UL acquires OLOL Property

[cajun_lannister]

Ok, I found the part of the master plan that outlines how they want to shift some colleges around, in an effort to make the campus easier to navigate.

Of course, this will only happen as funds are available, but the plan is outstanding. And the move of nursing to the new campus could be the beginning of many other dominoes falling.


Quad: becomes focus of Liberal Arts/English studies

M. Doucet: Add English/Liberal Arts, move Math to Griffin, Education to Girard.
Mouton: No Change, Sociology/Anthropology, etc.
Stephens: Add Liberal Arts, move Comp Center to DeClouet
Broussard: Add English/Liberal Arts, move Physics to Griffin
Lee & Foster: N/C, remains Admin Services
FG Mouton/Moody: N/C, remain Business
DeClouet: Add Comp Center, (Gen Studies program no longer offered)
Girard: Education only, move Liberal Arts (psychology, etc.) to Stephens/Doucet


St Mary

Wharton: once Nursing moves to OLOL campus, adds History/Geography/Philosophy/Psych
Judice-Rickels: N/C, remains location of Honors program


Rex St/Girard Pk: becomes focus of Math/Science/Engineering/Tech

Griffin: Add Engineering Admin offices, Math, Physics, Geology
Madison: Add ‘Lab teaching space,’ move admin offices to Griffin
Montgomery: N/C, Chemistry
Oliver: N/C, Computer Sciences
Rougeau: N/C, Ind Tech

Man south of the library will be a sausage fest

[USL1970]

Why sell/trade the land the university already owns on the main campus? (Although Our Lady of Wisdom structure is there.)

Also, UL bought the land and not the hospital buildings which sit on the land.

This will be a long process although strategically excellent.

[moorecajun]

Why sell/trade the land the university already owns on the main campus? (Although Our Lady of Wisdom structure is there.)

Also, UL bought the land and not the hospital buildings which sit on the land.

This will be a long process although strategically excellent.

IMO, the land was sold to OLOL to separate the two entities. This keeps a state school separtate from any religious connection, which bothers some people.

I think I disagree with you about UL not buying the buildings and I reference a paragraph from the releas; "The acreage UL Lafayette will acquire from the Diocese contains medical office buildings and other facilities that were part of the hospital complex and owned by Lourdes. The University plans to relocate its College of Nursing & Health Sciences to the site. With renovations, the tract and its buildings will become the nucleus of a health sciences campus."

I do totally agree that this is stategically excellent. Continuing to improve an already great nursing program in a city that seems to be increasing its medical facilities is a huge win for the university, city and region.

[RedBug58]

Now, can we do something with Blackham?

[LaCajunsFan]

Now, can we do something with Blackham?

Per the master plan, that area is being saved for ‘future academic expansion.’ So with all the money and effort focused now on the St Landry properties, I think it will be a while before they get to the Blackham area.

Btw, the plan calls for the extension of St Landry street to connect from Coliseum to Cajun Dome Blvd, which would be awesome.

[CajunRebel]

IMO, the land was sold to OLOL to separate the two entities. This keeps a state school separtate from any religious connection, which bothers some people.

I think I disagree with you about UL not buying the buildings and I reference a paragraph from the releas; "The acreage UL Lafayette will acquire from the Diocese contains medical office buildings and other facilities that were part of the hospital complex and owned by Lourdes. The University plans to relocate its College of Nursing & Health Sciences to the site. With renovations, the tract and its buildings will become the nucleus of a health sciences campus."

I do totally agree that this is stategically excellent. Continuing to improve an already great nursing program in a city that seems to be increasing its medical facilities is a huge win for the university, city and region.

This is correct. I spoke with someone who was in the meetings. UL is getting the office buildings, at least some of the medical equipment inside, the old orphanage, and at least one of the parking garages. And they are getting them for an absolute steal.

I don’t know of any concrete plans to start a medical school here, but if the day ever comes where we decide to start one, we’ll have an almost ready-made location waiting for us at Lourdes.

This is a good day for the university.

[LaCajunsFan]

This is correct. I spoke with someone who was in the meetings. UL is getting the office buildings, at least some of the medical equipment inside, the old orphanage, and at least one of the parking garages. And they are getting them for an absolute steal.

I don’t know of any concrete plans to start a medical school here, but if the day ever comes where we decide to start one, we’ll have an almost ready-made location waiting for us at Lourdes.

This is a f’ng GREAT day for the university.

I think this needs a bit more emphasis than good, lol

[KajunKrazy]

Great video. Since this is an athletics forum I even saw a FB player playing ping pong.

[KajunKrazy]

This is correct. I spoke with someone who was in the meetings. UL is getting the office buildings, at least some of the medical equipment inside, the old orphanage, and at least one of the parking garages. And they are getting them for an absolute steal.

I don’t know of any concrete plans to start a medical school here, but if the day ever comes where we decide to start one, we’ll have an almost ready-made location waiting for us at Lourdes.

This is a good day for the university.

So will it be that whole track of land from st. Mary to st Julien. (I think that is the street that runs parallel on the back side?) Medical office buildings parking garages and health and promotion center and all?

[HelmutVII]

Video By the university

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebk6TNn-BmM

[USL1970]

"Our Lady of Lourdes says that in this acquisition UL only purchased the tract of land underneath those buildings. The buildings are part of the second phase of this initiative, they say. The structures that were part of the hospital are all still currently owned by Our Lady of Lourdes."

[fanof71]

Video By the university

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebk6TNn-BmM

Awesome video...great drone footage...

[60swerethebest]

Couple of items
The present buildings that make up Wisdom are owned by the Diocese. The land is being leased from the state. It’s a long term lease but getting towards the end.
The lease will expire when new chapel and center are built. UL has been wanting a nice visitor center. Would be ideal location.
Parking for staff and for parishioners is included in deal. Don’t know details. But the beautiful trees now at Wisdom and along St. Mary stay.
New Engineering building will be located perpendicular to computer science building near Fletcher. That leaves space for one more building opposite engineering. As stated earlier Madison will be converted to labs. All in phases as money comes in. State has been fairly generous.
The new engineering bldg along with Oliver and whatever else is built will Form an open quad looking out on Girard park. Will look nice. All it takes is money.
Also as pointed out both TJoe and CEO of Lourdes Acadiana market area both publicly stated it will be done.
Don’t know if the general Lourdes area is planned for a medical school one day but the nursing program is about to explode. The fuse is lit. Nursing is expanding into a major Allied Health school with a number of PhD options being developed. Don’t know if I’ll get to see it but in ten years there’s no telling what it will look like. Very interested in seeing how the relationship between Lourdes Ochsner and UL develop. Both hospital systems rely on UL heavily. Good times ahead.
Sorry for long post but I got the frissons from just thinking about where this university can go.

[ULGrad@HOU]

Glad to see this development become reality, it's been talked about for a very long time. Great move by UL. It's very exciting what is happening on the academic side. The new Engineering building is another long time vision that I hope to see built within the next few years.

[LaCajunsFan]

Couple of items
The present buildings that make up Wisdom are owned by the Diocese. The land is being leased from the state. It’s a long term lease but getting towards the end.
The lease will expire when new chapel and center are built. UL has been wanting a nice visitor center. Would be ideal location.
Parking for staff and for parishioners is included in deal. Don’t know details. But the beautiful trees now at Wisdom and along St. Mary stay.
New Engineering building will be located perpendicular to computer science building near Fletcher. That leaves space for one more building opposite engineering. As stated earlier Madison will be converted to labs. All in phases as money comes in. State has been fairly generous.
The new engineering bldg along with Oliver and whatever else is built will Form an open quad looking out on Girard park. Will look nice. All it takes is money.
Also as pointed out both TJoe and CEO of Lourdes Acadiana market area both publicly stated it will be done.
Don’t know if the general Lourdes area is planned for a medical school one day but the nursing program is about to explode. The fuse is lit. Nursing is expanding into a major Allied Health school with a number of PhD options being developed. Don’t know if I’ll get to see it but in ten years there’s no telling what it will look like. Very interested in seeing how the relationship between Lourdes Ochsner and UL develop. Both hospital systems rely on UL heavily. Good times ahead.
Sorry for long post but I got the frissons from just thinking about where this university can go.

Nothing to apologize for…..that was an awesome post. Lots of good info. It’s been debated where the actual engineering classes would go, and that location makes perfect sense. With the admin offices moved to Griffin and Madison becoming just labs.

You know, the more I think about it, once nursing moves to St Landry, a lot of the moves outlined in the pan can happen…not much cost needed to move some classes/office space to other buildings, like shifting the Griffin stuff to the quad, new classes in Wharton, etc. And lord knows replacing Madison is a priority, so I think that can happen in the next 5-10 years….too long for us maybe, but just a few minutes in the life of a university campus.