The title says it all: Wittpenn Walk, the iconic asphalt walkway from the Howe Center to the Babbio Center, is being shut down during the week of February 18 and will stay closed for the next few years as part of the University Center Construction project.
The Stute reached out to the Division of Facilities & Campus Operations, as well as Student Affairs, to get some details about the plan. According to a joint response from Sara Klein, Robert Maffia, and Richard Snyder, the shutdown fence would run from the Howe Center to the north of Davis Hall, completely surrounding Hayden Hall. It will not encompass the entrance to the scenic outlook neighboring the Howe Center, which will remain open throughout the duration of the project.
Residents of Hayden will need to access the building through a fenced-in walkway running along the pathway to Schaefer Athletic Center, while the south entrance will be closed. Residents of Davis will not be able to use the north entrance for the duration of the project, though the front and south entrances will remain open. Construction in the fenced-off zone will take place between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The administrators stressed that “the safety of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors is of utmost importance. All of the planned changes to Hayden and Davis Hall exits have been reviewed and approved by the Campus Police, Stevens Fire Safety Director and the Hoboken Fire Department.”
The shutdown will also be affecting the new tradition from the Stevens Senior Week Committee and the Office of Student Life, The Wittpenn Walk. This tradition consisted of walking incoming first-year students up Wittpenn Walk on their way to New Student Convocation, and outgoing seniors down the pathway on their way out of graduation to symbolize the start and finish of a student’s academic career at Stevens. As to how this tradition will be affected, Sara Klein said, “we plan to detour the walk around to the other side of Walker Gym. Instead of the Gatehouse (which is about to be taken down for a few years while we construct the University Center and residential towers), we will create a red and gray balloon arch that students will walk through, symbolically representing the Gatehouse. The event will still have the same energy and excitement, just shifted over a few feet!”
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