IV. The Plan to Meet the University's Facilities Needs C. District Development Plans West District The West District is bounded by University Boulevard to the west, Campus Drive to the south, and Stadium Drive and the predominantly high-rise residential community to the north. To the east it merges into the parking lots and buildings that surround the southwestern side of the Historic Core. Historically a back door and rear yard of the campus containing athletic fields and large parking areas, this district is increasingly a new front door to the campus. It is the historic and present location of the President's residence, which is situated on one of the highest points on the campus with vistas to the north and the south. The significant landscape open space in the district is the President's lawn and the areas and vistas associated with the President's house. The long range vision for this district and "western gateway" to the campus calls for its transformation from one dominated by acres of asphalt parking lots for thousands of cars to an ordered, mixed-use district with strong and clear connections to the adjacent campus districts. This vision also includes long-range consideration of possible property acquisitions to the south of Campus Drive and connections to the Buddington property and consideration of future transit and auto access The district also contains many of the campus's iconic assembly buildings and spaces including Byrd Stadium, Cole Student Activities Building, the new Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and Ludwig Field. Additionally, the Inn and Conference Center, while not technically part of the campus, has a strong visual and functional connection to the campus and is part of this iconic group of buildings and spaces. The campus planning and architectural development of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and the Stadium Drive Parking Garage have transformed Stadium Drive into a new front door and gateway to the campus. Several access points to campus are also located along Campus Drive. The stream of Guilford Run has its origins along the southeast edge of the President's lawn. The long-range vision for this district and "western gateway" to the campus calls for its transformation from one dominated by acres of asphalt parking lots for thousands of cars to an ordered, mixed-use district with strong and clear connections to the adjacent campus districts. This vision also includes long-range consideration of possible property acquisitions to the south of Campus Drive and connections to the Buddington property and consideration of future transit and auto access. The ordering concepts for the district are as follows: 1) a north-south vehicular and pedestrian axis and series of spaces and malls aligned with Lot 1 Road; 2) an east-west axis and mall between Tawes and the Inn and Conference Center; 3) the President's lawn as the significant campus space in this district and western section of the campus; 4) the development of Guilford Run headwaters as an aesthetic and ecological amenity (Figure 11). The site of the President's residence will be retained to serve as both the family residence of the President as well as the site of the complex social activities that are required by his position. The natural landscape and vistas associated with the President's house are important to these activities and are to be maintained and further developed. Capital programs are planned for the adaptive reuse of the Tawes Building for the Department of English, an addition for the College of Education, a new building for the College of Journalism, and the new Riggs Alumni Center. Potential future development includes multi-modal transit, a combination of academic and student facilities, and spaces for major special events to be hosted in this district. The development of this area will make open-space development and pedestrian and spatial links to the core of campus a priority, as these will form the structure for future development.

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