From muddy Green Street to Airport Road, century marked by building boom
By JULIE WURTH
News-Gazette Staff Writer

    The University of Illinois was a pretty small operation at the dawn of the 20th century, comparatively speaking.
   To be sure, the 32-year-old campus had grown substantially since its founding in 1868 as Illinois Industrial University.
   But the smattering of buildings surrounded by agricultural fields bore little resemblance to the expansive campus of today.
   "We've changed dramatically in the past 100 years," said David Dressel, UI director of project planning and facility management. "If we try to predict what we would be like in another 100 years, I don't think we have any idea."
   Back in 1900, what we know as the Quad was still mostly agricultural fields. The Morrow Plots are remnants of the original South Farms.
   A few academic buildings had been erected south of the muddy path known as Green Street, but most development remained to the north.
   The campus consisted of a military parade ground and athletic fields north of Springfield Avenue; an arboretum, President's House and several engineering buildings between Springfield and Green; three academic buildings along Green; and experimental farms to the south.
   But the UI was embarking on a building boom that would last until World War I, and it was about to create its first master plan.
   The plan has been revamped several times over the years, achieving its modern form in the 1980s. It's constantly updated, Dressel said.
   "Generally our horizon is not more than 25 years. We do the best we can to look as far ahead as we can, but of course, the further you get out, the fuzzier the view," Dressel said.
   The boundaries of the 782-acre main campus are roughly University Avenue on the north, Lincoln Avenue on the east, St. Mary's Road on the south and the Illinois Central tracks on the west, though the map narrows considerably as you move north.
   That doesn't include the South Farms or the UI Arboretum, part of the south campus master plan. That plan was recently updated when the UI decided to move its plant and animal research facilities farther south, freeing up space close to campus for other uses. The move will extend the UI's southern boundary all the way to Airport Road in Savoy.
   Dressel doesn't foresee any other wholesale changes to the master plan boundaries any time soon, though there are always "refinements" to be made.
   "I don't think it's impossible that we would grow," he said. "If there's any change at all, my guess is it's going to be pretty minor stuff."
   Within the plan's boundaries, the biggest changes will come on the north and south campus, where two new research parks are planned. The UI also is building several major engineering and computer science labs on the north campus.
   Along University Avenue, the UI's northern boundary, the UI could grow eastward if the research park "really took off," Dressel said. The current eastern UI boundary in that section is Harvey Street.
   But other areas of campus may shrink – as the UI gives up land now dedicated to apple orchards in southeast Urbana, for instance.
   On the central campus, the UI recently began filling the eastern edge of its master plan with the new Spurlock Museum, the Office of Admissions and Records and the Hallene Gateway. A dozen more buildings or parking garages are planned in the blocks surrounding the Krannert Center.
   The master plan also shows the UI someday expanding westward, toward Fourth Street, in the central campus.
   That area already contains several UI buildings – Sherman Hall, International Studies – but it also has fraternities, churches, private residence halls and numerous commercial buildings.
   Dressel emphasized that the master plan merely identifies areas for possible UI buildings – for social work, liberal arts, parking or office space – if the need arises and the land becomes available.
   "That doesn't mean we have a land acquisition plan," Dressel said. "We always hedge our bets a little bit."
   Both students and the campus benefit from having fraternities and churches located in that area, he said.
   "It would never be our intent to acquire those lands in a hostile fashion," he said. "We have, if you will, a nonaggression pact with our institutional neighbors."
   The same goes for the UI's commercial neighbors, he said. The master plan shows the UI someday taking over the stretch of Daniel Street that's now home to two popular campus bars – Kam's and C.O. Daniels – a coffeehouse and several restaurants.
   Dressel said the campus would probably buy the properties if they ever went on the market and replace them with UI buildings, "but we're certainly not intending to be aggressive about it."

The University of Illinois has gone through several growth periods since its founding 132 years ago:

   - 1868: UI opens its doors with 77 students. Only campus structure is seminary building of former Champaign-Urbana Institute, where Beckman Institute now stands. Dubbed the "Elephant," it's razed in 1881.
   - 1870s-1880s: UI trustees consolidate land holdings to create T-shaped campus area extending from University Avenue on the north to Mount Hope Cemetery on the south.
   Legislature appropriates $125,000 for several new buildings. In 1874, University Hall is built on site of present-day Illini Union, replacing the "Elephant." Mechanical Building is constructed in 1872, and the Chemistry Lab, now known as Harker Hall, in 1877.
   - 1892-1917: First building boom, with 38 structures built in 25-year span. The 1890s bring the Natural History Building, Engineering Hall, Aeronautical Engineering Lab, Astronomical Observatory, Hydraulic Lab, Altgeld Hall and Kenney Gym.
   Around 1900 President Andrew Sloan Draper decides to build Davenport Hall, a state-funded agriculture building, southeast of University Hall, launching redevelopment of south campus. It's quickly followed by Chemistry Laboratory (now Noyes Lab) and Women's Building (now the English Building).
   With need for a campus plan apparent, President Edmund James appoints architectural commission in 1905. It draws up plans for formal quadrangle, anchored by new Auditorium completed in 1908. Center of campus moves south.
   The next decade brings new engineering labs to north campus, even as south campus grows with construction of Administration Building, Armory, Stock Pavilion and Transportation Building.
   - 1920s: Growth stops during World War I, followed by another boom. President David Kinley persuades state to fund 10-year building plan for 14 new academic buildings, assorted additions and residence halls.
   UI hires architect Charles Platt to re-evaluate master plan and establish distinctive architectural style for the campus. He chooses Georgian Revival, with three-and-a-half-story red brick and limestone buildings grouped to form small courtyards.
   Built in this period are Mumford Hall, the long-awaited Library, David Kinley Hall, McKinley Health Center, Huff Hall, Evans Hall, Architecture Building, Talbot Laboratory, Chemistry Annex, Freer Hall and President's House.
   - 1930s: Depression ends building boom. But Public Works Administration funds several key buildings, including Gregory Hall and Illini Union. Clark, Barton and Lundgren Halls also built in this period.
   - 1940s: Growth again comes to standstill with bombing of Pearl Harbor.
   - 1950s-60s: Postwar period brings sharp increase in enrollment with GI bill, even as UI grapples with outdated labs and insufficient housing. This leads to major campus expansion, with construction of numerous residence halls, agricultural labs, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and Assembly Hall. Chicago Circle also created east of UI Medical Center, replacing Navy Pier campus.
   - 1970s: Development stagnates during economic recession of early 1970s. Some modern new structures appear, including Foreign Languages Building and Intramural-Physical Education Building.
   - 1980s: $40 million donation for Beckman Institute and campus fund-raising campaign reinvigorate development. Athletic fields along University Avenue are transformed into major new research complex with Beckman, Microelectronics Lab, and Computer and Systems Research Lab.
   - 1990s: Engineering campus is revamped as turn-of-the-century buildings are demolished to make way for Grainger Engineering Library and new quadrangle. Other new buildings include Temple Hoyne Buell architecture hall, agriculture library, police station, admissions building, world cultures museum and numerous athletic facilities. UI also approves plans to move plant and animal research farms farther south, freeing up land close to campus for other uses.
   UI acquires former Sangamon State University in Springfield.



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