Dean: Elevator Hill ‘Perfectly-Aligned’ for BSU
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe dean of the Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning says the school’s expanded Indianapolis presence creates a unique focus for students. The university moved the Ball State CAP: Indy program to the former Angie’s List campus on the city’s near east side last summer. The location focuses on the college’s master of architecture and master of urban design programs.
In an interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, Dave Ferguson said the area, now known as Elevator Hill, was ready-made for the program’s expansion.
“The lead on (Elevator Hill), Bill Oesterle, has been a great host for us because he understands, I think, design; he was part of Angie’s List,” said Ferguson. “The buildings are remarkably preserved. They’re really set up well for the tech sector and so we stepped in literally turnkey. It was a perfectly-aligned space for our kinds of activities. We have open studios and everything’s working well and there’s room to grow.”
Ferguson says the space has been a major draw for students. He says the location also provides additional benefits.
“Our students love to work with real-life problems and projects. We work with neighborhood associations. We have worked with the city before and those kinds of partnerships are irreplaceable. That’s what they’re going to be seeing when they go out into the field. The other set of parties that benefit from this are the design professionals in this area who have been really supportive of our program.”
Ferguson says because there is room for growth, the future is bright for the new location. He says the college has other programs that are being considered for Indianapolis, as well as other colleges at Ball State.