The Campus Environment Planning Assumption

Academic excellence, religious heritage, and financial stability will continue to characterize the University. All efforts should be made to reestablish the natural environment of campus by alleviating congestion. Campus streets should continue to be dedicated to the use of University traffic while any future modifications should further work to remove the campus from the city environment. Buildings should possess a sense of interrelationships through common areas and courtyards, where the campus population can gather and enjoy the beauty of the campus. The pedestrian should develop a greater presence on campus, while the automobile assumes a less significant role.

More importantly, the campus environment has shaped the distinctive character of Wake Forest as a major university with a small college atmosphere in which friendliness, civility, and concern for the individual rank equally with academic quality.Throughout the years, the campus environment has changed and lost some of its rural charm. While the campus retains its natural beauty in part, congestion and the growing presence of the automobile have brought problems of limited parking, noise and the threat of further neighborhood development. Attitudes toward and dependence on the automobile have also changed significantly since the 1950's. Careful planning must occur to ensure that the campus can retain its character and resist current threats. The University must take appropriate planning measures to recapture its natural space from the dominance of the automobile.While the rural Wake Forest campus of the sixties can not be completely restored, careful planning and attention to holistic detail in building design can return much of the charm that was once a part of the Reynolda campus. With every building design, site planning must move to the forefront and become a major component of the design process. Such careful planning will ensure that new facilities will be surrounded by green areas and will be well suited to the surrounding facilities and landscape.

Proposal Traffic and Security
Since the 1991 report, the major roads surrounding the Reynolda campus have undergone significant change. Campus traffic patterns have changed with the completion of the Silas Creek Parkway extension. Elimination of the connection between Allen Easley Drive (formerly Faculty Drive) and Polo Road has served to minimize non-University traffic on the northern area of campus while providing the residential area much needed tranquility. These changes have had a major impact on the community traffic that was once a major part of campus life. While the automobile is still a key issue of the campus environment, most of the traffic is associated with students, faculty and general campus life. Parking on campus continues to become a growing problem. Most lots are approaching capacity and many streets are lined with student parking. Several proposed building projects will likely displace additional parking spaces and exacerbate the need to construct new parking structures. The University needs to consider and adopt policies and strategies to minimize student, faculty, and staff dependence on the automobile.

Boundaries
Although located in a relatively busy area of Winston-Salem, the Wake Forest campus is fortunate to be somewhat protected from unwanted development along most of its boundaries. In recent years, the University has purchased several parcels of property north of Polo Road and east of University Parkway. While these residential properties are being utilized for various University functions, their acquisition strengthens the boundary of campus. The committee believes these properties should continue to be residential in nature. The unsightly houses along Student Drive have been removed and replaced with surface parking. This parking area provides approximately 200 spaces and is used for overflow and special event parking, primarily for the ICCEL program in the Information Systems Building. The changes in traffic patterns mentioned in the earlier section have also contributed to a stronger boundary of campus. Additional Reynolda Road holdings should be pursued and utilized as commercial properties. The University recently received the "Davis House" located at the intersection of Reynolda and Polo Roads as a gift. Following significant interior renovation, this property is being utilized as leased commercial property. This prominent real estate continues to strengthen the campus boundary while offering additional revenues for the University. The natural and historic links with Reynolda Village and Reynolda Gardens should continue to be strengthened and protected. The protection of Wake Forest’s boundaries has been aggressively pursued through the years with good results, and should be continued.

Neighborhoods
Wake Forest Officials should work with adjoining neighborhoods to encourage pride and to address area concerns, particularly those attributed to University or student actions. The University will take steps to encourage residents of these neighborhoods to feel a part of the community, and if it plans major changes that might affect those neighborhoods, it will consult with them.If necessary to maintain the neighborhood environment, the University should consider purchasing selected housing for renovation and rental or resale, with appropriate covenants. The University should take care not to undermine the residential quality of its border by its own action. In the particular case of Faculty Apartments, the University should use them as much as possible to house younger faculty and staff and assure their maintenance.

Entrances
The campus entrances have been greatly enhanced since the 1991 revision. Guardhouses have been erected at the University Parkway and Reynolda Road entrances. These facilities have provided an additional means of security while strengthening the distinctive entrances to campus. A gate has also been added to the Polo Road entrance to be secured after hours. The University’s boundaries and entrances should continue to be secure and distinctive, but inviting. The entrances should make a strong statement about the character and quality of the school while providing campus residents a feeling of security.

Maintenance
In addition to routine care of the facilities, Facilities Management should continue to provide increasing levels of preventive maintenance to the campus facilities. A preventive maintenance and work order system has been implemented and will be continually improved and populated to develop a detailed database of maintenance history for all campus facilities. This system should be used to audit the condition and identify maintenance requirements of buildings and grounds. Significant, long standing maintenance problems should be addressed in capital budgets. Supporting items such as satellite dishes and mechanical equipment should be hidden from general view or incorporated into the building landscape whenever possible.

City Liaison
A University administrator should continue to serve as liaison with city/county officials, the Board of Aldermen, the Board of County Commissioners, and neighborhood interest groups. This official will represent the University’s interests with these parties and keep abreast of zoning requests, roadway improvements, and property availability. The University should continue to have an administrator with appropriate personal and professional qualities assigned the duty of city liaison.