The Central Campus is bounded by Hillside Road to the west, Glenbrook Road to the north, Route 195 to the east, and Gilbert Road to the south.  Within the Central Campus there are distinct districts which organize around the Forum at the heart of the campus including the Historic Park, Residential Village and other academic facilities.  

• The Historic Park district includes the buildings and spaces around Wilbur Cross Building and along Route 195.  
• The Residential Village is bounded by Gilbert Road to the south, Hillside to the west, Whitney Road to the north and the North/South Cross-Axial Path to the east.  The exact definition of area will depend on the density requirement for future residential housing.  
• Other academic facilities surround the Forum and comprise the remaining areas of development within this neighborhood.  

The overall intent is to provide a greater sense of order to the disparate architectural styles and the lack of spatial hierarchy.  Pedestrian circulation is given priority with vehicular access limited to service, emergency and parking for the disabled.  

In general, the siting of new buildings further defines the existing grid of the campus, providing a number of distinct spaces, each with their own character:   The buildings themselves should respect the character and scale of proximate buildings and maintain an appropriate relationship to the spaces or paths they reinforce.  In cases where several styles exist, a dominant theme should be recognized avoiding new construction that simply adds another stylistic direction among many.  A cohesive ensemble of buildings is the goal, not a diverse collection.  See the Campus Architectural Standards for more information.  

• Land use in this neighborhood should give priority to academics.  The historic houses along Gilbert Road do not provide suitable accommodations for University-related uses.  Over time, the pressure for new academic related building sites will grow southward from the core, and at that time the houses should be removed.  Alternative arrangements will need to be available for relocating the fraternal organizations.  
• As with all other areas of the campus, particular attention should be given to the ground level of all buildings.  Efforts should be made to create or reinforce axial and visual connections between buildings.  Lobbies need to be generous and spaces within the buildings should provide for student interaction.  
• Within the Historic Park, the open quality of the spaces surrounding Wilbur Cross are to be maintained, with only discrete building additions allowed.  In these cases, the existing architectural style and detailing should be rigorously followed in all respects.  The goal is to maintain a sense of continuity and historical reference with the existing architecture.  New construction should be as faithful as possible to the older buildings in spirit, scale, form and materials.  Design reviews by the University will be critical to ensure acceptable compliance with the historic context.  
• The intent within the proposed Residential Village is to provide a unique place to live and visit.  The most important guideline is that it achieves a distinct and cohesive architectural character, building from the University's Architectural Standards.  As indicated on the Master Plan, the village contains a variety of smaller scaled courtyards providing intimate spaces which currently don't exist on campus.  The architectural expression should address and build from this intimacy.  As these types of spaces do not currently exist on campus, they will be an important contribution to campus life and the image of the University.  
• Academic and other special use facilities within the Central Campus Neighborhood should strive to define and reinforce primary paths and open spaces.  The scale of the facades should relate to adjacent buildings, and detailing should reflect the more humane, residential character of the Historic Park.  With respect to Arjona and Monteith, renovation should include elements which reduce the length of the undifferentiated facade.  Entries should be more prominent and clearly related to outdoor gathering spaces.  Also, a new pitched roof would bring these buildings more into the family of the surrounding architecture.  The buildings in the Central Campus which surround the Forum should create an architectural fabric or background that knits the campus together.  
• The area around Mirror Lake should be kept open, free from future development.  This setting is an important part of the image of the University and should be maintained.  The individual house next to the lake on Route 195 interrupts the continuity of this image and, if possible, it should be relocated or removed.