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Pedestrian Green Space

New gateway arch that was installed as part of the Pedestrian Green Space project.

Pedestrian Green Space project nearly complete

As the Pedestrian Green Space project nears completion, planning is underway for the next phase—establishing vehicular access to the adjacent Oaklands building.

The Oaklands renovation, paused last summer to attend to other needs, is set to resume in early 2026. The next phase will complete interior improvements in the building that will create event space and welcoming accommodations for University guests, with completion anticipated by fall of 2026.

 

Oaklands project aims to minimize impact on trees

To support this work, a new vehicular access route to the Oaklands will need to be temporarily opened later this fall. This access will provide for contractor entry during construction and, once complete, will allow for permanent accessible parking, safe vehicle turnaround and emergency response access. Because the Oaklands building is surrounded by a grove of heritage white oaks, the project team is planning this work with the utmost care to minimize impact on trees and the surrounding landscape.

The most recent potential layout was staked on-site so that members of the WMU Tree Committee, along with WMU Landscape Services and Planning, Design & Construction, could better visualize this potential new pathway. The design and engineering team has considered many iterations of the vehicular pathway; all iterations are intended to minimize impact to the site and still provide safe access. Work remains to ensure the best possible outcome, including additional on-site staking in this iterative review process. The design is getting closer to a solution and updates will be made based on the staking effort and the Tree Committee's feedback.

The Planning, Design & Construction team is grateful to the Tree Committee and other colleagues across campus who have provided thoughtful insights during the Pedestrian Green Space development, as well as for this phase of the project involving the Oaklands. Together, we're focused on a solution that allows continued use of the Oaklands while keeping impacts to the surrounding landscape as minimal as possible.