Continuing UB's trend toward a self-sufficient university community, a structure tentatively dubbed the "Lee Road Master Plan," has been proposed to fill the vacant space between the Student Union and the Ellicott complex with apartment-style housing and retail stores.
"[We are] only developing a master plan on what 'could' be done," stated Vice President for Student Affairs Dennis Black in a letter to the Spectrum, adding "[The] most aggressive schedule would lead to the start of one of up to five [construction] phases as early as the end of 2002."
The complex itself "would have a city feel and try and keep the community feel we have on this campus," said Clifford Wilson, associate vice president for student affairs. He explained the idea is to erect three, four, five and six-story buildings, with ground floors dedicated to retail and food service, and the remainder of the floors to apartments or loft-style housing for up to 3,000 students.
The addition of the apartment-style housing would allow sophomores to move out of the residence halls and into apartments, and permit the expansion of graduate programs similar to Flint Village's law school housing complex.
"We still think freshmen should live together in a standard sort of housing way because there are a whole lot of developmental adjustments to college life that are better done in large groups," said Wilson.
The rest of the complex would contain a "child-care center, [possibly] a hotel and conference center, loop roads connecting Ellicott and the Student Union, and several parking ramps," stated Black. These ramps would reduce the long-time problems with a lack of parking available to students, especially commuters.
According to Joseph Krakowiak, director of the residence halls, the Lee Road plan would make the campus run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round.
In addition, Wilson said there are hopes to install a grocery store similar to a mini-Wegmans or Tops, using a national chain.
As many as 6,000 students would call Ellicott and the new complex home, more than enough students to financially support the enterprise, Wilson added.
The cost of the project will be substantial - far above the expense of simply building apartments, which the university subsidizes with student rent. Because the venture will involve retail and commercial stores, UB will have to find new methods for funding the project, which initial estimates have put at around $350 million. Twenty million dollars of the cost would cover infrastructure upgrades, such as electricity upgrades and sewers, according to Krakowiak. An additional expense would be the purchase of the Commons area from its current owner, First Amherst Corporation.
"The vendors have a contract with First Amherst, so our thought with the vendors is if we offer you another space in a different place - and the rent isn't all that different - than there is no real risk to the vendor," said Wilson. "There would be no tuition dollars put into this at all. Our view of this is that it would be largely self-sustaining."
Wilson said there might be a slight increase in the activities fee for students and possibly a charge for parking on the ramps, but that nothing is definite at this time.
The road design will change drastically with this plan. According to Wilson, the section of Putnam Way between Clemens Hall and the Student Union would become a two-way road, allowing more traffic flow from the south to the north side of campus.
"The other idea is to leave the Audubon four lanes, but get rid of the median and bring it together where we cross twice, and putting up two stop lights so that crossing on foot would be much less of a hassle," Wilson said. He projects it would lead to a safer trip for students journeying from Ellicott to the Spine.
"We are going to do some presentations in the Student Union and elsewhere [on campus] for everyone to come and listen and respond. We need more community buy-in to want we've done," said Wilson.
To get input from students, faculty and staff, the university will conduct a survey in the Student Union lobby beginning today at noon and running for several weeks. The preliminary model for the Lee Road complex will be on display in the Office of Student Unions and Activities.
