Heimerman Plaza, the area where the Heimerman science building once stood, is now complete with a walking path in the shape of the original building, benches and a memorial wall that will also double as an outdoor classroom with a small sitting area.
A few repairs, such as a crack in one section of the honor wall, along with just a few slight tweaks will be finished no later than the end of February.
In addition to the minor repairs and installations, there will be three new lights added around the area — two bollard lights and one lamp — to better illuminate the area at night.
Also, part of the plaza features a fire lane that allows firetrucks to easily access the campus in case of emergency. The fire lane is hidden from sight except for a small sign that denotes the fire lane’s placement.
Vice President for Finance and Administration Jennifer Gantz gave three reasons why the space is important to honoring the scientific history of Newman and further fostering community on campus.
“We wanted the space for several reasons,” explained Gantz. “The first reason is we wanted to make sure we didn’t forget the contributions that were made by Sister Marciana Heimerman while also acknowledging the hard work of the ASC sisters and the faculty who were instrumental to get us where we are today in the areas of nursing and allied health, math and science.
“We also wanted a nice reminder of the previous science building, which was why we added the limestone on the wall as well as the walking path that sits on the footprint of where Heimerman used to be. Finally, we wanted another socialization space for students, staff and faculty.”
A formal dedication of the new space will take place sometime during the spring semester.
