Joshua Glasscock - News Editor - news@mercercluster.com
August 14, 2013 - Page 6
News
Cruz Plaza: Mercer’s new setup
Mercer University’s newly completed Cruz Plaza is located at the center of the school’s campus located in Macon. the video, Cruz felt that there needed to be Brumley, they are going to finish the project by the time freshman move in. a central place on campus for students to By Joshua Glasscock gather. Mercer also chose to expand the project News Editor during Cruz Plaza’s construction. AdminMercer University hired the Atlanta based news@mercercluster.com landscaping and architecture company istrator Brumley said that throughout the HGOR to handle the design of Cruz Plaza. project, they found new opportunities for improvement during construction and they HGOR has had history of handling projects Groundbreaking for the new Cruz Plaza on college campuses. Their past projects felt it was the best time to add those imtook place on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2013. provements in. include handling the designs of colleges Mercer trustee Milton L Cruz, a graduate such as Emory University, Georgia InstiWhen describing the effect the Cruz Plaza of Mercer University’s College of Liberal tute of Technology, and Wesleyan School. will have on Mercer’s campus, AdminisArts, provided the lead gift for the contrator Brumley said that it “creates a park The original deadline for the project’s struction of the plaza. His wife Aileen completion was in July, but there were like environment” for the students and that Rosso, his father Juan Cruz Rosario, and some delays due to the unusually heavy he expects the plaza will be “heavily used sister Zorida Cruz Torres are also Mercer amounts of rainfall in the spring. Accordby students, faculty and staff”. graduates and contributed to the gift alonging to Larry Brumley, senior vice president Some of the plaza’s amenities mentioned side him. for marketing, communications, and chief included fountains, tables, and chairs by In a video news release by Mercer UniConnell Student Center, as well as benchof staff at Mercer University, there were versity, Dr. James Netherton, executive only a few delays in the project due to the es all around the plaza, electrical outlets, vice president of administration and firain. and new lighting. One other change to the nance at Mercer, Cruz wanted to improve campus is that the Mercer Bear statue that The construction crew did what he dethe campus by removing the abandoned scribed as an “amazing” job of working used to be by the University Center was street Edgewood Avenue. According to relocated during construction and is now around the rain. According to administrator
Patrick Hobbes / Cluster Staff
located in Cruz Plaza. Administrator Brumley mentioned that the plaza is a great place to host some of Mercer University’s formal events. One example he gave was that they could hold outdoor commencement services, which could allow them to have more room for the families of Mercer University students that are attending the event. When asked how he believes the students will react, Administrator Brumley says that he believes that students who last saw the campus in early May, while it was still in the earlier stages of construction will find it to be a “real jaw dropper”. According to him, they have already heard “real exclamations of surprise” from students who have seen the completed plaza for the first time.
Construction for Phase III of the Lofts is underway By Patrick Hobbs Managing Editor
managing@mercercluster.com
Mercer University is expanding its student housing portfolio on the North side of campus. Sierra Development broke ground this summer in the construction of the third phase of the Lofts at Mercer Village. Jim Daws, president of Sierra Development, is looking forward to transforming the College Street entrance of Mercer University. Daws estimates that the building will cost $8 to $9 million and should be completed in a year. “I’m hoping to have the same wow impact,” as the first two loft apartment buildings, said Daws. The new residential building will have 111 bedrooms; a necessity due to larger class enrollments and University imposed restrictions on off-campus housing. Starting in Fall 2014, all students must live on campus for their first three years at Mercer. Larry Brumley, senior vice president for marketing communications, said that dis-
cussions regarding student housing beyond the third phase of the lofts is already underway. Jim Daws hopes that he can expand the Mercer lofts all the way through the College Corridor into downtown Macon. Sierra Development is adding more amenities to the new building because of its distance from restaurant-oriented Mercer Village. Daws said the completed building will include a Wi-Fi cafe, coffee bar, tv lounge, game room, and study rooms will
Patrick Hobbes / Cluster Staff
Phase III of the Lofts at Mercer Village are currently under construction.
dot the floors of the building. Daws said the coffee bar will most likely be managed by employee of Sierra development, but he is considering reaching out the Jittery Joes in Mercer Village. Daws said Sierra Development is hiring a interior decorator out of Atlanta to design the rooms in the post-modern style of new apartments in New York City. At the very least, the apartments will feature bamboo flooring and stainless-steel appliances. The lofts are being constructed on property owned by Mercer University, between Alexander II Magnet School and 1268 College St., the derelict yet historic Jordan Apartments building. The Jordan Apartments building was originally slated for demolition to make room for an outdoor pavilion at the lofts said Daws. However, the Historic Macon Foundation raised the funds necessary to rehabilitate the Jordan Apartments building and convert it into four two-bedroom student apartments. Sierra Development will assist Historic Macon in securing the supplies necessary to restore the 1940s era building to its original condition.
Patrick Hobbs / Cluster Staff
A yellow house is being moved to make room for the new lofts. Sierra Development hired AmericanLowe to move another historic structure, a yellow house at 1256 College St., onto Mercer’s campus next to the Tift Alumnae House. Mercer will oversee the restoration of the yellow house, but has no concrete plans for its use. Josh Rogers said the the restoration of the yellow house on Mercer’s campus should be relatively easy. “The house is architecturally unique. Once it’s gone, it’s gone” said Josh Rogers, executive director of Historic Macon.