Dear Maria Community,
Progress continues on the next phase o
f the Campus Plan, and many of you will have noticed that the north facing section of the cloister wall has been removed. That work was necessary in order to comply with the "line of sight" requirements set by the City of Albany for the new vehicle entryway. Be assured that the wall will be rebuilt in much the same style, but several feet south of where it had been before.
Tree Work and Green Space:
The tree work has finished around Marian Hall and the first level of gravel on the new parking spaces and roadway around has been installed. This is the 'foundation' to the roadway and parking areas that will go in this space. Once the roadways and curbs are installed the landscaping work on the islands and green space in the surrounding areas will commence.
Cloister Wall on New Scotland Ave:
Demolition on the north sections of the cloister wall next to Marian Hall facing New Scotland Avenue began this week. This portion of the wall was scheduled to come down to accommodate the new campus entrance (see below for an artist renditions). A portion of the wall will be rebuilt further back from the road than where it previously stood, and at a lower height with a fence and a curve to provide better sight-lines to New Scotland Ave for vehicles leaving campus. The space will also allow for Maria College signage.
The architects and contractors involved in the project have come up with a entry design and method for building that respects the heritage of this space and is in keeping with the beauty of the Marian Hall building and surrounding original structures. Though it is difficult, and sometimes heart-rendering, to see the structures come down, know that we will be rebuilding them in a similar style to maintain the aesthetic of our most historic part of campus.
