Christy and I took a leisurely stroll through the UI campus on Saturday. In the decade since I was a student there much has changed. The most startling change is the number of new apartment buildings/complexes/towers. I would guess that the number of apartments has almost doubled since my freshman year. People have to be living in these new apartments, so I wonder where they came from, since to my knowledge the enrollment has not increased. I suspect that the dorm dwellers have greatly decreased in number, though I was not aware of many people still in the dorms after their sophomore year. The Greek system has probably gone downhill, though I haven't heard anything about that either. But all the frat houses I was in were dumpy and hardly much of an enticement compared to a nice new apartment. I'm sure their condition has continued to deteriorate.
Green Street is dramatically different. The McDonald's is gone, transported to the food court in the basement of the Union. The Coed Theater is gone, meaning that you now have to travel by car to a multiplex to see a movie (back when I was in school a lot of students didn't have cars, so this really surprises me). In their place is a multi-story complex, with presumably astronomically priced apartments in the upper floors, and a Subway and I think a Kaplan Center in the first floor. Murphy's was expanded quite a while ago, and is now twice the size of the formerly narrow bar. Around the corner is La Bamba's, which moved from its location in the Skylight Court (I lived in an apartment above one summer). I'm trying to remember what is now in the former Wendy's location---it had been empty for many years, despite its prime location. Discount Den is no longer there--a Coldstone Creamery is one of the businesses that now occupies that area. A Fazolli's came and went. Burger King apparently recently closed down. Among the businesses that remain are Jimmy John's (though there is now a closer Jimmy John's near 6th street), the White Horse, and Garcia's I think, though the other two Garcia's in town closed down, probably because it couldn't compete with Monical's. Papa Del's is still in the same place too.
The Union has been transformed somewhat. The check cashing station is no longer there--does this mean students don't use checks anymore? Maybe it is done in a different location. There is a new area in the middle of the Union that was constructed around the time that I was a senior. It's a laidback, cafeteria styled seating area with a stage that can host performances. The basement no longer has the old cafeteria, which lasted a few too many years if you ask me. Unfortunately its replacements are nothing to brag about--the usual McDonald's, etc. The billiards room is gone, replaced by some type of room with exercise equipment, though it is not a standard gym. Looked like something that would cater to women. I guess billiards fell out of favor too--I can't say that I ever played there, though I wasn't a pool player until later years. Certainly the on-campus bars were lousy for pool-don't know if any bar has picked up the slack.
Not much has changed in the main quad. In fact, I remarked at the time that the people sitting and cavorting in the grass could have been transported from ten years ago and looked exactly the same--maybe because those people always have a hippyish look to them. Strangely, we observed a wedding ceremony taking place at Foellinger--or maybe they were just taking pictures on the steps in front.
There is a new circular agriculture building, about halfway between the main quad and FAR. Looked impressive on the outside. Also, construction on a new business building is about to start. If you remember the block south of the Armory (I remember playing tennis there one night my freshman year), it is now a giant pit where the new building will be.
I forgot to mention the brand new Alumni building, over on Lincoln Ave. It's big, it's spacious, and it is quite expensive looking. It is also very sterile. It doesn't seem to have a use for anything but a meeting place. Strange.
Room 66 in the main library was redone. Room 66 was where the film screenings were held for the film classes I took. The film screening were moved (as of about 4 years ago they were in the Armory), and the room looked unused then. But now the room looks brand new. But the room at the back that held the projector was demolished, with the entire room now extending all the way back with windows! Quite a dramatic change for a room that I spent quite a bit of time in.
Speaking of the library, the Undergraduate library was a mess. It is in the middle of some type of renovation, and it looks like such a big project that I wonder if they will have it done by the time students come back this fall. Many cubicles and books and shelves had been moved, leaving empty space. They still had those blue chairs---it's about time for some new furniture!!!
