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Inside Cal Poly

Community members now have an easy, fun way to experience and take in the new utility box art that has been popping up across campus over the last two years.



A new <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/about/news/utility-box-art/utilityboxmap.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cal Poly Utility Art Box Map</a> is available and details each box, its theme, the artist behind it, as well as its number and corresponding location.



The campus beautification program started in 2021 and showcases the artistic skills of the Cal Poly community and invites others to engage with their surroundings. At the moment, there are 30 painted utility boxes across campus.



Each box has a specialized theme created and executed by an artist or team of artists. Every theme is particular to campus life, the community in and around Cal Poly and other ideas. Some themes include native plant life, monarch butterflies, seaside landscapes and many more.



Boxes appear on <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/about/news/utility-box-art/utilityboxmap.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the map</a> in red little boxes and are identified by their number.



Locations on campus range anywhere from the Alex G. Spanos Stadium to right outside the Campus Market.

Map and list of Cal Poly utility box art tour locations with artwork titles, artist names, box numbers, and locations.

Utility Box Art Now Featured On Map

In line with the Cal Poly Master Plan, a multitude of capital projects commenced this summer. These initiatives range from establishing the John Madden Football Center and reconfiguring the Administration Building parking lot to renovating the University Union&#8217;s interior and expanding the Technology Park building. These developments aim to enhance student success and enrich university life.



To help the Cal Poly community better manage these changes, we have assembled a comprehensive list detailing each project and the roads or parking lots that will be affected.



An exciting project underway, the John Madden Football Center will provide state-of-the-art amenities for the Cal Poly football program, including a new locker room, weight room, team meeting rooms, coach offices and training facilities. It caters to the team’s daily needs and serves as a recruitment feature to attract top-quality student-athletes to campus. College Avenue will be impacted from Dec. 18, 2023, through Feb. 14, 2024.



The Comerford Pavilion is the new tennis clubhouse located on court 7 of the Mustang Tennis Complex, to the south of Mott Athletics Center. It will feature locker rooms, coach offices, student-athlete lounge space, and an outdoor spectator area for viewing matches. The clubhouse serves as the entrance to the athletics side of campus near the Mott Athletics Center and the Recreation Center at the intersection of Hathaway Avenue and Longview Lane. There are no anticipated parking lots closures or impacted roads.



Tech Park Expansion is still underway, with no road or parking impacts anticipated. This expansion will increase opportunities for industry collaboration with Cal Poly students and faculty. This project will expand on the existing Technology Park facility by constructing a new two-story building adjacent to the Mount Bishop Road complex. The project, with a budget of $12 million is anticipated to open in spring 2024.



The Ag Housing Project remains in construction. This new addition will construct two new six-bedroom houses on the site of the former Beef Unit. These houses will be occupied by student employees from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences working at nearby agriculture facilities. There are no anticipated impacts to parking or roads.



The A1 Parking Lot, adjacent to the Administration Building, has undergone a complete remodel to increase its overall parking capacity. The redesigned parking lot features improved pedestrian and vehicular circulation routes. The landscaping around the site is refreshed to align with the campus’s greater landscape vision. The A-1 Parking Lot Project is complete, and the parking lot is now open.



Aside from the construction projects listed above, there are also ongoing projects on campus. The <a href="https://1901.calpolycorporation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1901 Marketplace (Building 19)</a> is currently under construction on the west side of the University Union. The <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/kennedy-library/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kennedy Library Transformation</a> began on Aug. 25 at the Robert E. Kennedy Library, resulting in the closure of the back end of <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/parkingoncampus/parkinglots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">C7 parking</a> spaces, which will serve as a temporary study space throughout the project duration.



These projects aim to enhance the campus infrastructure, support academic programs and provide better facilities for students, athletes, staff and the community. While the construction may bring temporary inconveniences, staying informed about the projects’ locations, timelines and impacts is important to ensure a smooth campus experience. The university is focused on keeping the Cal Poly community informed about ongoing and capital projects.

Construction workers in safety gear working on foundation framing at a site with a large tree and mountain in the background.

Tag: Facilities Management and Development

Utility Box Art Now Featured On Map

Everything New With Cal Poly’s Capital Projects