The final phase of the Tracy Legacy Plaza, the elevated plaza between the Shepherd Union Building and the Browning Center, is set to be complete in time for graduation. The Legacy Wall in front of Lampros Hall will be dedicated April 25.
“The design of the Legacy Wall mimics the facade of the old Moench Administration Building,” said Mark Halverson, director of campus planning and construction at Weber State University.
The Moench Administration Building was originally located on Jefferson Avenue, between 24th and 25th Street, but has since been demolished.
The Legacy Wall, which is a mix of the old architectural styles and precast artwork of the old campus buildings, will mimic those styles on the current campus to honor the history and heritage of WSU.
“Although the buildings are no longer there, it’s important to have that link to the past,” Halverson said.
Norm Tarbox, vice president for WSU Administrative Services, explained that “the idea is to pay homage to Weber State University’s old historic campus that we left behind 50 years ago this year (in 1964). The Legacy Wall will be made to resemble the architecture and art of the old campus.”
The donor for the Legacy Wall is the Weber State Credit Union.
“The gift is a symbol of the longstanding partnership between the university and the credit union,” said Brad Mortensen, vice president for University Advancement. “To commemorate their generosity, a medallion is being installed in front of the Legacy Wall.”
The plaza’s namesake, Aaron W. Tracy, served as president of Weber College for 13 years, from 1922 to 1935. Tracy was a student and student body president at Weber Academy. During his tenure as president, the school endured financial difficulties. His points of focus while in service included liberal education and vocational programs.
“The plaza has been under construction for a couple of years,” Tarbox said. The site currently has a water feature and rock with a ‘W’ engraved on it.
The Legacy Wall will have a plaque placed on it that reads, “The images and architecture shown here are drawn from Weber State’s former campus once located on Jefferson Avenue between 24th and 25th Streets. The Jefferson Avenue campus was a home to Weber State from 1891 to 1964. In contrast to the more modern architectural vocabulary of this campus, the Jefferson Avenue campus reflected the architecture of the early-American academies — with an abundance of red brick, Ionic columns, Roman arches, and Greek imagery. This legacy wall was dedicated in 2014 — 50 years following the discontinuance of the campus on Jefferson Avenue.”
Tarbox said the wall will be another photo-op for students graduating.
“We hope it adds a sense of history and tradition to what is otherwise a modern campus,” Tarbox said.
The ribbon-cutting for the wall will be next week. According to Tarbox, the plaza will be rededicated as the Tracy Legacy Plaza when the university is finished with the renovations.
