New on the 'Shoe

Posted on: 7/24/2015; Updated on: 7/24/2015
By Chris Horn, 803-777-3687

The university’s oldest part of campus, the historic Horseshoe, is undergoing a lot of “new” this summer, including installation of new sod, a brick walkway, building renovations and campus wall repairs and even a few new trees.

The “fix it” list also includes one of the Horseshoe’s oldest icons: the Maxcy Monument. The Horseshoe landmark was erected in 1827 to honor Jonathan Maxcy, the first president of South Carolina College, and it’s about to get a heavy-duty bath the weekend of July 31-Aug. 2.

“Over the years, the obelisk has acquired a heavy coat of grit and grime, and this cleaning will significantly improve its appearance,” said Jim Demarest, the university’s director of facilities operations. “The monument was designed by the architect Robert Mills, a S.C. native, so it’s a significant piece of history not only for the university but also for the state.”

McKissick, the only 20th century building on the Horseshoe, and the President’s House are also slated for “soft” washing by the end of July.

The Horseshoe sports two acres of freshly planted hybrid zoysia grass that should be more tolerant of foot traffic and shade than the previous turf. Long considered the jewel of the campus, the Horseshoe added four new oak trees to its shady canopy this year; about a dozen trees have been planted on the quad in the past decade.

Gibbes Green, the adjacent campus area on the east side of McKissick, is also getting a landscaping facelift. The green’s rolling hillocks were damaged by extensive underground utility work during the winter and spring. Two small rain gardens and new trees have been planted along with new shrubs and extensive ground covers.

“We’ve planted more heirloom and native plants on Gibbes Green that, in addition to adding to that area’s beauty, will require less heavy maintenance,” said Emily Jones, campus landscape architect.

The most extensive renovations to Rutledge College since the 1970s will continue this academic year, with an expected December 2015 completion date. The project is focused mainly on the residence hall wings of the campus’ oldest building. When completed, similar renovations will be made to the residence hall wings of Legare/Pinckney, starting summer 2016.

 


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