You want to smack me through the computer? What, did you build the thing. Settle down. The problem with Baker (and Ping) was they did a poor job anticipating capacity needs in the future. In some respects, they had outgrown new Baker before it even opened. I imagine they made additions since, but that's really really bad.

I agree on the fact Ping needs to be expanded. I don't know if there are students on this board too, but basketball is extremely popular at Ping and all five courts destined for basketball use are used beyond capacity. Also, the free weights room is small. I would approve of making a larger free weight room, and adding two or three more basketball courts. 

Agreed when Baker opened there was nothing in there that identified you were on the campus of Ohio University.

Ah, come on 69, when they opened Baker it wasn't but a few months later that they had to bring in refrigeration trucks because they didn't have enough freezer/refrigerator space built into the original plans.  Maybe if the university engaged those who would be living in the buildings in the planning process more often these issues wouldn't come up.

George Bernard Shaw's quote, “You see things; and you say ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say ‘Why not?"  That is New Baker.

There are buildings all over the country that were designed perfectly and years later are still the rave.  The New Baker isn't what it could have been.  Too often architechts are hired that have done lots of business so a selection board says they must be good because everyone else is hiring them.  Lots of the professionals get the early jobs by greasing the palms of officials making the decisions.  I don't know who designed it but for the same dough it could have been much more welcoming and functional. 

Walking in the front door the room to the right is a waiste.  The banquet rooms are sterile.  The offices lack character.  The small theater is awesome.  The biggest mistake on the main floor is the Frontier room equivalent.  That deli/coffee counter jams up the flow of traffic into what should have been a room three or four times its size.  The most  inviting space to sit with friends, eat, drink and listen to the improve on the small stage.  It could have been so much more.  

The best part of old Baker was the older ladies working behind the counter.  Several of the students who man the crappy and shoe horned into a space little information counter could use some customer service training and act more like the students who conduct the campus tours.

Yeah, it's almost like were arguing about having a Mercedes-Benz and not having a Mclaren. Would it be cool to expand everything and make everything top notch. Hell yeah. But lets be happy with what we have then what we could have had.

A very adept observation. The more we win, the more we have to find other things to complain about!

Ah come on - You're a "Tickle" fan.

You should have seen the Grover weight room!

It could be worse!! WE COULD BE AKRON!

My reaction to the new Baker is something like Twain's reaction to The Breakers and Marble House.

ohio69 makes the excellant point  that no building is perfect. Although I would normally agree I do believe if you look at the Kenyon Athletic Center that is as close to perfect as you can get. Hopefully our new digs will be half as nice as the Crystal Palace in Gambier. Amazing what having Paul Newman for a grad will do for your fund raising.

Four years should be an expectation, not an exception - at least it used to be.  Anything less was considered under achieving or "finding one's way."