info wrote:

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... Brilliant plan for a building 30 feet from the library.

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info wrote:

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WDAM at 6:00 report on the Powerhouse Restaurant.

The $2 million renovation tab is being paid by "Southern Miss Dining." Perhaps "Aramark" was meant, but that's not what the report said.

The facility is supposed to cater to faculty and staff for lunch and then, in the evening hours, "pick up" and "get loud." The artist's sketch shows an interior balcony containing a band.

Brilliant plan for a building 30 feet from the library.

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Whining,

Large universities often retain architectural firms as consultants, who some times build scale models of the university campus.  When new construction occurs, these firms are able to test for "unforseen" impacts of new construction on campus.  Science buildings with labs have ventillation and often smokestack structures that emit stuff, which might land on places around campus you might not want it to land around (e.g., a sorority village).  These models can be used to prevent these sort of occurrences from happening.

I would think that a restaurant with a courtyard attached for band music right next to a library would be a legitimate concerns for campus planning.  I wouldn't necessarily dismiss such a concern as "whining." 

What everyone realizes by now is that "planning" is not in the Thames playbook or lexicon.  This is simply another example, and may have consequences like all the rest.

That's a very good point about noise in the library. I can speak from experience here. While the first floor study areas, and reference areas, may not hear a note of any music, the upper floors on north side may get a good dose of music/noise, depending upon one's perspective and opinion. The first floor public areas have a good buffer before one reaches the north wall, but upper floors do not have this.

I say, let's see what happens, but it will be interesting to watch. Adjustments may be needed at some point.

Student wrote:

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info wrote: ... Brilliant plan for a building 30 feet from the library. What's a library?

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You know -- it's the place with all the paper, just outside Starbucks.

Wonder how the acoustics in the new Reuben Auditorium in Walker Science will be, when the Powerhouse "gets loud."  Don't you know that Steve and Suzi Doblin are thrilled about their donation in memory of Suzi's father . . .

LVN wrote:

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If they want an upscale ambience, don't turn it into a rock club, keep it a place people can have a nice meal and a conversation.

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LVN wrote:

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Who is the market for this restaurant? Is it going to be a student place or a "grown-ups" place (apologies to all the grown-up students, but you know what I mean.) Does the music have to be loud? Why couldn't it be jazz? If they want an upscale ambience, don't turn it into a rock club, keep it a place people can have a nice meal and a conversation.

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Not Viable wrote:

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With tuition increases for students and no faculty/staff raises, is this concept viable?  If the place can't serve alcohol, who's really going to hang out there for lunch, dinner, or beyond into the night?  Campus is like a ghost town, I doubt one restauraunt is going to change USM's commuter status.

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I have discussed the "alcohol on campus" issue on some of the Trent Lott Center threads, specifically, the powers that be will find a way to legally serve alcohol at TLC functions (the facility will have a banquet room). Someone responded that according to state law, alcohol cannot be sold on campus.

If that is the case, look for the Power House to be a BYOB establishment.