UNC-Chapel Hill could renovate or replace the Dean Smith Center, the iconic home of Tar Heel basketball for nearly 40 years, as part of a larger effort to update the university’s building portfolio.
An August report by the university’s Physical Master Plan Working Group lays out challenges for Carolina’s 544 buildings.
“Deferred maintenance and stalled projects are at a tipping point, with risk of more costly repairs and unsalvageable buildings. Enrollment increases will exacerbate this issue,” the report said.
The authors warn that inaction on these issues could lead to the “erosion” of UNC’s status as one of the nation’s premier public universities.
Student housing should be a major concern, according to the report. Dorms are at 99% occupancy, while the average age of these buildings is 78 years old. Many rooms are not accessible for people with disabilities; 37% lack central heating and air conditioning, according to the report.
The working group recommends the university conduct a housing study to determine bed count needs and prioritize construction or renovation projects within two years.
The authors also cite the subpar standard of campus recreation facilities compared to peer institutions such as the University of Virginia and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“The current facilities are outdated, overcrowded, and have a complicated governance structure that creates risk management issues,” the report said. “The group discussed the need for a more comprehensive Well-Being Center, which would incorporate campus rec with other student support services,” such as the Dean of Students and violence prevention.
The report lays out six options for the Smith Center: tear down and rebuild on the current site, renovate the building, build a new venue at the Bowles Parking Lot or Odom Village, or build off campus at the Friday Center or Carolina North. The working group said renovating or rebuilding the Dean Dome on its current site would mean the men’s basketball team would have to play elsewhere during construction. The options for a new, off-campus arena are “not in safe walking distance” for students, the report said.
Funding for new building projects would be a major concern if university leaders decide to adopt the report’s recommendations. The authors urge the university to seek “regulatory relief and flexibility” from the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees and the University of North Carolina System’s Board of Governors to raise student fees, which are capped at 3%.
“Moreover, other UNC System institutions have been allowed to increase fees more aggressively since the cap was implemented in 2017-18,” the report said.
The report, which also includes recommendations for university properties on Franklin Street, will help shape UNC-Chapel Hill’s new campus master plan, which was last updated in 2019.
