Campus Master Plan

Founded in 1833, Kalamazoo College is among the 100 oldest colleges in the country. The 45-acre campus is located in close proximity to downtown and is landlocked between historic neighborhoods and Western Michigan University. The Collaborative facilitated master planning efforts for K College in 2012 and again 2022, both highly inclusive processes with robust engagement, to map out 10-year vision plans for the campus.

The 2022 Campus Master Plan was developed in support of the College’s Strategic Plan and the City’s 2025 Master Plan. The major goals for this effort were to create a plan that supported enrollment growth, a four-year residential experience, strengthened campus connectivity, and advanced sustainability. Guiding Principles included:

1. Enhance and expand K’s on-campus living experience
2. Improve connectivity on campus
3. Create safe crossings & multi-modal connections between campus & community
4. Establish a campus gateway and sense of arrival
5. Honor legacy spaces on campus
6. Develop a presence and activation along Main Street
7. Create a neighborhood node along W. Michigan Avenue
8. Implement stormwater management best practices
9. Respect existing building heights and context
10. Support the Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 Master Plan

Objectives for the master plan included identifying opportunities for student housing, improving pedestrian safety and multi-modal circulation, holistic parking solutions, increasing outdoor gathering spaces, improving stormwater management solutions, while enhancing campus identity. The Collaborative guide the institution through a zoning change and delivered a 10-year development framework that was adopted by Plan Commission.