The Forum (newspaper)
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Board Approves New Master Plan
February 17, 2010
The Forum
President Pamela Gann announced the approval of a new Master Plan for Claremont McKenna College today, calling it "a comprehensive and flexible framework that will guide our development over the next 25-plus years." Gann explained that at their last meeting, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to accept the proposed Master Plan concept put forth by architects, Moore Ruble Yudell (MRY), which had been under review by various students, alumni, and administrators last year. The full text of the announcement is available below. The plan can be found in detail online, and expect more coverage here as the next steps in this process take shape.
February 17, 2010
Dear Members of the CMC Community,
I am pleased to report that the Board of Trustees voted unanimously, at its most recent meeting, to approve a proposed campus Master Plan for the College.
As I described to the CMC Community last spring, the College initiated this planning process in order to thoughtfully map the evolution of our campus. The process originated in October 2005, when the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to base the College’s long-term campus planning on a potential enrollment of up to 1,400 students in Claremont, which is the College’s enrollment limit under The Claremont College’s Constitution. Since that time, there have been a number of other major improvements to our campus, including the completion in 2008 of Claremont Hall, the completion in 2009 of the Biszantz Family Tennis Center, the anticipated completion in 2011 of the Kravis Center, and the proposed East Campus land acquisition from the Claremont University Consortium.
Going forward, we know there are a number of other potential projects that the College needs to address in the context of a long-term campus Master Plan, including new or renovated academic facilities, a new fitness and athletic center, a new campus center, and the potential development of an “Alumni House.” In addition to these existing facilities needs, we also must plan the campus so as not to impede its potential growth some time in the future to its Constitutional limit.
Our starting point in this process was the development of a Statement of Master Plan Beliefs and Principles, which summarizes the distinguishing features and characteristics of our campus, including those historic or essential qualities of the campus that we should seek to preserve and enhance as the campus evolves over time. The Statement of Master Plan Beliefs sets forth the College’s key design principles and guidelines, which include:
Reinforcement of the outdoor image of the campus through cohesive, interconnected, well-defined and human-scaled open spaces that promote personal interaction and are extensions of adjacent building interiors.
Creation of distinguished architecture and other iconic elements providing a strong sense of campus identity and inspiring and energizing those who live, learn, work, and visit.
Provision of an appropriate framework for the consideration and implementation of historic preservation of facilities and significant landscape elements.
Utilization of “best practices” with respect to environmentally sustainable design and operation, including the pursuit of at least a LEED “Silver” level certification of all new buildings and significant renovations.Using the Statement of Master Plan Beliefs, we worked with our Master Plan architect, Moore Ruble Yudell (MRY) and the CMC Community last summer and fall to develop a proposed campus plan for Claremont McKenna. Throughout this process, we worked to solicit feedback and input from members of the CMC Community, including through a faculty-student-staff workshop last spring and additional outreach to faculty, students, and alumni this fall. In addition, we held a community meeting at which our Master Planning process was introduced to community stakeholders. This reflective and informative process led to the creation of the proposed Master Plan concept that was approved by the Board of Trustees last week.
I am very excited about the campus Master Plan concept developed by MRY, which I believe provides us with a comprehensive and flexible framework that will guide our development over the next 25-plus years, while also leaving open opportunities for future generations.
Looking ahead from here, we will continue to work with MRY, the CMC Community and neighborhood stakeholders to refine the proposed campus Master Plan based on the conceptual plan approved by the Board. This winter, we will solicit feedback, through design charrettes and outreach to members of the CMC Community and the larger Claremont community. We hope to finalize a proposed campus Master Plan this spring and then to submit that proposal to the City of Claremont for review and approval.
Thanks again for your continued support and input into this important project, and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or other feedback.
Sincerely,
Pamela B. Gann
President