UNC Charlotte

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At 200,000 square feet, the $65 million student union will represent the culmination of a long journey begun by predecessor when it opens this The walk itself was something of a studuy inthe school’s development many of the new buildings resulting from earlier master plans. Now Dubois is nearing the completion of a planninfg process of hisown making. The new masterd plan is the result of 18 monthsof $1.5 million in consulting fees and related costs, and inpurt from administrators, students and trustees.
It is intende to be a guide for steerinygthe campus’ growth over the next 10 to 15 The plan was expected to be complete this montuh but is now scheduled for deliveryu to the UNCC board of trustees in September. That will be followexd by a detailed review and discussion before formalp approval byyear end. Duboies discussed details of the plan this week with the Charlotts BusinessJournal . And while much of the plan is targeted at dealingb with rapid enrollment growth expected over the next the theme centers around creating a cohesivee college experience that in some ways will buils off the newstudent center.
That building will for the firsyt time give students and staffers ananchor bookstore, dining areas, meeting rooms and a movie theater all in one “This is something we just never had,” Duboisz says, pointing to the brick-cladc building amid scaffolding and the whirring of construction crews. UNCC enrollmenf is expected toeclipse 24,000 this Early work on the master plan has determinesd the density of the future projects could allos the school to accommodate as many as 40,0090 students, more than the most recent projections of When then-chancellor Jim Woodward launched a master plan effort in the long-term goal was 25,000 students.
Now UNCC is, in essence, already “We know there’s demand here for our Dubois says. “It would just be a questiohn of whether we couldaccommodate it.” Lead consultanr •Strengthening the college experience. That work emphasizes a traditionalcampus Quads, student villages and pedestrian-friendly development are among the •Creating memorable places. Ensuring a strong tie between existiny and new buildings with the topography and the surrounding landscape is high onthe list, as campusa leaders work to preserve trees and naturapl areas. Another priority: taking a more cohesive approach to designh so that new buildings mesh withexistingg structures.
•Forging stronger links with the surrounding Universituy City neighborhoodsand developments. Of particulat importance is the creation of communities that would allow more studentds and faculty members to live near the The likely top priority for doint all of the above is the use ofa 100-acrwe tract that will have a light-rail Dubois envisions development of a mixed-usr village comprising shops, housing and The project is being pitched as UNCC’s versiobn of Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, with the added attraction of mass transit access to uptowbn Charlotte.
Of course, the timing of any or all of that developmentg is dependent on aneconomic “It’s one of those things: How can you be thinkin g this far down the road whiles Rome is burning,” says Ruth chair of the UNCC board of “But you need to be thoughtful about the future. We’ve all seen examples of what happensz whenyou don’t plan. I’m a big believert in looking ahead.” In 2008 and again this UNCC ended up returningits enrollment- growth fundinh to the state due to budget cuts. UNCC grew by 800 students last year and will likelyadd 1,000 more by the time the fall semeste r begins.
“We just couldn’t afford to do that if state fundingremains frozen, Dubois Based on recent application trends and school leaders still believe they must continur to plan for robust growth in the decadd ahead. State appropriations, private donation s and student fees are all funding sources for projectes to be included in themastefr plan. By mandate, schools maintain a constant six-yea r running rotation of priorities. Other goals, such as a stadium to hous e a plannedfootball team, woul d tap outside sources in a capital UNCC hopes to maintaimn its current rate of housing 20% to 25% of student s on campus. That now equates to 4,800 students.
Based on that figure will growto 7,000 in the next decader or so. New suite-style apartmentzs on campus are on thedrawing board. Many universitiezs are turning to the private sectorfor collaboration. Dubois cites public-private partnershipse at in Atlanta and theas examples. In recent the chancellor toured the and for Key to campus growth is the fate ofthe $1 billiomn light-rail extension. The Metropolitan Transit Commission andthe city’zs transit authority are steering that decision, with much of the light-rai l line’s fate hinging on prospects for attractin g federal grants.
City leaders use a benchmark of 75% fundiny from state and federalk sources before moving ahead withtransit projects. including university leaders, say the line would tie the center city to the UNCC campues ina direct, tangiblwe way, with both sides benefiting from a closer relationship.