The future of the Lee Road development project, which aims to connect the Ellicott residence halls to the academic spine with a string of retail stores and residential facilities, is unclear after the change in UB's leadership, according to officials.
"As UB goes through leadership transition, projects face transition as well," stated Vice President for Student Affairs Dennis Black in an e-mail to The Spectrum Thursday. "As the leadership team and mission and agenda come together in the months ahead, projects like Lee Road will then be revisited - to go forward, be altered and proceed, or put away for another day."
The project was originally a main focus of the university administration, as former UB President William Greiner took a strong interest in Lee Road, and working with Black, pushed to get the project completed.
One year ago, Black told The Spectrum a final design for Lee Road would be in place by this time, but it appears the project has been delayed until Simpson makes a decision on whether to green-light the project.
"Dennis (Black) in his work and along with President Greiner had done a lot of research into project. President Simpson had not yet been fully appraised of the project," said Constance Holoman, deputy to the president.
Black did say an environmental impact study for the project has been completed, but along with Holoman would not comment further on the possibility of the project being completed or a possible timeline.
A master plan for the development released in March of 2002, the most recent plans released for Lee Road, called for a strip of buildings that would create an "urban flavor" on North Campus.
Included in the plans were several retail stores, a small hotel, a restaurant, a conference center, a faculty club, a mini-supermarket and other facilities.
Also included in the plans were residential facilities, which would help to alleviate the housing crunch at UB. Officials expect some freshman and transfer students to be housed in hotels again next year.
Critics of the project have said it will further insulate the North Campus from the surrounding area, especially the City of Buffalo, and will continue the trend of focusing investment only on North Campus while ignoring the South Campus area.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
