May 2002

Master Plan Provides Snapshot of George Mason in the Year 2020

By Jeremy Lasich

By 2020, approximately 45,000 students will be enrolled at George Mason, nearly 6,500 will live in student housing on the Fairfax and Prince William Campuses, and the university campuses will grow almost 158 percent to 8.5 million gross square feet, according to the Master Plan approved by the Board of Visitors (BOV) in March.

Although the plan may be modified several times over the next 18 years, it does provide a foundation for the university's future. "The message is growth," says Vice President of Facilities Reid Herlihy, referring to George Mason's 2007 Plan and other key studies that show the university will accept an additional 1,000 students per year until 2011. "The Master Plan is a reflection of the development goals of George Mason; it is a road map of how to get there with the bricks and mortar," says Herlihy. About 60 percent of the growth will be on the Fairfax Campus.

"An important part of this plan is the urbanization of the Fairfax Campus," says Herlihy. "We are upping the density of the buildings, especially from the Johnson Center south." Additions include at least six academic or research buildings; several parking decks; extensions to Fenwick Library, the Aquatic Center, both student union buildings, and the Physical Plant; a Thompson Hall renovation; at least five new housing complexes; a lawn amphitheater; and an alumni center. The heart of the campus to the north of the Johnson Center will be revamped to include two Main Street concepts that will consist of pedestrian-friendly roads bordered by student service and retail shops.

"The Fairfax Campus is one of the best kept secrets in the county because the view from the major roads is hindered by George Mason's landscape," says Herlihy. "We are going to open up some of our entrances and create a new boulevard coming in from University Drive, but we are not going to get rid of all the trees." Other goals for the campus include establishing quads, gateways, and informal playing fields; preserving the streams and woodlands; and planning parking, roadway, and infrastructure to accommodate future growth.

The Prince William Campus will expand significantly from its current 275,000 gross square feet to 1.4 million. Full-time enrollment on that campus is expected to increase more than 900 percent, and a 700-bed housing complex will be added to accommodate the jump. Other additions include a performing arts theater, a student union, and several academic buildings.

Although the student population on the Arlington Campus is expected to rise to more than 6,000, a 340 percent increase, the changes there will be the least dramatic. With little room to expand, only two more buildings on the campus are shown on the map in 2020.

Creating a new Master Plan was one of the university's three major goals this year identified by Edwin Meese III, rector of the BOV. The process took 11 months, included three BOV work sessions, and encompassed every aspect of university life. Sasaki Associates, the same company that worked on the last Master Plan in 1987, designed this plan as well. Provost Peter Stearns and Senior Vice President Maurice Scherrens chaired the steering committee that oversaw the project.