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An architectural rendering of the
intersection of College Avenue and
Somerset Street shows the design of a
proposed high-rise building. The
mixed-use structure will connect to the
New Brunswick train station, and house
such university facilities as the
Rutgers Club, a Visitor Center, Rutgers
University Press and the Rutgers
University Bookstore.
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“We want to create a public space that is inviting and shows off our campus,” Kavanagh said. “These projects will help make the College Avenue campus a livelier, friendlier place where people will congregate and connect with each other and move about freely, walking and biking to different destinations.” An important part of the vision is the inclusion of several Rutgers units in the new Gateway Center at the end of College Avenue near the New Brunswick train station.
“A significant Rutgers presence in the Gateway Center will define it as a clear and welcoming entry to the campus, as well as reinforce our strong connection to the City of New Brunswick,” McCormick said. “We have long been seeking a way to bridge our communities, and this is a great opportunity to do this.”
“Being near the train station is a dream come true,” said Rutgers University Press Director Marlie Wasserman. “Accessing New York City will shave valuable time off the process of meeting with authors and publishers. “It will make us much more effective.” Wasserman said there will be many opportunities for the units to interact, noting that the press could hold book events and author signings in the bookstore and go there to research trends in publishing.
Matthew Weismantel, senior director of campus information services, said that the proposed location of the Rutgers University Visitor Center near the city’s center would make the center visible and prominent. He said that in a typical year Rutgers is a principal destination for more than 500,000 visitors, who range from prospective students to people attending seminars, meetings and cultural events.
“The visitor center will provide a comprehensive, full-service ‘front door’ – a welcoming gateway that can inspire institutional pride for Rutgers and its contributions to the state,” Weismantel said.
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