A financial package is in the works for the Lee Road project, the sprawling development that aims to connect the academic spine to the Ellicott complex with a mix of stores and residential facilities. UB hopes to have a final design in place by 2004.
The university is soliciting funds from a variety of sources, according to Dennis R. Black, vice president for Student Affairs.
"The best-case scenario is a financial package this year," Black said. "We would head toward design in 2004, and construction would follow."
The possibility of funding from the state and federal government is being examined, according to Black, along with funds from the Western New York Economic Development project.
Black said in the past, for certain projects, UB has financed the cost through loans, which are a possibility for funding the Lee Road project.
"We've borrowed the dollars necessary to make them work," Black said of past projects.
The project involves the development of Lee Road, which runs from the Ellicott Complex to the academic spine, ending at the Student Union.
Retail stores, housing complexes and recreation facilities would occupy the now-barren Lee Road under the new plan, which university officials hope will lend a college atmosphere to the UB North Campus.
"The end result, we hope, is a college-town Main Street ... that has housing for several thousand students, as well as shops and services along with recreation and health centers," said Black.
Critics of the Lee Road plan said UB should invest in the University Heights neighborhood adjacent to South Campus.
"I'd rather see the plans attempt to stabilize the existing business district at South Campus," said New York State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo).
"We have a college town that exists on South Campus," Hoyt added.
Steven Bufford, a sophomore English major, agreed.
"They've completely abandoned South Campus," Bufford said. "If they don't put more money into the South Campus, they should call it the University of Amherst."
The Lee Road development project includes plans for as many as 3,000 additional student beds - something UB officials hope will alleviate the housing crunch on North Campus.
"The university needs to provide space for additional housing developments," said Joseph Krakowiak, director of University Residence Halls.
"We've got a housing demand, which we can't satisfy," added Black.
The 3,000 beds included in the Lee Road development plan would house both undergraduate and graduate students, according to Krakowiak. Only apartment-style housing would be constructed, he said.
"Lee Road is the only place on campus we're currently looking at for housing," Krakowiak said.
The rest of the campus is not being considered for new housing due to aesthetic and feasibility concerns, according to Krakowiak.
The addition of new commerce and housing on North Campus would dictate a need for additional parking spots, a situation that is addressed in the project plan.
Three parking structures are part of the long-term design plan for Lee Road, according to Black, who said the new parking would most likely come in the form of parking garages, as they have several advantages.
"They don't eat up campus green space with blacktop," he said.
Funding from the State Transportation Department, along with state legislative funding for transportation, are options being considered by university officials, Black said.
The funding would be available because Audubon Parkway currently intersects Lee Road and construction at that intersection would be eligible for such funding.
Ultimately, many university officials said they believe a developed Lee Road would provide a campus attractive not only to students, but to members of the Western New York community as well.
"If you look at many college towns, faculty, students and staff are primary," Black said. "But it's exciting for others as well."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
