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College Town Life | Featured College Towns | College Town Issues | |
10-16 Charlottesville
charm It seems writers, actors and celebrities have flocked to Charlottesville for its tranquil yet urbane existence. Visitors will find its Colonial history, Piedmont wine country and preppy university atmosphere equally alluring... Downtown Charlottesville must have more quality restaurants per capita than any other city its size. There's a reason the college town has been rated among the best places to live in America. On the mall, you could literally close your eyes, spin around, point in any direction to pick one of its 30 eateries for a meal and go home satisfied. French, pan Asian, Cuban fusion, Southern comfort food and tapas-style small-plate spots abound...
The proposed project generated substantial controversy in Laramie early this fall because much of the golf course expansion and the residential lot development would have been located in the Casper aquifer protection zone. The shallow aquifer supplies more than half of the city’s and the university’s water... Under the development agreement with UW, the developer would have financed a $13 million expansion of the UW golf course, including a new clubhouse and sprinkler system, by selling up to 1,000 single-family and patio home sites. Facing
A Midlife Crisis … At 25 Other signs that one may be suffering from this 20-something scourge are a sudden attachment to inanimate objects, such as a DVD player, Xbox or couch. Weekends that were once busy mysteriously become totally free... Madison young professionals face even more social hurdles than the average young professional. A college town can make it challenging for those who have graduated and moved on from a partying lifestyle. "Any college town is probably tough for young professionals,” said Greta Christensen, 24, a public relations associate. "So much of downtown living and the Madison nightlife is geared toward students that 20-somethings can find themselves left with, what seems like, nothing to do. It definitely takes some adjusting, but Madison is a great town, even if you're, God forbid, over 22.”... Students
Serve to help collegians nationwide The inspiration for the organization resulted from Perkey’s participation in the College’s Sharpe Community Scholars Program, which strives to help students learn to apply classroom concepts in the real world, engage in team-based service learning and develop skills in communication, problem solving and leadership while engaging in various forms of civic participation... Business
Relocation We can’t guarantee that moving to any of these hubs of mental wattage will make you any smarter, but at least you’ll benefit from the sort of perks demanded by highly educated citizens, like good schools and a vibrant cultural scene. Not incidentally, many of our top ten are pretty places, from the California sunshine to the leafy streets of New England. Degrees aside, those smart people are clever at making lifestyle choices too... South
Bend neighborhood Dissolving
the Angela border between ND, South Bend Neighborhood BU
group aims to retain grads "Some people say the jobs are there. It's just a matter of matching them to those opportunities," said Jason Bronowitz, a director and graduate intern of Catalysts for Intellectual Capital 2020, the economic development think tank on campus that aims to retain 20 percent of BU graduates by 2020. The current retention rate is 3 percent, or 66 students, the group said... Kutztown
University Breaks Ground on New Dorm video State
agency recommends cut in university's affordable-housing obligation The result of a motion filed nearly a year ago by Princeton Township, COAH's proposed amendments would affect colleges and universities statewide by revising the calculation used to adjust their affordable-housing obligation. An amended formula that uses job creation and square footage to determine the number of affordable units an institution must provide to its respective municipality has been proposed as one housing unit for every 25,000 square feet of new construction... UNC
workers to maintain natural areas "It's overdue and certainly appropriate," Ward said. Without proper oversight, invasive flora can flourish and tree-route systems can be damaged, he said, comparing the work to the garden's recent efforts to clean up and promote Battle Park. UNC Chancellor James Moeser said in a statement that the new effort shows that the university's expectations for Carolina North are that it be a "model for environmental stewardship."... College
towns lure retirees—make good match For many of us, a place on the golf course in a warm climate isn’t enough. We need more. A growing number of seniors are choosing — are you ready for this? — to live in college towns. It appears that seniors and college towns are a good match. Here’s why... West
Village takes reservations It was the first day reservations were accepted for the West Village Development along Grand River Avenue. "We love the location," said Dave Niedenthal of Grand Rapids, who hopes to move into one of the 15 townhouse units with his wife, Lynn... Locals
respond to Urban Village The public input meeting was the second of three meetings open to residents to discuss the Urban Village Revitalization Plan. Residents, property owners, borough council members, students and rental property owners gathered in the Unity Church of Jesus Christ, 140 N. Gill St., located in Urban Village, to receive an update on the revitalization plans and the chance to voice their opinions about the area... UNC
Pembroke: In search of that college town feeling PEMBROKE — University and community leaders are looking at ways to draw more businesses to Pembroke to cater to the university’s growing student population. They say more businesses would make Pembroke more like a college town. In recent years, Pembroke has attracted a Wal-Mart Supercenter and several fast-food restaurants. But Allen Meadors, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, would like to see more shopping and entertainment options for students... Hotel
offers free furniture But first things first: Dennis Hulsing still needs to give away nearly 200 rooms’ worth of furnishings, and he’s turning to college students for help. Hulsing, owner of Hulsing Hotels Inc., is offering to give students all the desks, nightstands, headboards, wall mirrors, armoires and activity tables now occupying the 192 rooms at the Lawrence Holidome... A
tale of two cities with football fever How do Columbus and Gainesville, the University of Florida, and The Ohio State University stack up?... 'Sign
a contract to keep out students' Fern Avenue Residents Group in Jesmond, Newcastle, says it is hugely concerned about the rapidly rising student population. Chairman Rex Winter, a solicitor at Samuel Philips law firm in Newcastle, said the plan was to invite neighbours to take out covenants preventing their properties being used for multi-occupation. He said this would reassure residents that they would not find themselves living next door to a student household - and would be likely to persuade families to move into streets protected in this way... Residents
clash over condo plan “This district is the highest density district of the city, and it does allow up to 12 stories,” Harder said. “Our proposed development is … very close to neighboring buildings’ heights, so we’re not overshadowing anybody.”... Build
off-campus and bus students There is no parking anyway, and the university will not build ramps to eliminate that problem, unless the city pays for them. So the easy solution is to build out of town and to have shuttle buses for the students. If the building was out of town, along Sand Lake Road, for example, or even on Brice’s Prairie or the old county farm, there would be easy access and transportation would not be a problem... South
Bend neighborhood rebounds ‘South
Campus' begs for team effort A recent briefing from University of Montana administrators who are gearing up to plan expansion of the campus left us mindful of the potential for a clash with the community. Missoulians and the university alike would likely benefit from a coordinated effort to consider the needs and implications of future expansion. UM has room to grow toward the south. The UM Golf Course, Dornblaser
Field and adjacent acreage provide ample room for new academic buildings,
student housing and additional athletic facilities. UM President George
Dennison already calls it “South Campus,” not “golf
course.” UI
panel votes 'no' on regents That revelation came after the four finalists originally chosen by the UI presidential-search committee were turned down by regents on Nov. 17, then re-evaluated in response to outrage from the UI community. The regents eventually chose one of the four candidates, but that finalist turned down the offer, leading the regents to start over in the quest for a replacement for former UI President David Skorton... Flagstaff
is a hip destination, even if you don't love lava Seemingly, there are stores hawking outdoors equipment on every block, catering to adventure-seekers heading 80 miles up the road to raft or hike the Grand Canyon. "It's not a big city, but it's not a tiny town. It's got all the big-city amenities, but it's still a small town feel," said a local author who goes by the name Cosmic Ray, well-known as a tireless promoter of mountain biking, hiking, Flagstaff and his guidebooks - which happen to be about mountain biking and hiking around Flagstaff, among other places... Packing
students into apartments bad for community That is exactly what is happening in Towson neighborhoods in Baltimore County, despite County Executive Jim Smith’s Renaissance initiative aimed at revitalizing older neighborhoods. The reason? The county will not enforce the law. In college towns a built-in incentive exists for landlords to fill dwellings with as many occupants as possible. The more occupants there are, the easier it is for students to share the rent. This allows owners to charge greater rents for properties that, given their condition and location, are ordinary at best. Normally, higher rents require luxury amenities and are located in affluent neighborhoods, but absent these factors, profits can be maximized based on the student market... Common
Council clears Pabst, Park East projects Madison-based Gorman & Co. has proposed creating student housing within the former Pabst keg house. Other possible uses at the former brewery include a corporate training site operated by Johnson Controls Inc... Won't
you be my neighbor? For others, the word brings to mind John Belushi gulping down a bottle of Jack Daniels with his cohorts in the movie Animal House or images of smoky basements packed with college-aged people huddled around a beer keg, singing out of key to whatever happens to be blaring over the stereo system. Outside, young men run around shirtless screaming at the top of their lungs in whatever weather happens to fill the weekend air. Cut to the next morning- neighbors waking up to yards covered in a thin layer of beer cans- no grass or snow in sight, just shiny aluminum. Not exactly the scene that most working adults want to wake up to. In one college neighborhood, though, simple communication between neighbors and students is curbing some of the problems... "Huge
demand" for student housing in downtown GR One developer says there is, and he is bridging the gap in a unique way... Redevelopment
moves residents out of neighborhood. Officials
ask for input on complex Project architect Gary Brink said in a previous neighborhood meeting that housing in the new project would not only be geared toward undergraduate University of Wisconsin students, but also young professionals and graduate students... Developers,
Case sign memo for 'college town' Developers Nathan Zaremba and MRN Ltd., in a joint venture, have signed a letter of intent with Case Western Reserve University to pursue the $120 million mix of arts, retail and dwellings. It's planned for about eight acres north and south of Euclid Avenue, east of the Ford Drive-Mayfield Road intersection... Conversion
Experience The experience of Georgia State University suggests that they can... Developers,
Case sign memo for 'college town' Developers Nathan Zaremba and MRN Ltd., in a joint venture, have signed a letter of intent with Case Western Reserve University to pursue the $120 million mix of arts, retail and dwellings. It's planned for about eight acres north and south of Euclid Avenue, east of the Ford Drive-Mayfield Road intersection... CSU
students make Fort Collins better place Because the month of December focuses on the character traits of generosity
and gratitude, we thought it would be a great time to reflect upon the
many ways students have demonstrated generosity throughout the fall semester. About 160 students volunteered for Off-Campus Student Services Adopt-A-Neighbor Fall Clean-up event, completing approximately 480 hours of community service for 35 neighbors in need. After participating in this one-time service plunge, many of these students have volunteered to assist neighbors with snow-shoveling through the winter months... 'Five
Guys' unveils alternative eatery "A nice burger joint in a college town is a good idea. There is a definite monetary gain and it is a nice change from the dorm food for college students," Dudley said. "This place is really good and I would come back." Tom Haley, a State College resident, said he stumbled across Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries while walking around downtown and was eager to go in since he has tried their food in the Washington, D.C. area... City
should commit to helping two-wheeled commuters PSU
population: Capping enrollment a good place to start This enrollment ceiling is a good idea because as it stands right now, a class of more than 8,000 freshmen is quite simply too large, because of the logistical concerns, which include the availability and cost of housing and other services. Penn State's overpopulation has been aptly illustrated in previous years through housing problems for freshmen and other students as resident assistants had to share rooms with underclassmen... Groups
formed to address Belvidere's party problems Residents of the neighborhood asked Central Connecticut State University Police Lt. Paul Tanasi and New Britain Police Sgt. Brian Peterson questions pertaining to these issues. "After I left the (Nov. 29) meeting, I found that I had a million questions," said Belvidere resident John Nedosko, who held the meeting at his 161 Stratford Road home. "For example, what is CCSU's policy now? Can we work with CCSU to put policies together? What are city ordinances? What are other universities doing?"... Wet
campus defended In the wake of a domestic-violence episode in the CU residence halls in which the alleged assailant was a 22-year-old student who had been drinking, CU administrators answer the question: why, in a culture of alcohol excess, are students 21 and older allowed to drink on campus? On the surface, the CU Department of Housing's answer is simple: because it's legal. But scratch a little deeper and a new idea begins to emerge - a philosophy
geared toward harm reduction, as opposed to total abstinence, as a powerful
tool in the prevention shed... The study — based on federal data — comes with institution-specific numbers on 2,600 colleges, revealing the exact breakdowns on full- and part-time professors, on and off the tenure track. AAUP leaders hope that the data will spur discussions on campuses nationwide about the use of part-timers and the need to create more full-time, tenure-track positions... So
long, Kerm's: Community bids a fond farewell After 42 years, the local grocery store is shutting its doors for good sometime between Dec. 15 and 20, unable to compete any longer with the corporate grocers that have come into town, said owner Mike Walker. "Since the development of many more grocery stores on the southeast corner of town ? our business has taken a little bit of a dip," he said. "We lost just enough to make it tough."... "I think it's too bad because I think Kerm's is such an icon for the Water Street area," he said. "It really is kind of the last small store to be around. We still walked your groceries out to the car for you, not a lot of places do that anymore."... State
College: Town-gown relations need improvement Because university-affiliated buildings in the town are tax exempt, the university pays the borough a lump sum to help cover additional costs. The university pays about $775,000 to pay for the town's upkeep, but the borough is saying it needs more to pay for sanitation and extra police and fire services because of Penn State's large student population. The town should, however, keep in mind that without the students, there would be no town... Mini-Dorms
Not a Mini-Issue But there's one thing college students and families living side-by-side
in the neighborhoods surrounding San Diego State University do agree on:
the holidays can't come fast enough. Students count down to the end of the semester, when they'll get a few weeks' break from classes and finals and papers. And the families and elderly residents can't wait until the students go home for the holiday break. They say that's the best gift their student neighbors could give them -- a little peace and quiet. "The whole quality of life in the College Area improves at Thanksgiving, and at Christmas break," said Scott Moomjian, an attorney who sits on the College Area Community Council. "There's less cars, there's no students around to party, to make noise."... President
gives farewell bonus for university housing sprinklers Joe Gow said he hopes the money will jump-start other fundraising at the university that three weeks ago saw a fatal fire at a fraternity house with no sprinklers. "In light of what we've been through, it was a pretty easy thing to do," Gow said... In
the shadow of Notre Dame: University proposes development project Rebirth
of a Neighborhood Dorm
Deals The obvious ways to capitalize on the baby boom now revolve around things like pharmaceutical stocks and retirement communities. A less obvious play has to do with the children of the boomers now crowding college campuses: buy apartment buildings in college towns. The college population from ages 18 to 24 is now 9.5 million, up 20%
from a decade ago and possibly destined to peak only in 2010, according
to the National Center for Public Policy & Higher Education. Dorms
and fraternities take care of many , but 70% live off campus. Once distained
by investors loath to be landlords for latter-day Animal Houses, student
apartments now are finding their way into the portfolios of wealty investors,
private equity forms and real estate investment trusts... Towns
across U.S. join fight against global warming This outdoorsy college town recently adopted the nation's first "climate tax" - an extra fee for electricity use, with all proceeds going to fight global warming. Seattle has imposed a new parking tax, and the mayor said he hopes to charge tolls on major roads in an effort to discourage driving - a major source of greenhouse gas pollution... BUILDING
RIGHTS, SAFETY CONCERNS CLASH ON THE SLOPES Unlike the fast-food restaurants and shopping centers that line Boone's busy commercial strip, the 13-building complex is carved high into a hill fortified with retaining walls. "It's amazing to me that they can take a place where nobody would consider building and put 1,000 college students in it," said Rebecca Barwick, a local basket artist. "Common sense says not to build in those places."... Student
who bought own house says freedom, safety make it worth it At an age when most 22-year-old students are concerned mainly with academics and the party scene, Apmann juggles the demands of school, friends and home ownership. Apmann is among the growing segment of students who own their houses while still in college. Each year, more and more students are turning to an alternative option—buying a property for their own use or renting out a property during their college years. Apmann resides at a house on Irving Avenue in the city of Oakwood, literally across from the university. A two-and-a-half-year resident of Oakwood, she moved there in the spring of 2005 for several reasons, but primarily to escape a tense roommate situation. With the UD housing lottery impending and her unpleasant living situation occurring, her mother decided to look for alternatives to university housing. According to Apmann, her mother found the house on the market by sheer chance and made an offer soon after. In hindsight, Apmann described the result as the “best outcome for the situation.”... Tensions
grow as students fan out New city statistics tracking the number of students living off campus show sharp increases in neighborhoods including Beacon Hill and Mission Hill in Roxbury. At the same time, tensions have mounted in some neighborhoods where residents blame students for increased litter, noise, and public safety problems. "I have now started a new program on collecting their trash," said Anna Marie Camargo, a resident of Beacon Hill. "At least six times, I've woken up and taken beer cans off of my steps, and this is when I'm setting out to take my kids to school. That's not for families. I love that we have some students but I think there is a tipping point."... A
building boom on campus These projects -- at Berklee College of Music, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- are among about two dozen new buildings on the drawing board at universities and colleges in the Boston area... College
equals mounting debt and stress for Gen Y However, there's something else she'll also be gaining with that degree - debt... This generation of twentysomethings is straining under the weight of college loans and other debt, a crushing load that separates it from every previous generation. Nearly two-thirds carry some debt, and those with debt have taken on more in the past five years, according to an analysis of the credit records of 3 million twentysomethings that Experian, the credit-reporting agency, did for USA TODAY. Their late payments are rising, and they're more likely to be late than other Americans are...
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