diff --git a/lib/voronoi/.gitignore b/lib/voronoi/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ca01c094f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/voronoi/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# files to ignore
+/liblink
+/includelink
+/voro++-*
diff --git a/lib/voronoi/Install.py b/lib/voronoi/Install.py
index 1c4bc5cb6d..285e11fb9a 100644
--- a/lib/voronoi/Install.py
+++ b/lib/voronoi/Install.py
@@ -10,27 +10,23 @@ except: from urllib import urlretrieve as geturl
 # help message
 
 help = """
-Syntax from src dir: make lib-voronoi args="-v version -h hpath hdir -g -b -l"
-Syntax from lib dir: python Install.py -v version -h hpath hdir -g -b -l
+Syntax from src dir: make lib-voronoi
+                 or: make lib-voronoi args="-p /usr/local/voro++-0.4.6"
+                 or: make lib-voronoi args="-v voro++-0.4.6 -b"
+Syntax from lib dir: python Install.py -v voro++-0.4.6 -b
+                 or: python Install.py
+                 or: python Install.py -p /usr/local/voro++-0.4.6
 
 specify one or more options, order does not matter
 
+  -b = download and build the Voro++ library (default)
+  -p = specify folder of existing Voro++ installation 
   -v = version of Voro++ to download and build
        default version = voro++-0.4.6 (current as of Jan 2015)
-  -h = set home dir of Voro++ to be hpath/hdir
-       hpath can be full path, contain '~' or '.' chars
-       default hpath = . = lib/voronoi
-       default hdir = voro++-0.4.6 = what tarball unpacks to
-  -g = grab (download) tarball from math.lbl.gov/voro++ website
-       unpack it to hpath/hdir
-       hpath must already exist
-       if hdir already exists, it will be deleted before unpack
-  -b = build Voro++ library in its src dir
-  -l = create 2 softlinks (includelink,liblink) in lib/voronoi to Voro++ src dir
 
 Example:
 
-make lib-voronoi args="-g -b -l"   # download/build in lib/voronoi/voro++-0.4.6
+make lib-voronoi args="-b"   # download/build in lib/voronoi/voro++-0.4.6
 """
 
 # settings
@@ -47,10 +43,10 @@ def error(str=None):
 
 # expand to full path name
 # process leading '~' or relative path
-  
+
 def fullpath(path):
   return os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(path))
-  
+
 # parse args
 
 args = sys.argv[1:]
@@ -60,9 +56,10 @@ if nargs == 0: error()
 homepath = "."
 homedir = version
 
-grabflag = False
-buildflag = False
-linkflag = False
+grabflag = True
+buildflag = True
+pathflag = False
+linkflag = True
 
 iarg = 0
 while iarg < nargs:
@@ -70,42 +67,43 @@ while iarg < nargs:
     if iarg+2 > nargs: error()
     version = args[iarg+1]
     iarg += 2
-  elif args[iarg] == "-h":
-    if iarg+3 > nargs: error()
-    homepath = args[iarg+1]
-    homedir = args[iarg+2]
-    iarg += 3
-  elif args[iarg] == "-g":
-    grabflag = True
-    iarg += 1
+  elif args[iarg] == "-p":
+    if iarg+2 > nargs: error()
+    voropath = fullpath(args[iarg+1])
+    pathflag = True
+    buildflag = False
+    iarg += 2
   elif args[iarg] == "-b":
     buildflag = True
     iarg += 1
-  elif args[iarg] == "-l":
-    linkflag = True
-    iarg += 1
   else: error()
 
 homepath = fullpath(homepath)
-if not os.path.isdir(homepath): error("Voro++ path does not exist")
-homedir = "%s/%s" % (homepath,homedir)
+homedir = "%s/%s" % (homepath,version)
+
+if (pathflag):
+    if not os.path.isdir(voropath): error("Voro++ path does not exist")
+    homedir = voropath
+
+if (buildflag and pathflag):
+    error("Cannot use -b and -p flag at the same time")
 
 # download and unpack Voro++ tarball
 
 if grabflag:
   print("Downloading Voro++ ...")
   geturl(url,"%s/%s.tar.gz" % (homepath,version))
-  
+
   print("Unpacking Voro++ tarball ...")
   if os.path.exists("%s/%s" % (homepath,version)):
     cmd = 'rm -rf "%s/%s"' % (homepath,version)
-    subprocess.check_output(cmd,shell=True)
+    subprocess.check_output(cmd,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
   cmd = 'cd "%s"; tar -xzvf %s.tar.gz' % (homepath,version)
-  subprocess.check_output(cmd,shell=True)
+  subprocess.check_output(cmd,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
   if os.path.basename(homedir) != version:
     if os.path.exists(homedir):
       cmd = 'rm -rf "%s"' % homedir
-      subprocess.check_output(cmd,shell=True)
+      subprocess.check_output(cmd,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
     os.rename("%s/%s" % (homepath,version),homedir)
 
 # build Voro++
@@ -113,8 +111,8 @@ if grabflag:
 if buildflag:
   print("Building Voro++ ...")
   cmd = 'cd "%s"; make' % homedir
-  txt = subprocess.check_output(cmd,shell=True)
-  print(txt)
+  txt = subprocess.check_output(cmd,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
+  print(txt.decode('UTF-8'))
 
 # create 2 links in lib/voronoi to Voro++ src dir
 
@@ -125,6 +123,6 @@ if linkflag:
   if os.path.isfile("liblink") or os.path.islink("liblink"):
     os.remove("liblink")
   cmd = ['ln -s "%s/src" includelink' % homedir, 'includelink']
-  subprocess.check_output(cmd,shell=True)
+  subprocess.check_output(cmd,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
   cmd = ['ln -s "%s/src" liblink' % homedir]
-  subprocess.check_output(cmd,shell=True)
+  subprocess.check_output(cmd,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
diff --git a/lib/voronoi/README b/lib/voronoi/README
index 9863632be0..2ca11c9221 100644
--- a/lib/voronoi/README
+++ b/lib/voronoi/README
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Instructions:
     or somewhere else on your system.
 
 2.  compile Voro++ from within its home directory
-    % make 
+    % make
 
 3.  There is no need to install Voro++ if you only wish
     to use it from LAMMPS.  You can install it if you