A fountain back on Fountain Mall? Major Fifth Street update coming

A fountain is in the works for Baylor’s historic Fifth Street — appropriately enough, on or near Fountain Mall. And that’s just the beginning of the plans for the heart of Baylor’s campus, thanks to a generous alum.

A major renovation is coming to Fifth Street, made possible by a gift from Dr. Thomas Rosenbalm, BS ’50, MS ’51. His $8 million gift, announced by Baylor Regents on Friday, will provide both aesthetic and infrastructure improvements to the heart of Baylor’s beautiful campus.

The project design is still being finalized, but preliminary plans call from improvements down Fifth Street from the Bill Daniel Student Center to the circular drive in front of the McMullen-Connally Faculty Center. Such a plan would turn that long-closed portion of the street (pictured in its current state above) into more of a walkable plaza while still retaining the ability to support emergency vehicles (and Homecoming floats) — similar in some respects to the updates made to Fountain Mall three years ago.

The renovations will be anchored by a signature fountain honoring Rosenbalm’s parents. Construction on the project is slated to begin next spring and be completed by fall 2015.

Sic ’em, Dr. Rosenbalm!