Campus / Master Land Use Plan
A Campus for Pedestrians

By Mary Marvin

Fewer cars, more pedestrians. That’s one of the basic tenets of the College’s new master land use plan approved last year by the Pomona College Board of Trustees. Creating a more pedestrian-friendly campus, constructing two underground parking garages that won’t look like garages and building a new earth-friendly residence hall will be among the first projects implemented under the plan, which establishes a framework for long-range decisions about the development of campus.

“Open space is very important to us,” says President David Oxtoby. “One of our major goals is to make Pomona more pedestrian-oriented. We want to see more people on campus, rather than cars and parking lots.”

Development of the plan was a collaborative effort between Sasaki Associates, an architectural firm committed to sustainable design and building, and the Land Use and Master Planning Task Force and other College groups. “It’s been a back and forth process,” says Sasaki Principal Scott Smith. “Our first step was to establish seven planning principles, which include preserving the open spaces, which define Pomona as ‘a college in a garden,’ creating a framework for the improved development of the central campus and exploring ways to achieve sustainable development.”

Construction is scheduled to begin this summer on the first of two underground garages, which will be located on opposite ends of campus—a north campus garage for student parking and a south campus structure for faculty, staff and the public. The roofs will be topped by athletic fields, not only adding more green space but also providing extra fields for intramurals and club sports.

With the exception of a few lots in the center of campus, including Sumner Hall, existing parking will be converted to green space or will be used as sites for new buildings. “In addition to moving cars out of the center and turning it over to people, the plan also takes into account where buildings might be constructed by taking advantage of previously developed
space, like parking lots,” says Smith. Fourth Street, which runs between Marston Quadrangle and Bridges Hall of Music, will become a pedestrian avenue closed to traffic and parking except for special events and emergency vehicles. To facilitate traffic flow and provide day-to-day access to south campus, a new entry will be built on First Street.

“We envision that Bonita and College will be the main entrance for first-time visitors and guests,” says Smith. “We’re planning on some changes at the corner that will make it part of a great entry sequence.”

Work also is scheduled to begin next year on a new residence hall on north campus, which will ease crowding in existing halls and provide rooms for an additional 50 students, allowing the College to bring enrollment back to the level of a few years ago. The residence hall—and all new housing—will be built to the standard for gold certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Program.