. . . and hello to the new at Northpointe

There’s the same brick, keystones over the windows, contrasting facing and color.

The new Indiana University of Pennsylvania Armstrong Campus in the Northpointe at Slate Lick industrial park will have the look, feel and purpose of the main campus in Indiana, Pa.

The one-floor, 24,000-square-foot campus, located immediately off Route 28 at Exit 18 in Slate Lick, is under construction and will be ready to open in the fall for about 200 students.

“The building looks like it belongs on the main campus,” said Pat Scott, dean of the campus. “It will carry the flavor, feelings and materials of the university throughout.”

Scott said she was pleased with the visual presence of the facility’s two-story entranceway. Michael Hood and Marjorie Arnett, dean and assistant dean, respectively, of the university’s College of Fine Arts were at the new building Wednesday to assist Scott in determining how to decorate it.

Hood said of the design: “This is the halls of IUP.”

Scott would like some paintings and sculptures and envisions an Andy Warhol poster of a frog stationed next to the biology lab.

“To help students understand art better,” Scott said.

All three discussed bringing in artwork from the main campus’ museum.

“We’re trying to determine pieces that would be reflective of this area,” Scott said. “It has to be something special when you walk into the building.”

If the entrance view can be special, then so can the view for students taking a study break.

Scott envisions plenty of comfortable study chairs positioned in the long, window-abundant hallways, as well as benches scattered across an outside patio.

From there, students can look across the parking lot, see hi-tech companies such as Boeing, DRS and RAPT and dream about their futures after completing their education.

The design allows room for new programs such as a master’s of science in nursing, a master’s in education, a master’s of arts in industrial and labor relations and two associates degrees in electro-optics.

The campus will also continue to offer the traditional first year liberal studies courses for transfer to the main campus.

The middle section of the building is dedicated to electro-optics. The campus is near the Electro-Optics Center. Classrooms are all multimedia in design.

“It’s going to be so much more modern,” said Karen Anthony, secretary to Scott and a campus employee since 1969. “I’m going to miss the old campus, but we’re all excited about being able to offer all the new programs.

“We needed to change direction.”