Listen Here
By Hannah Dunbar
@hanndunbar
In March 2014, The University of Findlay bought property at 1315 North Main St., a brick building that used to house the Stately Raven bookstore, to be used as the new location for the office of admissions, according to director of admissions, Christopher Harris. Prior to the purchase, the office of admissions was located in Morey Residence Hall on the corner of Cory Street and Davis Street.
According to Harris, The University of Findlay has seen an increase in visitors and activity in recent years.
“To be able to accommodate our visitors we needed a larger and more functional space with sufficient parking, large lobby, and the ability to grow,” said Harris. “The opportunity to have an attractive and operational space for the office of admissions that was in an area where we could have plenty of parking was essential for our future success.”
Due to the increase in enrollment – freshmen and transfers — the old location of the office of admissions has been returned into student housing according to Harris.
Myreon Cobb, director of physical plant, said the new building renovation budget was $200,000.00.
“The second part of the project was converting the first floor of Morey Residence Hall back to student housing with new electrical, mechanical painting, carpeting, and HVAC systems,” said Cobb.
A disadvantage of the relocation is the building’s location on the east side of Main Street, with traffic as a barrier. Harris said the new golf cart used by the office of admissions helps to combat the distance.
According to Devon Taylor, third year pharmacy student and student ambassador for the office of admissions, a disadvantage of the new location is that visitors have to cross Main Street when on tours.
“We take families to the cross walk in front of George House, which adds another ten minutes or so to the tours,” said Taylor.
Since the new office is located on the north end of campus, the office of admissions needs a cross walk which they are currently working on with the city according to Harris. City of Findlay Safety-Service director Paul Schmelzer, said there are many factors to consider when installing a cross walk such as traffic volume, proximity to a pedestrian generator, existing traffic control devices, and intersection location.
“If approved, the location of the cross walk may either be mid-block or at an existing intersection where improvements could be made to better alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians,” said Schmelzer.
According to Schmelzer, the cost of a cross walk varies on the distance and equipment that must be installed, but $20,000.00 is an average estimate.
Although the issue of distance can be inconvenient, there are advantages to the new office of admissions, according to Taylor.
“The new building is gorgeous and makes a great first impression for incoming students,” said Taylor.
In addition, Harris says the new office of admissions allows for ample parking for visitors and is easier for guests to find.
“We would like to publically thank the administration, physical plant, and facilities team for all of the help and support during this transition,” said Harris. “We are truly blessed to work at the University of Findlay.”
