Battle Continues for Hillock, We like Golob
October 2nd, 2009 | by Clay Gump | Published in East Campus, On Campus Development | 3 Comments
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The Diamondback is reporting that the University Senate may come down on the side of the SGA in the Hillock site dispute.
Last February, the SGA unanimously passed a resolution asking the administration to reconsider alternatives to developing the Hillock. But the senate — composed of nearly 200 students, faculty and staff — has a more direct link to university policy than the SGA, which serves primarily as a student advocacy organization.
At a meeting yesterday, the senate’s Campus Affairs Committee charged five members — three faculty members and two students — with reviewing the planned development. The committee will report its findings to the senate by Oct. 26.
We would like the Senate members to look harder at the alternate locations….
One in particular is the “Golob” property. Currently this 13 acre site houses an abandoned manufacturing building that is a eyesore and safety hazard. There were plans for Student housing at this location but those fell through with the economy. HERE is a google map link.
According to the Relocation of East Campus Facilities document the primary reason for not using this site is because the priority use for the site is for the M-Square research park. In addition it was felt that the distance from campus would adversely impact service levels. We feel this is poppy-cock. We would much rather see an existing developed site that is underutilized and is basically a blight put to good use than lose a wooded site that is currently used for classroom study.
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October 2nd, 2009 at 11:21 am (#)
I think the inertia for urban sprawl will soon take over the desire to protect green space. The D.C. area population is going to explode over the next 10 years. There’s only so much green space you can save without loosing out to much needed housing, jobs, and retail as well as more facilities for the university.
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October 5th, 2009 at 11:18 am (#)
Where does the name “Golob” come from? That’s the old ERCO factory – I wouldn’t consider it an eyesore. With the impending developement of the 22 acre Cafritz Tract just west of ERCO, it would be nice to tie the two projects together, with a bridge across the railroad tracks…
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October 5th, 2009 at 6:35 pm (#)
I mourn the loss of these trees as much as the next person. Indeed, since my departure from College Park (where I was one of UMD’s harshest critics), I did a long stint with a national land conservation group. I’ve advocated for dense, smart, transit-friendly development in CP for the better part of three years primarily because the environmental benefits it produces. All this being said, it’s totally bizarre to me that this tiny piece of woodland has garnered such great attention from the campus environmental community and now various official governing bodies of the University.
This land has basically no ecological value. It is small and isolated, has no significance for water quality and contains no sensitive species. It is simply a piece of woodland. It is far too valueable to be kept as woodland and should be treated as a commodity. UMD did a detailed analysis and for a variety of reasons concluded that it was best to put these maintenance facilities close to the facilities that university staff maintain, but still largely out of sight. I think we can rely on their judgment for once. There is comparable land for education purposes in the immediate area that exhibits the same tornado-disturbance characteristics.
Golub is in a transit area. It is extremely close to CP Metro and even closer to a proposed purple line station. Why would we put a low density, car-oriented facility whose occupants will constantly be commuting to campus at such a site?
If folks want to talk about the environment, lets talk about how EAST CAMPUS IS PROPOSED TO INCLUDE 5500 PARKING SPACES. Let’s talk about how this great dense infill development project is being proposed with suburban-style parking ratios. The environmental community has completely failed to address the fact that the university is endorsing the construction of the equivalent of two Mowatt Lane parking garages at its doorstep, which will forever cement the area as carbon-dependent shopping mall masquerading as a new urbanist mecca. What’s more significant…. 9 acres or 5500 spaces?
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