MidtownCoog Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 The University of Houston has launched the first phase of its long-range plan for the campus community with the start of five projects this summer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 Good news. Is this the project that they will build student housing? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 This will help beautify the 3rd Ward, and they need the help.With the Light Rail, thing are looking up for them! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 What exactly is happening to the mound north of the E. Cullen building? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 What exactly is happening to the mound north of the E. Cullen building?They're leveling it. I don't know why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 They're leveling it. I don't know why.Is it going to be a sitting area or something now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Is it going to be a sitting area or something now?Apparently they're removing the hill to provide a better view of the Cullen Performance Hall as you enter on University. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Apparently they're removing the hill to provide a better view of the Cullen Performance Hall as you enter on University.Do you happen to know why it was there in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MexAmerican_Moose Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 i asked myself the same question as i was walking to the University Center...i will ask one of my professors tommorow about why that mound was originally there....where will the UH light rail station be located? or is it still in the planning phase? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 i asked myself the same question as i was walking to the University Center...i will ask one of my professors tommorow about why that mound was originally there....where will the UH light rail station be located? or is it still in the planning phase?Still very much in the planning phase. They don't even know which of three possible streets it will come in by. It could be Wheeler, Alabama, or Elgin.My understanding of the issue is that Wheeler is informally out of the running because the residential neigbhorhood to the west of TSU said NO and for some reason has informal (yet binding) clout in this case. Too bad, as far as I'm concerned, because TSU has a broad pedestrian walkway lined with big mature oaks that runs straight through the middle of campus which would've been just perfect for an LRT line.Elgin has a broad ROW and would be less expensive, but I'd prefer to see Alabama used if Wheeler is not. It currently terminates at the parking lots around Robertson Stadium. If it were taken through the parking lots and wrapped around a small part of Robertson Stadium, it would be very easy for it to cross Cullen and go straight to the middle of campus via Entrance 14. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I'd prefer to see Alabama used if Wheeler is not. It currently terminates at the parking lots around Robertson Stadium. If it were taken through the parking lots and wrapped around a small part of Robertson Stadium, it would be very easy for it to cross Cullen and go straight to the middle of campus via Entrance 14.UH apparently expects the line to come down Alabama (which is my preferred route). I was at a UH luncheon a few weeks ago and they showed the latest master campus plan. Metro will end the Universities Corridor line at Scott Street, but UH will continue it east of Scott, across the Robertson Stadium parking lot, and all the way up Entrance 14 to PGH, just as you described.TSU students seem to be unanimously against bringing the light rail down Wheeler, which would bring the rails right through the center of TSU campus. It's the main pedestrian corridor through campus, and TSU students don't want it criss-crossed with rail lines.I can see both sides of that argument. On the one hand, the light rail could be a safety hazard, being located on that promenade. That route is also lined with dorms and classrooms. Many students don't want to be bothered with the clanging and horns through their campus.On the other hand, I like UH's approach...embracing the light rail and extending it into campus. Make the most of the opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 UH apparently expects the line to come down Alabama (which is my preferred route). I was at a UH luncheon a few weeks ago and they showed the latest master campus plan. Metro will end the Universities Corridor line at Scott Street, but UH will continue it east of Scott, across the Robertson Stadium parking lot, and all the way up Entrance 14 to PGH, just as you described.TSU students seem to be unanimously against bringing the light rail down Wheeler, which would bring the rails right through the center of TSU campus. It's the main pedestrian corridor through campus, and TSU students don't want it criss-crossed with rail lines.I can see both sides of that argument. On the one hand, the light rail could be a safety hazard, being located on that promenade. That route is also lined with dorms and classrooms. Many students don't want to be bothered with the clanging and horns through their campus.On the other hand, I like UH's approach...embracing the light rail and extending it into campus. Make the most of the opportunity.There was a video that was posted elsewhere on this forum that seemed to suggest that the parking lots around the stadium would be developed as a residential/retail enclave and that parking would be relocated to satellite facilities. My big question, then, is WHERE ARE THEY PUTTING THE PARKING? Also, how are they getting the commuter students to the campus? That could potentially make for some very crowded LRT vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 (edited) There was a video that was posted elsewhere on this forum that seemed to suggest that the parking lots around the stadium would be developed as a residential/retail enclave and that parking would be relocated to satellite facilities. My big question, then, is WHERE ARE THEY PUTTING THE PARKING? Also, how are they getting the commuter students to the campus? That could potentially make for some very crowded LRT vehicles.Part of the master plan is to bring more residents to campus. So, part of the parking problem will be solved by building more dorms. A 1,000-bed dorm between the Law Center and Bauer College of Business is supposed to break ground next year. This will be the implementation of the first phase of the master plan.UH plans to double its residential facilities within the next 5-10 years. The number of on-campus beds will go from 5,500 to 11,000. At the same time, UH plans to allow its enrollment to increase from 35,000 to 45,000. Once this happens, 25% of UH students will live on campus (up from the current 15%), reducing the number of parking spaces required. That should allow UH to lose a few parking lots right there.Other than that...I'd expect more parking garages to be built.My question is...how is UH going to pay for all this? I understand that the State of Texas recently started allowing UH to float tuition bonds (repaid by future tuition $$$). So, don't expect UH tuitions to drop any time soon. Unfortunately, that's the price that schools like UH and Texas Tech have to pay, since we don't get the PUF $$$ that UT-Austin and Texas A&M get. Every year since they were established, those schools get additional $$$ from the PUF. I know 5-10 years ago UT-Austin received an extra $100 million/year and A&M-College Station received an extra $50 million/year. That's money that UH, Texas Tech, North Texas, TSU, SWT, etc., etc., etc. don't receive. Can you imagine the capital projects that UH could build with $100 million EVERY YEAR?!? In 2005, the PUF distributed a total of $341 million to 21 UT and A&M system schools (an average of $16 million/school).In order to maintain *some* balance, the Higher Education Assistance Fund was established to serve the other 32 Texas schools (including 6 A&M System schools and 2 UT System schools). It distributes a total of $175 million to 32 schools (an average of $5.5 million/school). UH is by far the biggest school in that pot, and its share in 2005 was $26 million...a far cry from Higher education funding in Texas isn't even "separate but equal"...it's definitely separate, and VERY unequal. The state legislature has created a system of "have's" and "have-not's". It's very evident in the funding of our schools. Edited July 12, 2006 by Original Timmy Chan's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 My question is...how is UH going to pay for all this? I understand that the State of Texas recently started allowing UH to float tuition bonds (repaid by future tuition $$$). So, don't expect UH tuitions to drop any time soon. A capital campaign starts soon. 800 mil is the goal, and I think it may already be in the silent phase with the corporate donors.That's the way business gets done in Houston - don't count on the Govt. Metro had to build their own rail line. This is the same deal.Austin needs Houston a lot more than Houston needs Austin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 UH plans to double its residential facilities within the next 5-10 years. The number of on-campus beds will go from 5,500 to 11,000. At the same time, UH plans to allow its enrollment to increase from 35,000 to 45,000. Once this happens, 25% of UH students will live on campus (up from the current 15%), reducing the number of parking spaces required. That should allow UH to lose a few parking lots right there.So they increase the number of beds by 5,500 and the number of students by 10,000 and they expect there to be less need for parking? Sure, the percentage of students living on-campus go up, but that alone doesn't really do much for the parking situation. Besides, even on-campus folks often have cars...they've got to have a place to put them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MexAmerican_Moose Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 i asked on of the construction guys that was working on that big mound in front of the Cullen building about what they were going to do...he said that he was just a surveyor that worked on water pipes. my guess is that a fountain will go in the place of that mound... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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