"We want it to be a pedestrian experience."
Eileen McHugh
The University of Connecticut is planning a campus entrance near its Storrs Center development that officials said will link the town and the school.
Last week, the UConn Board of Trustees approved spending $1.5 million on renovation and landscaping for the new gateway. It's expected to be completed this fall.
Officials hope the gateway will make the campus boundary more distinct for motorists on Route 195. A pedestrian walkway will give students on foot better access to shops and restaurants in Storrs Center, which also includes the UConn puppetry museum and UConn health services.
Eileen McHugh, project manager in UConn's Department of Planning, Architecture, and Engineering Services, told UConn Today that the renovations will help invite more visitors to restaurants and shops at Storrs Center. "This is about interaction with our partners in the downtown," she said. "We want it to be a pedestrian experience."
The plan includes wider sidewalks and new signage to promote events at the nearby School of Fine Arts complex. School officials have said the Nafe Katter Theater and the music library will both be more accessible after the project is complete.
This report includes information from The Assoicated Press.