The Pit’s up for redesign, new shape

The Pit, the much-beloved social crossroads of UNC, is up for renovations and improvements in an upcoming 2016 construction project.

The construction is divided up into two components: one to fix the bricks in the Pit and another to improve upon recreational equipment.

Dave Toms, a landscape designer at ColeJenest & Stone, has been tasked with finding out what students want for the Pit’s redesign.

“We heard a lot about shade structures and food,” he said.

Possible changes include the addition of ping pong tables or a fake fire pit.

Despite the call for change, Toms said many want to keep some things the same.

“Everybody wants it to stay flexible; there are all kinds of events that happen out there,” he said.

One point of contention among students is aesthetic changes to the Pit.

“We got the opportunity for the Pit to change shape,” he said.

Toms said as of now, nothing is for certain, but suggestions are encouraged.

Second-year doctoral student Yan Chen said he would like to see more tables and gathering areas.

“I would like to see more people sitting outside and eating,” he said.

Sophomore Alexis Amato would like to see more recreational activities.

“The ping pong table looked really cool, or just like table games in general, because you have the music out there, but if there are people actually doing stuff it makes it a better hangout place,” she said.

Senior Brooke Eller said she thinks the renovations will excite future UNC students — and also keep it accessible.

“I think it will be really great for future Tar Heels to walk safely through the Pit when it rains,” she said.

While the renovations will provide for new amenities in the Pit, the main focus of the project is fixing uneven bricks.

Jill Coleman, a landscape architect for UNC, said the renovations are overdue.

“Right now, there are a lot of little pot holes and little tripping hazards and it is not ADA accessible,” Coleman said.

The total budget for the project is $700,000, which Toms thinks is a little restricting for the Pit. He said most of the work will happen in summer 2016.

Even though major work will begin in 2016, surveyors are already in the Pit getting ready to draw up the plans.

“They have got to find the elevations of everything out there,” he said “and all the underground utilities, they have to identify those explicitly.”

Coleman said once all the info is gathered, the plans for the Pit should be completed by the end of 2015.

Once the plans are finalized, Toms said they will be presented to students and the Board of Trustees for final approval.

“We will bring those back for people to review and see if they like it,” Toms said.

Eller said she hopes the Pit stays somewhat the same.

“I would rather see it improved than changed,” she said.

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