Editorial: Changing Central

Recently released plans for the renovation of Central show a promising vision for the University that will turn the currently rundown backwater that is Central into an integral part of the campus.

The plan includes demolishing almost all of the current structures on Central and replacing them with a "University Village," with apartment housing for 800 undergraduates, more than 200 graduate students, faculty and staff and retail space, a hotel and an amphitheater. Moreover, the University will revitalize its on-campus transportation system, perhaps eliminating buses and building a monorail.

This whole project promises to make Duke a more welcoming place to all types of students. Transforming part of Central Campus into a type of "Main Street" will add to campus an element similar to that of Franklin Street in Chapel Hill and has the potential to be a major attraction for students.

Importantly, the administration in these plans seems to be looking toward providing students with social spaces on campus, something that Duke currently lacks in sufficient quantity. By adding a promenade with shops and restaurants of some sort, even if they are in a limited quantity, the student experience at Duke will vastly improve.

Moreover, East Campus and West Campus currently feel like entirely separate environments, totally disconnected from one another and certainly disconnected from Central Campus. This plan will make Central an integral part of the University campus as a whole and will integrate the entire campus into one cohesive unit.

Changing the transportation system is also vital. The bus system is expensive, inefficient and environmentally unfriendly. A monorail system promises to be far more reliable at moving people around campus and getting them where they need to go on time. However, one of the greatest advantages of the bus system is its flexibility, some of which could be lost with a monorail.

Overall, however, the renovations for Central Campus promise to turn a currently decrepit area into a thriving center of University life. Ultimately, though, if Duke truly wants to improve the student experience, it should work on improving the surrounding Durham area. Only then will Duke be able to compete with many of its peer institutions that have thriving city environments beyond their campus walls.