THOMAS Jefferson called it the "opening south" -- that vacancy on one end of the Lawn, unmarked and untouched, that preserved the panorama of the Blue Ridge to the landscape of his Academical Village. It was a natural and beautiful counterpart to the grand designs of the Rotunda, sandwiching the fledgling University of Virginia between the raw splendor of the Earth and the reasoned brilliance of knowledge. And for seventy-three years, Jefferson's vision remained unobstructed, linking both students and faculty to their surroundings.
But good things never last, and after the Rotunda burned down in 1895 the University embarked on a radical redesign of the Lawn that was distinctly anti-Jeffersonian. Not only did the new Rotunda eschew Jefferson's original plans, that superb view of the southern mountains was finally closed up. Old Cabell Hall opened in 1898 and, though it blocked quite a bit of the scenery, was widely considered a worthy addition to the neoclassical style that made Virginia unique among American universities. Over time, though, a chorus of opposition arose, evidently annoyed by the amount of nature that remained visible. Chants of "Let there be ugly!" echoed around Grounds, and by the early 1950s they had crescendoed into the building of New Cabell Hall.
At last, the pastoral but ultimately menacing view to the south was completely hidden to anyone standing at the Rotunda; development stopped, officials obviously satisfied with their insolence towards T.J. Even better, students in Old Cabell were now rid of any view at all -- yes, just a few feet beyond was an incredible display of noisy and dirty air conditioning units that were, of course, far less distracting than those pesky mountains some forty miles distant. Clemons Library and the Chemistry Building soon followed, and New Cabell became the symbol of the University's noble commitment to the hideous rather than the inspiring.
Fast-forward to the present. Now someone in the last few years has had the nerve to suggest that we tear down this icon and replace it with an extension of the Lawn across Jefferson Park Avenue. This dangerous new thinking, called the South Lawn Project, would once again allow that seditious Appalachian scenery to enter into the hearts and minds of our precious students. Moreover, it would actually go back to basics with Jefferson's original design and construct a new $105 million home for the College of Arts & Sciences across from JPA, set off to one side of the Lawn -- meaning that, theoretically, there would be an unbroken line of sight from the Rotunda to the distant Blue Ridge. The new buildings would add 112,000 square feet of floor space for the College's perusal while doing nothing to combat the alpine threat.
Regrettably for those of us who hate progress, this complex remains a go for construction. But I have good news: some angel -- or group of angels -- has seen the light and intervened on behalf of New Cabell, ordering it be renovated rather than demolished and sparing the University community from the inconvenience of a gorgeous landscape. Never mind that the rest of this South Lawn Project will largely be nullified by the fact that the new buildings, fountains and pergola at the walkway's end will no longer be in view -- the important thing to remember is that the University will save "at least" $50 million and treat us all with several extra years of construction.
Of course, this will be way better than outright rebuilding, because renovation implies that parts of New Cabell will remain open. How refreshing to think that we can all look forward again to figuring out which doors aren't blocked off and what kind of headphones we'll need to silence the glorious symphony of hammer and nail! All the while, we'll be safe knowing that our administrators are doing their best to protect our expanding minds by shrinking our view of the outside world. Now those morbid mountains will never get us.
I, for one, am glad that as long as the University's going to spend more than $100 million on the new construction, it might as well scrimp a little on other costs, thereby making the original expenditures worthless. After all, why spend and win when you can save and lose? Why move forward when you can just tinker with what's already there? Jefferson and his wishes be damned -- I applaud the decision to leave New Cabell up and running. It'll destroy any and all thoughts of scenery, open-mindedness, and the whole intent of the project to begin with. Plus, it'll ensure that millions go to waste rather than to such useless projects as financial aid and professional research.
The original goal of the South Lawn Project was to open up that southern vista while making room for growth and leaping forward into the 21st century. But now, it looks like a huge addition to the University's hallowed Grounds will be slighted by administrators' recalcitrance to fully embrace change and truly follow through on a project.
Maybe you disagree with their actions, but I don't see how you could. I mean, as Thomas Paine would have said, it's just common sense.
Alex Lane is a Cavalier Daily Viewpoint Writer.
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