Today, Temple University announced that the $190M new library planned as part of Temple's 2020 campaign will not get built. As the last piece of the Temple 20/20 campaign, the death of the library signals an end to Temple's quest to redefine itself. As the university moves forward, though, it's still figuring out its relationship to the rest of the North Broad area.
Apparently, the prospect of a library that would open up to the area and serve as a "giant living room for all of Philadelphia" did not appeal to the entirety of the Temple University community. According to Philly.com, the prospect of the new building "raised questions among some staff and board members as to whether the University really wanted to be more open to North Philly".
While Temple has long been a commuter school, its recent addition of a high rise dorm and cafeteria signals the coming of a new era in Temple's history. Nearby residents' concerns about rowdy college students might be assuaged by a more insular campus, but one of the core values of the Temple 20/20 plan was to "Respect and Engage Surrounding Communities" Perhaps Temple has decided that the best way to respect the surrounding communities is to engage with them less.
· Temple scraps Broad St. library plan [Philly.com]
Loading comments...