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Ohio Union on campus - Impressive!

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Started 2 years ago by patient_zero
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patient_zero
Falafel District
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The newly renovated Ohio Union opened on The Ohio State University campus opened today, March 29th, with Spring showers mostly out of the area.

Today marks 30 days of scheduled events at the Union, welcoming the university community "back home."

Some of the features include a 22 hour multistation diner, Woody's Tavern, massive ballroom with state of the art audio and video, spiritual reflection space, arts space, meeting and classroom space, and a multicultural center taking visitors on a journey of discovery. No detail was spared on the interior design, as it is not only beautiful, but functional as well.

This is just another great resource and oasis to add to the newly renovated main library and RPAC.

Posted 2 years ago #
CDS sherman
East Franklinton
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that is pretty sweet!

Posted 2 years ago #
patient_zero
Falafel District
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CDS sherman wrote >>
that is pretty sweet!

Chris, my interior photos don't do the interior space justice. You'll have to take a tour some day soon. I say a meetup at Woody's Tavern. Darn, I forget to check the beer list when I was there. Just too much to see.

Posted 2 years ago #
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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I know it isn't the most visually confrontational building, but it looks like a cozy place for the students to hang out. I think those Gehry-esque metallic turds are a bit overwrought, personally. Not to mention a maintenance & construction nightmare, with questionable results and expanding budgets. Sheesh, not everything has to be a freaking "work of art", sometimes you just want a nice building in which to house human activities.

Posted 2 years ago #
patient_zero
Falafel District
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blammo wrote >> Sheesh, not everything has to be a freaking "work of art", sometimes you just want a nice building in which to house human activities.

If I remember right, their ballroom, with the "block O" chandeliers and VIP balconies, can accommodate 1,500 guests!

You would really love those massive speaker towers, blammo. Man, they sounded great when the DJ was spinning tunes today.

Posted 2 years ago #
Sethers33

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PZ's pics dont do the interior justice, but a nice overview and he covered quite a bit of ground.

Minor trivia: That last photo he posted is the bottom room of the Lantern tower, symbolic of the Underground Railroad which went through the Union property (there are several historical markers on campus).
You enter the Multicultural Center (first floor, southeast corner of union) and go through a winding corridor (neat design) where there are a lot of built-in display cases along the journey and you end up in this really neat space which anchors the building.

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Yeah, I'm liking the inside much better than the outside.

Posted 2 years ago #
Analogue Kid
5th by West-Northwest
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*grumbles* When I was a young lad...

Seriously though it looks great

Posted 2 years ago #
jpizzow
580 N. Park St.
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Going to take my tour tomorrow and yea Walker, I agree. The exterior is a bit bland and "faux traditional". Oh well, I won't complain. I'll be paying for it the next two years so I'll be using it.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lakee911
Clintonville (South)
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Pics!

Looks nice! I can't wait to see it. Bland or not--I'm glad it looks like a normal building and not that monstrosity on north campus (sorry, couldn't resist).

On the radio this morning they mentioned that one of the two (or was it three?) bars there have $2 beers. :)

Posted 2 years ago #
patient_zero
Falafel District
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Sethers33 wrote >>
Minor trivia: That last photo he posted is the bottom room of the Lantern tower, symbolic of the Underground Railroad which went through the Union property (there are several historical markers on campus).
You enter the Multicultural Center (first floor, southeast corner of union) and go through a winding corridor (neat design) where there are a lot of built-in display cases along the journey and you end up in this really neat space which anchors the building.

Thanks for mentioning this Sethers. Just moments before I made my way down to the multicultural center, I was impressed to find a spiritual function room. It's complete with private rooms for prayer and reflection, another for washing or cleansing facilitated by a movable shower attachment, and finally a large, tastefully decorated space for gatherings complete with AV equipment. While I don't consider myself religious or spiritual, I can appreciate the facility's intended use and inspired design, and an awareness of the spiritual needs of the university community.

So as I made my way down the stairwell and into the multicultural center, I was invited to take a winding journey past 3-dimensional shadowboxes of various cultures. And yes, the journey is also indicative of slaves who traveled on the Underground Railroad through Central Ohio areas like campus. There is a historical plaque by the union bus stop listing the history of the Underground Railroad on campus that caught my eye a few weeks ago. Having grown up in a Cleveland suburb that was once a haven for those traveling on the Railroad, I really appreciated these design elements in the new Union. To be honest, I was a bit teary eyed by the time I made it into round shaped reading and reflection room.

It really did tie everything together for me. The campus is filled with people from various parts of the globe, all with different hopes and visions for a new future. This Union is a perfect place for people of different races and cultures to come together. What a positive place to come in and get nourished, refreshed, grounded and inspired while in pursuit of knowledge.

Posted 2 years ago #
thefiercelime
the 4th Dimension
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Glad to see that Woody's is still there. I remember doing shows there when it was down in the basement and seeing Gaunt and The Method play there in '91. I tend to forget that it still exists.

Posted 2 years ago #
somertimeoh
Harrison West
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Ooooh, I want to go check it out. The old Union was half-empty when I came for orientation and by the time classes started it was already closed for construction. Just the hour or so I was in there I wasn't a fan (I'm not sure if it was dark and creepy because it was empty or if it was like that all the time) so I'm happy to see what my fees helped pay for! :)

Posted 2 years ago #
Patch
Schumacher Place
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Wow, that's some bad carpet!

Posted 2 years ago #
ohiojimmie
Westgate
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My last year at Ohio Univeristy they put in a student center that looks identical to the new Ohio Union (minus a bar). Its another place for people to gather.

Posted 2 years ago #
deraj1013
Merion Village
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Ohio University, Akron and Kent all have put new unions up in the last five years, I believe. I imagine it's all part of the process of keeping your state university competitive.

Posted 2 years ago #
dru
IV
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deraj1013 wrote >>
Ohio University, Akron and Kent all have put new unions up in the last five years, I believe. I imagine it's all part of the process of keeping your state university competitive.

you can also add total renovations at CSU, BGSU and UC to that list (although the last 2 may now be going on 6-7 years)

Posted 2 years ago #
sixby9is42

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dru wrote >>

deraj1013 wrote >>
Ohio University, Akron and Kent all have put new unions up in the last five years, I believe. I imagine it's all part of the process of keeping your state university competitive.

you can also add total renovations at CSU, BGSU and UC to that list (although the last 2 may now be going on 6-7 years)

Miami's should be complete in 2012 or 2013.

Posted 2 years ago #
Rastapasta
Olde North
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Is this the right thread to complain about the tuition hike too?

Posted 2 years ago #
jimbach
Short North (WP division)
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patient_zero wrote >>

CDS sherman wrote >>
that is pretty sweet!

Chris, my interior photos don't do the interior space justice. You'll have to take a tour some day soon. I say a meetup at Woody's Tavern. Darn, I forget to check the beer list when I was there. Just too much to see.

With the exception of Bud Light (tap and bottle), all their other beers are Ohio microbrews. I can't remember them all, but they have beers from CBC, Hoster's Elevator (I think), Great Lakes, Hoppin' Frog, Weasel Boy, Buckeye, and at least one other brewery. An impressive list, even by my insufferably snobbish standards.

Oh yeah, all the microbrew drafts are $3.

Posted 2 years ago #