Always a popular spot for students, the plaza between the SAC and the Red Barn was renovated to make it more suitable for student events and activities throughout the year.

New seating areas and improved drainage — including environmentally friendly pavers that will direct rainwater back into the ground rather than toward storm drains — will make the venue more attractive as a gathering place for students.

Noting that the plaza once was just a parking lot, Larry Owsley, vice president for business affairs, said it now is a vital piece in the development of UofL as a residential campus. Besides dining facilities and residence halls, students also need places to hang out with their friends, he added.

“This is one of those hang-out places.”