continue about the best way to

improve the library. Burt Hill con-
sultants acknowledge that Roesch
Library’s exterior is not well-inte-
grated into the more traditional
campus architecture that surrounds
it, but its location is central to the
expanded campus.
For the long-range plan, mem-
bers of the University community
are considering what a state-of-
the-art library of the future might
entail —­ recognizing that while
more library services are delivered
digitally, books will never en-
tirely disappear. In the long term,
Kennedy Union might serve as a
library location at the heart of the
academic core of campus. The bulk
of the libraries’ holdings might be
stored off campus and delivered as
needed.
The University will continue
to evaluate renovation versus new
construction.
n Chapel of the Immaculate
Conception
A chapel renovation committee,
chaired by Father Chris
Wittmann, S.M., director of cam-
pus ministry, and Claire Renzetti,
professor of sociology, will work
with a liturgical consultant to
plan a renovation of Immaculate
Conception Chapel that increases
the worship space on campus. The
chapel currently seats 315 people
on the main level; additional space
is desired. A gathering space, a
baptistery, a reconciliation chapel
and multipurpose rooms are among
the other needs being explored.
The chapel renovation committee
is guided by the liturgical principles
set forth in “Built of Living Stones:
Art, Architecture and Worship,” the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bish-
ops’ guidelines on church renova-
tion. The goal of the renovation
is to foster the full, dignified and
graceful celebration of the church’s
sacred rites.
n A STEM facility
UD’s strategic plan calls for
investment in areas of science,
technology, engineering and math-
ematics where the University shows
the greatest promise for national
and international prominence. The
addition of a STEM facility, pos-
sibly connected to Wohlleben Hall,
would be contingent upon the level
of sponsored research funding. n

February 2008    9    CAMPUS MASTER PLAN University of Dayton

 Conceptual Master Plan
EXISTING BUILDINGS
RENOVATIONS
NEW BUILDINGS
NON-UD BUILDINGS
Student, from Page 8 main lobby, second floor of the
ENTRANCE MARQUEE
middle wing and the dining room.
enhanced streetscapes and revised n Stuart Complex renovations
traffic patterns will create a more would begin in 2009. While details
pedestrian-friendly campus com- are not finalized, refurbished
munity. rooms, renovated bathrooms, ad-
The plan takes into account ditional community spaces and
several philosophical ideals relat- a renovated lobby are among the
ing to student life: changes that will likely be made.
n The University’s goal is to n Founders Hall, the oldest of
accommodate all undergraduate the residence halls, built in 1954,
students in UD-owned or approved is considered an “iconic campus
housing; building.” In addition to the
n Environmental responsi- Founders renovation, new housing
bility is central to all University for first-year students would also
development; be constructed in the long term on 2
n Campus should provide the east side of Founders Hall. The
adequate recreation and athletic new residence hall would mirror
facilities; and the existing Founders Hall design
n The ways visitors approach and leave room for green space
and navigate campus are impor- between the buildings.
tant. Environmental responsibility
Accommodating all under- A “sustainable” residence hall, 1
graduates inspired by students in an honors
The University is considering biology course and their presenta-
a policy to have all undergradu- tion at the Stander Symposium
ates live in University-owned or in 2007, is being considered for
University-approved housing. UD the north student neighborhood.
is approximately 300 beds short The student proposal considered
of housing nearly all undergradu- project details in six categories:
ate students. Additional housing sustainable sites, water efficiency,
needs to be constructed, and ex- energy and atmosphere, materials
isting housing needs to be up- and resources, indoor environmen-
graded. It’s all part of UD’s efforts tal quality, and innovation and print, reuse and recycle. The master plan envisions outdoor
to strengthen the learning-living design process. While sustainability would be spaces that become settings for
environment while continuing to “We could build a sustainabil- the focus of the new residence educational enhancement and
ensure safety. ity learning hall, sustainability and environ- interaction and allow for chance
Toward those community mental issues will be a focus for all meetings and informal conversa-
goals: The master plan around this new and renovated buildings. tion.
n Marycrest
Complex, built
continues to emphasize facility,” Cur-
ran said. “It
Adequate recreation and
athletic facilities
“Core open spaces become the
focal points for recreation and
in 1962 and student life in its would truly be Stuart Field is considered “be- relaxation,” said Ken Worstell of
home to about
860 first- and
recommendations, an integration
of living and
low standard” after October (when
it turns to mud each year), and
Burt Hill. “Courtyards, formed by
building groupings, become areas
second-year which are based on learning.” there are no recreational tennis for more intimate interaction.
students,
underwent the
the guiding principles The pro-
posed 75- to
courts available for student use on
campus or in the student neigh-
Landscaped paths will connect the
open spaces. Along the way, there
second phase of the integration of 90-bed facil- borhoods. will be many places to meet, sit,
of a nearly ity, containing Renovating Stuart Field for study, see and be seen.”
$20 million learning and living — both a residen- intramural and recreational use Finding your way — to and
renovation in
summer 2007.
central to a Marianist tial and an edu-
cational wing,
would include the addition of
synthetic turf for improved year-
on campus
“Way finding” and campus-
Improvements education — and could employ round use. Constructing multi- community connectivity are ad-
included new
windows, new
an environment that solar energy
and utilize geo-
purpose and tennis courts on
campus and in both the north
dressed in the master plan. “With
so many new visitors to campus,
plumbing, air promotes engagement. thermal heat- and south student neighborhoods it is important that directional
condition- ing and cooling and the relocation of soccer fields signage be designed and placed so
ing, upgraded systems. From on Mid Campus would also be there is no ambiguity or confu-
electrical systems, new elevators, low-flow showers and compost priorities. sion from arrival to destination,”
and expanded and renovated piles to corn-plastic dinnerware Open space Worstell said. The master plan also
restrooms. The final phase is slated and organic gardens, every effort Open spaces form a com- pays attention to the edges and
to begin in spring 2008 and will would be made to implement the munity connection and provide gateways of campus.
include renovations to the chapel, three R’s: reduce your carbon foot- places to meet, relax and work. Campus edges and gateways

University of Dayton CAMPUS MASTER PLAN    10    February 2008

 11
8
1 Restaurant at sports complex
2 Pedestrian/bike greenway 2
3 Environmental remediation, interim recreation
4 Soccer practice field
5 University Center for the Arts
6 Retail mixed-use building
7 Brown Street pedestrian enhancement 10
13
10 6
18 10
18 9
7
3 5
10 16 10
4 17

13 13 14
2 19
2 15
8 Sustainable student housing
9 Science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) facility
10 Open-space enhancement 2 2
11 12
11 Multi-use tennis/basketball courts
12 Stuart Field renovation
13 Parking garage
14 First-year student housing
15 Campus Union 2
16 Library, academic building
17 Academic, mixed use, Alumni Center
2
18 Mixed use commercial, academic, housing
19 Tennis courts

The edges of campus, particu-
larly along Stewart Street, need to
make a strong and positive im-
age statement, Worstell said. “For
many years Stewart Street was a
strong, rigid boundary with little
indication that the visitor was ap-
proaching a university campus.”
Burt Hill is suggesting that the
edge along Stewart be green and
destrians and cyclists and connect
all of the campus districts and the
Dayton community.
Streetscape
A distinctive streetscape is pro-
posed at all campus street intersec-
tions. The design would announce
to visitors that they are entering
campus and a pedestrian area.
Each intersection would be unique
in design while having common
elements to provide a unified look.
The signage, lighting, paving and
street furniture would, together,
add another common thread in the
image statement.
Parking
Parking will be addressed in
both the near-term and long-term
plans. Near term, it will be neces-
sary to develop centralized parking
for relocated spaces. Some parking
may be relocated to both Mid Cam-
pus and Campus West.
For the long term, parking
structures and Arena shuttles would
be considered. n

Campus West ­– Wait

inviting, with interconnected,
common greens that will provide
the appropriate setting for Univer-
sity buildings. The greens will serve

and see and do it right

a dual purpose of creating visual
excitement and providing fields for
recreation and athletic use.
Burt Hill recommends that the

main corridors to UD be marked
with clear way-finding graphics
that serve as an introduction to the
campus image.
Campus walk/bike greenway
A greenway is proposed to link
the entire campus, from Shroyer
Road to the historic core of
campus, student neighborhoods,
the river and beyond. It would
run along the edge of campus to
provide a safe, well-lit path for pe-
T
he University of Day- talization of this brownfield may cleanup and infrastructure im-
ton’s master plan does ultimately be the largest and most provements on the entire parcel
not show land-use complex redevelopment project in between Brown Street and the
concepts for the recently Dayton. We’re taking a cautious, river.
acquired land between collaborative approach to future “The development of this land
Main Street and the development on this piece of the is important to the region,” said
Great Miami River. former NCR property.” J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO of
“We will spend the next year In the past two years, the the Dayton Development Coali-
addressing the environmental University of Dayton has attracted tion. “It has high economic devel-
issues and making the site shovel- more than $9 million in state and opment value and the potential
ready.” said Curran. “The revi- federal funding for environmental to attract high-value jobs and new

February 2008    11    CAMPUS MASTER PLAN University of Dayton

businesses. It is the most devel-
opable piece of property in the
city of Dayton.”
Part of the property will be
mixed-use development. As part
of the sales agreement, NCR
retains $7 million of participa-
tion rights in any commercial
development.
“As we looked at Campus
West, there’s the potential for
opportunities beyond academics.
It could be commercial devel-
opment, housing, mixed-use,
research — even a conference
center,” said Jeff Funovits, proj-
ect manager for Burt Hill.
No decisions have been made
yet about what Funovits called
“the highest and best use” of
the riverfront land. As a major
player in economic development
initiatives in the region, UD does
not want to compete with other
projects on the Dayton region’s
drawing boards, Curran said. In
addition, the city of Dayton will
replace the historic Stewart Street
bridge in an 18-month project
that begins this summer. As part
of the project, UD officials would
like to improve the entry into
campus.
“We are committed to work-
ing with economic development
officials in the region to make
this land vibrant and produc-
tive again,” Curran said. “We
will consult with campus and
community leaders and entertain
proposals from private develop-
ers for projects that complement
new restaurants and retail outlets
on Brown Street as well as pro-
posed Sugar Camp and Ball Park
Village developments.”
UD has a growing track
record of collaboration with
private developers, corporate
partners and public agencies. As
part of the Genesis Project, the
city of Dayton, University of
Dayton, Miami Valley Hospital,
CityWide Development Corp.,
County Corp. and National City
Bank invested
$15 million to rebuild the
Fairgrounds Neighborhood.
Dozens of substandard houses
were torn down, 23 new ones
were built, and another 11 were
rehabilitated. This development
encouraged other investment
in the surrounding area, includ- new ventures: University Place, a student apartments, a restaurant
ing the Brown-Warren Business two-story mixed-use development and retail outlets, and Courtyard
Corridor. In the last two years, UD on the corner of Brown and Stew- Dayton — University of Dayton,
teamed with developers on two art streets that includes graduate a hotel near UD Arena. n
Long term – looking
for more opportunities
A
s plans look further in Miriam Hall and the Innovation to learn, what tools will be there?
and further into the Center in Kettering Laboratories. Will there be coffee? Will there be
future, they become Research indicates that students food?
more and more specula- wish to study together, to discuss The library of the future will
tive. People have been readings outside of class, to talk be designed in the context of
speculating for 40 years to people who are different from the institution’s mission and
about a parking garage on campus, themselves. A growing awareness of priorities, said Ken Worstell of
a conversation that the addition of what sort of spaces best encourage Burt Hill. “Libraries need to be
land has reshaped. It is a relatively this kind of engagement will help customized for the specific needs
safe assumption that students a direct decisions regarding long- of the university and offer the
decade from now will need a place term building. right combination of research
to park, however, because they will The long term is expected, and technical information.” In-
still be coming to a physical place not surprisingly, to see additional novations in distance learning,
called the University of Dayton to student housing, including a new electronic publications, remote
live and to learn. residence hall on the site of the storage and retrieval change the
A recent college guide quotes current O’Reilly Hall. It would space needs for libraries, he said.
a UD student as saying that UD is form a courtyard with Founders “Libraries are also evolving into
“all about community: community Hall. The garden apartments on active learning centers and places
when we study, community when the south side of Stewart Street by for social interaction, as well
we party, community when we are Keller Hall may disappear, to be re- as media centers. The Learning
doing service, placed by halls Teaching Center and the Blend,
commu- farther west on currently on the ground floor of
nity when we As the campus evolves Stewart, near Roesch Library, are good ex-
pray.” Maybe over the next decade, it the University amples of the diverse, multi-use
not exactly Center for the programming of university librar-
the phrasing will take shape guided Arts. ies,” he said.
that Wil-
liam Joseph
by the master plan In general,
the long-term
What about the union build-
ing of the future? With Kennedy
Chaminade and by what is being portion of the Union used for so many activi-
would have
chosen, but
learned now from how plan is intend-
ed, said Jeff Fu-
ties, will the union of the future
be a place primarily for students
those words students and faculty novits, Burt Hill and their organizations? Or will
are testament project man- faculty and staff be involved there,
that the sense and others are making ager, to present too? What about the broader com-
of community
he nurtured
use of spaces created “opportunities
to complement
munity?
At the moment, the plan proj-
is something to help bring people the University.” ects the possibility of a new union
that will not
only endure
together to learn. About these
opportunities,
building on the site of C Lot and a
new library where Kennedy Union
but prevail. he noted, there is now located.
As the campus evolves during has been a lot of discussion. Or, since both buildings are
the next decade, it will take shape The near-term portion of the key places to bring people togeth-
guided by the master plan and by master land-use plan will see some er, could the library and the union
what is being learned now from changes to Roesch Library. What of the future turn out to be the
how students and faculty and oth- will the long term see? Libraries same building?
ers are making use of spaces created are places of learning, not re- Come back in a decade and
to help bring people together to positories of paper — though the find out.
learn: the Learning Teaching Cen- paperless society appears to be Or stay and help with the
ter, Marianist Hall, ArtStreet, the more mythical than real. But how learning and the planning that
Science Center, the Crotty Center will libraries bring people together will help the learning. n
University of Dayton CAMPUS MASTER PLAN    12    February 2008
 A
campus commit-
tee, proceeding
carefully and
prayerfully, has
begun planning
for the renova-
tion of Immacu-
late Conception
Chapel, so that
the University of
Dayton community can more fully
celebrate the liturgy for generations
to come.
Father Chris Wittmann, S.M., di-
rector of campus ministry, and Claire
Renzetti, professor of sociology, chair
the committee that began at a July
retreat to consider the chapel’s role
in the faith life of the University.
As a new campus master plan takes
shape, the committee is assessing
present and future worship spaces.
The liturgy is the heart of the
renovation.
“The chapel, which seats 315
people on the main level, has
become inadequate for the needs
of the UD community,” Wittmann
said. In addition to more seating,
the community needs “sufficient
space and quality design to allow
the complete celebration of the full
range of liturgical actions called for
by the church, and aesthetics that
enhance prayer through beauty,
dignity and simplicity,” he said.
Built in 1869, the chapel is
widely embraced as the heart of
the UD community. For many, the
chapel’s dome and simple exterior
symbolize the faith commitment
and humble, welcoming spirit of the
University. Over the decades in the
chapel, Marianist brothers have pro-
fessed and renewed their religious
vows, students and graduates have
become engaged and been married,
and funerals have been held.
“Given its history, legacy and
location, it’s desirable to discover
ways to renovate and expand the
chapel so that it can remain, for the
foreseeable future, the primary daily

Chapel renovation
and Sunday worship space, as well
as a place for personal devotional
prayer outside of liturgies,” Witt-
mann said.

planning begins
The renovation goes hand in
hand with the renewal of liturgy
and Christian faith. “The process
will help educate the community
about the liturgy and the space
needed for a full celebration of the

February 2008    13    CAMPUS MASTER PLAN University of Dayton

liturgy,” Renzetti said. A gathering
space, a baptistery, a reservation
chapel for the Eucharist, a recon-
ciliation room and multipurpose
rooms are among the other needs
being explored.
The renovation will honor the
chapel’s architectural heritage and
liturgical history. The commit-
tee’s guiding concepts note, “The
honesty of materials, nobility of
design and
solid work-
manship of The renovation
the chapel
speak to the
will honor
pioneering the chapel’s
spirit of faith
of the first architectural
Marianist
brothers in
heritage and
the United liturgical
States of
America.
history.
As much as
possible, these qualities should be
preserved. The elegant simplicity
of the architecture, both interior
and exterior, should be a guide in
the design of any renovation and
expansion.”
Toward those goals, the com-
mittee will hire and work with
liturgical and architectural con-
sultants to develop the renova-
tion plan and design. Requests for
proposals will be sent this semester.
An undated photograph of the chapel from the University’s archives
The renovation plan will follow the
guidelines of church law as found of Living Stones: Art, Architecture, A construction schedule has not other events after Jan. 1, 2009.
in official liturgical documents, and Worship.” See http://www been set. However, the sacristan More information on the
including the U.S. Conference of .usccb.org/liturgy/livingstones will not make commitments to re- renovation is posted at http://
Catholic Bishops’ guidelines “Built .shtml#preface. serve the chapel for weddings and ministry.udayton.edu/chapel. n

Chapel’s limitations hamper a full

celebration of the liturgy
D
uring the rituals of Holy Week and the Triduum — the
great three-day liturgy encompassing Holy Thursday,
Good Friday and the Easter Vigil — the limitations of Im-
maculate Conception Chapel become particularly appar-
ent.
There is insufficient space for the washing of the feet
and the veneration of the cross. The chapel also lacks a permanent
and prominent baptistery. The Church’s Rite of Christian Initiation of
Adults notes that “the baptistery or the area where the baptismal font
is located should be reserved for the sacrament of baptism and should
be worthy to serve as the place where Christians are reborn in water
and the Holy Spirit.” Currently in Immaculate Conception Chapel,
adult catechumens are baptized in a plastic fishpond, purchased from
Lowe’s and disguised by potted plants and flowers.
In addition, as the committee’s guiding concepts point out, “Full
celebration of the Eucharist calls for a design which provides adequate
space for the distinct and complementary roles of the various minis-
ters; the essential role of the congregation gathered before the Word
and around the altar; the vital role of music ministry as an integral part
of the congregation; and the various processions and movements of
the liturgy.
Consideration must also be given to the particular space needs of
weddings, funerals, the profession of Marianist religious vows and
Marianist jubilee celebrations.” n

University of Dayton CAMPUS MASTER PLAN    14    February 2008

‘Guiding concepts’
focus on faith, liturgy,
past and future
T
he chapel renova-
tion committee has
recommended four
guiding concepts for
the renovation of the
Immaculate Concep-
tion Chapel:
n The process of renovating
the chapel should be a faith-
formational experience.
The process will help educate
the community about the litur-
gy and the liturgical space needs
for full, active and conscious
celebration of the liturgy.
n The liturgy itself is the
heart of the renovation.
The needs of a rich celebra-
tion of the entire liturgical year
will be the top priority of the
renovation and will guide deci-
sions.
n The renova-
tion will respect
the architectural Once renovated,
heritage and liturgi-
cal history of the
the Immaculate
chapel as it seeks to Conception Chapel
enhance the space
for future genera- will evangelize for
tions. generations to come.
The chapel is
a testimony in
brick, stone and wood to the
priorities of Marianist founder
Blessed William Joseph Chami-
nade: the primacy of faith; the
development of the “essential
interior” life; and dedication to
Mary. … Worshippers develop
profound personal attachments
Chapel renovation committee
Co-chairs: Claire Renzetti and Father
Chris Wittmann, S.M.
Committee members and the areas they
represent are:
Father Jerry Chinchar, S.M., campus
ministry/Marianists
John Haley, board of trustees
Dave Harper, advancement Eric Stoiber, students
February 2008    15    CAMPUS MASTER PLAN University of Dayton
to the places in which they
celebrate the liturgy, ritual-
ize vocational commitments,
mark life-changing events, and
are formed more fully into
the Body of Christ. As much
as possible, the process and
outcome of the renovation will
honor these truths.
n Once renovated, the
Immaculate Conception
Chapel will evangelize for gen-
erations to come.
The chapel might be
thought of as a sort of labora-
tory for faith development.
The liturgy celebrated there
not only educates us, but it
transforms us into the Body
of Christ. In and through the
liturgy, our faith comes alive
and sends us out in mission as
servants of
God, one
another and
the poor. As
the Univer-
sity would
seek state-
of-the-art
technology
in a science
laboratory,
so the best quality possible
ought to be demanded for the
chapel as a learning laboratory
of the highest kind.
A fuller treatment of the
guiding concepts will be posted
at http://ministry.udayton.
edu/chapel. n
Kathy Henry, students
Katie Jennrich, students
Beth Keyes, facilities management
Sandra Yocum Mize, religious studies
Brother Tom Pieper, S.M., campus
ministry/Marianists
Loretta Schaefer Puncer, alumni
Historically, the chapel has always been a work
in progress
1868 Brother Maximin Zehler, S.M., submits plans for the proposed church to the
Marianist General Administration in Paris, which finds the plans too pretentious and orders a
substantial reduction of the intended edifice. Construction begins, and the structure is under
roof by winter.
1869 The chapel is consecrated and dedicated by Cincinnati Archbishop John Purcell.
The building, completed at a cost of $40,000, is 120 feet long and 50 feet wide with 42-foot
high walls. Features include a belfry, containing four bronze bells, capped by a cupola with an
8-foot cross. Smaller crosses, gilded in gold, adorn the miniature towers at the four corners
of the belfry. A main altar and two side altars are installed. The tabernacle features “a colossal
door that sometimes threatened to defy the efforts of the priest to swing it open.” Other
features were a hand-carved pulpit with figures of the four Evangelists and the Blessed Virgin
Mary. “Today the pulpit is hardly more than a relic for seldom do preachers any longer wedge
themselves past the narrow opening from the sacristy to the platform,” Brother Elmer Lackner,
S.M., wrote in a history of the chapel prepared for its 75th anniversary.
Ten enormous stained glass windows (five on each side of the main body of the chapel)
display a “rather disappointing lack of a full exercise of artistic ability,” the result, perhaps, of
keeping expenses down and permitting sufficient light. The four side windows of the sanctu-
ary contain representations of Sts. Peter, Paul, Augustine and Ambrose. The windows in the
front and rear walls were richly tinted rosettes, “perhaps the prettiest specimens of architec-
ture in the chapel.” Not much is known about the decoration of the walls and ceiling in 1869;
the Catholic Telegraph refers to the chapel as “elegantly frescoed.”
1876 The reredos — the carved wooden superstructure with the large niche that
contains a statue of the Immaculate Conception — is probably added “and served to fill in the
awful vacancy that had previously existed,” Lackner wrote.
1883-1929 Photos from this era show paintings on the ceiling of the sanctuary
of the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin and on the main body of the church of Christ blessing
the little children.
1899 Electric lighting is introduced.
1901 A smaller bronze door replaces the cumbersome tabernacle door.
1919 Brother Edward Gorman, S.M., a maintenance man, draws plans and supervises
construction of the confessionals, breaking through the walls beneath four large side windows
and using bricks believed to have been remnants of Zehler Hall’s old chimney.
1924 A Wangerin organ, costing $15,000, is installed, replacing the 1869 tracker
action organ that would shrink or swell according to the weather conditions.
1929 The chapel undergoes an extensive $20,000 redecoration and alteration, with
new floors, pews, chandeliers, and heating and ventilating systems.
1950 Repainting and retouching
1970-71 A $95,000 renovation, considered controversial by some alumni and
students, provides for the liturgical renewal recommended by Vatican II and corrects some
structural defects. Ten abstract stained glass windows replace the leaking side windows. The
murals, statues, side altars, main marble altar, Stations of the Cross and the pews are removed.
1983 To make space for standing-room-only crowds and increase seating from
260 to 360, the main altar moves to a side wall and sits on a 21-inch-high platform to
improve visibility. The congregation sits in a semicircle facing the altar. An additional 50 chairs
can be placed in the elevated area behind the former main altar.
1985 The chapel dome is repaired, repainted and relighted.
2000 The chairs and altar are reoriented to use the original architectural direction of
the chapel, while highlighting both the ambo and altar as focal points. The new arrangement
still poses challenges for Communion distribution. Air conditioning, better heating
and ventilation, and a new sound system are installed.
Sources: “Historical Account of the University Chapel,” by Brother Elmer Lackner, S.M., 1944;
Flyer News
udcampusmasterplan.udayton.edu

University of Dayton CAMPUS MASTER PLAN    16    February 2008