Comments on: Developer’s East Campus Vision Emerges http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/ Helping imagine a great college town for a great university Fri, 25 Jan 2013 04:03:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Sandra http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/comment-page-1/#comment-45743 Sandra Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:48:21 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/#comment-45743 To Adelphi Resident- we used to have places like that but their doors were closed long ago. (Anyone remember Planet X? No?) It seems like College Park planners are more interested in courting the big name, "plastic" stores/franchises/shops. To Adelphi Resident- we used to have places like that but their doors were closed long ago. (Anyone remember Planet X? No?) It seems like College Park planners are more interested in courting the big name, “plastic” stores/franchises/shops.

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]]> By: Adelphi Resident http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/comment-page-1/#comment-16395 Adelphi Resident Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:55:02 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/#comment-16395 I live approximately 1 miles from RT 1 and haven been watching all of the development news closely. Not only for property value reasons, but for the reason to stay here and not move elsewhere. I am excited about University Town Center, Metropolitan Shops, and the East Campus project. I'm a 30-something and would enjoy riding my bike (my house sits 200 feet from the Northwest Trail) with my wife or children to catch a movie and eat a nice dinner at some of these new places. What I hope is achieved is an environment like Berkley, CA. Yes, I know it took decades to create that atmosphere, but we seem to be headed in the right direction with the Arts District and EYA, etc. Having said that, it would be nice to have entertainment considered for East Campus. Perhaps one or two live music venues. Maybe a Blues club and a Jazz club with open mic nights. This would draw artists from the Arts district as well as a few big name artists which would then draw people from the DC area to see these artists. College students and 30-somethings like me love live music and it should be a part of every college town. Can you imagine headlines about the "College Park Jazz Festival"? And and jazz albums recorded at a venue in College Park? Stores and restaurants are nice. But it would be great to have a few great entertainment spots that would also put College Park on the map. I live approximately 1 miles from RT 1 and haven been watching all of the development news closely. Not only for property value reasons, but for the reason to stay here and not move elsewhere. I am excited about University Town Center, Metropolitan Shops, and the East Campus project. I’m a 30-something and would enjoy riding my bike (my house sits 200 feet from the Northwest Trail) with my wife or children to catch a movie and eat a nice dinner at some of these new places.
What I hope is achieved is an environment like Berkley, CA. Yes, I know it took decades to create that atmosphere, but we seem to be headed in the right direction with the Arts District and EYA, etc. Having said that, it would be nice to have entertainment considered for East Campus. Perhaps one or two live music venues. Maybe a Blues club and a Jazz club with open mic nights. This would draw artists from the Arts district as well as a few big name artists which would then draw people from the DC area to see these artists. College students and 30-somethings like me love live music and it should be a part of every college town. Can you imagine headlines about the “College Park Jazz Festival”? And and jazz albums recorded at a venue in College Park?
Stores and restaurants are nice. But it would be great to have a few great entertainment spots that would also put College Park on the map.

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]]> By: joe dexter http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/comment-page-1/#comment-16325 joe dexter Wed, 25 Apr 2007 01:33:39 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/#comment-16325 It is certainly true that many new residents of east campus will do more walking to stores and the main campus. However, 400,000 SF of retail is dependent on a far broader market area than campus and either its immediate vicinity or braoder "transit-shed". This is not downtown Princeton or Hanover New Hampshire - that is not what these guys do. They want people to come often, stay a long time, and spend lots of money. Nothing wrong with that, per se, as long as the elements that really complement a major research institution are highlighted in the project. In terms of auto dependency, there is no point arguing the point since the proof will be in the pudding - specifically what rate of parking they ask for and are granted and whether it is reduced at all based on the mixed use composition and transit upgrades in the area. In addition to the Purple Line, which should serve the project directly, College Park needs bus service up and down Rt. 1 with very high frequency so all the students and staff who move into the many projects moving through the pipeline really see transit as a viable alternative to driving their cars one or two miles to campus. It is certainly true that many new residents of east campus will do more walking to stores and the main campus. However, 400,000 SF of retail is dependent on a far broader market area than campus and either its immediate vicinity or braoder “transit-shed”. This is not downtown Princeton or Hanover New Hampshire – that is not what these guys do. They want people to come often, stay a long time, and spend lots of money. Nothing wrong with that, per se, as long as the elements that really complement a major research institution are highlighted in the project. In terms of auto dependency, there is no point arguing the point since the proof will be in the pudding – specifically what rate of parking they ask for and are granted and whether it is reduced at all based on the mixed use composition and transit upgrades in the area. In addition to the Purple Line, which should serve the project directly, College Park needs bus service up and down Rt. 1 with very high frequency so all the students and staff who move into the many projects moving through the pipeline really see transit as a viable alternative to driving their cars one or two miles to campus.

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]]> By: Kevin Fallon UM '93 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/comment-page-1/#comment-16228 Kevin Fallon UM '93 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 13:56:28 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/#comment-16228 Jane and Joe Eric is absolutely correct. The market fundamentals all point to how this (and Knox Box Redevelopment) make sense from all points of view. Economic, environmental, etc. I have said this before: I think we would be shocked if we knew how many vehicles on Rte 1 were student residents (o Univ affiliate residents) of Old Town, Knox Boxes, Berwyn, etc going up to G'belt to get their groceries. Then the next largest percentage are the ones forced to live up in Columbia or over in Montgomery County. If we provide more housing options and basic services (sorry - student budgets cant handle doing full grocery shopping at a CONVENIENCE store- note word convenience, that means you pay more for the CONVENIENCE) closer to the campus in a hip, cool, happening setting closer to campus, you will actually reduce student reliance on automobiles Jane and Joe

Eric is absolutely correct. The market fundamentals all point to how this (and Knox Box Redevelopment) make sense from all points of view. Economic, environmental, etc.

I have said this before: I think we would be shocked if we knew how many vehicles on Rte 1 were student residents (o Univ affiliate residents) of Old Town, Knox Boxes, Berwyn, etc going up to G’belt to get their groceries.

Then the next largest percentage are the ones forced to live up in Columbia or over in Montgomery County. If we provide more housing options and basic services (sorry – student budgets cant handle doing full grocery shopping at a CONVENIENCE store- note word convenience, that means you pay more for the CONVENIENCE) closer to the campus in a hip, cool, happening setting closer to campus, you will actually reduce student reliance on automobiles

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]]> By: Eric Fidler http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/comment-page-1/#comment-16012 Eric Fidler Mon, 23 Apr 2007 04:09:29 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/366/#comment-16012 There was only a brief mention of environmentally-conscious building standards. I'd imagine their lack of detail is due to the fact that the project is in such a preliminary stage. There was only a brief mention of environmentally-conscious building standards. I’d imagine their lack of detail is due to the fact that the project is in such a preliminary stage.

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