Public Comments and Questions from Meeting on UWM Dorms by Sura, July 31

3rd District Town Hall meeting on UWM Dorms, July 29, 2008

From the Chalk Board:
What’s the rush? Wait for Master Plan
Dorms Downtown (all)
Engineering School Dtown (all)
Protect River Corridor (all agree)
Better public Transportation
“Code of Conduct” expectations/ agreement
Chapter 17 & 18 changes * Fast
Increase Minority Enrollment – Reach out into inner city (west of Holton) Pabst, Tower Automotive
Explain how UWM is taxed
Limit size/beds as sites dictate
So Milwaukee: Drinking Overlay Zone
What is the TRUE need & timeline for beds/sites
Temporary Enrollment Cap?
Are “Buffer Zones” effective for UWM locations
Has Riverview existed long enough to judge true impact?
Adeq. Parking – it’s site dependent
Green Built
Do dorms residents get a night parking permit?
Why/what proof do they need 1,500 beds?
What about UWM’s Lake Dr. properties for dorms?

Comments from index cards:

• No moratorium on dorms! Why do we treat students like an enemy and not an asset?
• Concerns and Expectations: - Protect River corridor and viewshed  -“green building”  - adequate parking and public transportation  - reasonable “code of conduct” expectations for students  - university oversight over conduct with penalties for noncompliance  -community input on location, design, and compliance
• Criteria for sit selection: It’s very important that the site be buffered from existing residential neighborhoods. Noise, litter, student foot & car traffic can be very disruptive.
• Comments and Concerns :
  - Impact on environment with construction & then occupancy
  - Traffic impacts, parking for residents and visitors
  - Building design that will compliment the neighborhood it is built in
  - Construction lead the way with “green” building materials and maintenance
  - Better communication and interaction with UWM planners and neighbors in the development site/sites. Follow the vision/planning of SE WI Regional Planning Commission in preserving the river corridor.

• Consider large parking fees and use proceeds to fund free public transportation.
• Respect the Milw River Overlay District requirements, both in letter and in spirit. No new building on the river!
• 400 fewer new or freshman students enrolled this year. If they are having a lower enrollment, why are they building more dorms? We should wait to see if there is still a need in 2 or 3 years
• Extension of Memo of Agreement that WTLT has with UWM & Kenilworth Dorm to all new dorms. Chapter 17 expedited to occur in 2009
• Would encourage the “clustering” of students to encourage more active, urban lifestyles and reduce need for cars. So – Columbia Hosp, Prospect Mall, Park East, Hometown or Riverworks sites – where there is already student presence.
• We need neighborhood approved building design standards – should fit with the neighborhood.
• Slow this process down. What is the rush? They have been waiting years. They can wait 2 more years while good planning and neighborhood involvement will find well thought-out locations with good design.
• What is Bob Greenstreet’s role in dorm building? It seems to me that due to his relationship to the University, he should recuse himself from participating.
  
• No matter where dorms are located, problems will continue unless there is enforcement of laws i.e. underage drinking, fake Ids (including liquor stores), overcrowding in units, noise & litter
• Problem is that Kenwood campus is planned as main place for undergrads (fresh/soph) Schools by name: Engineering, Public Health, all other takes upper class OFF Kenwood campus.
• Community vs. Campus – It is impossible to have an urban university if there is no urban community. How will the expansion preserve the community?
• Brady/Farwell is out! Try sleeping on the weekend.
• What are the drawbacks of dorms? It would promote less cars (walk to campus) and less noise in a controlled site. Columbia Hospital site will do that.
• Regardless of where it goes, primary consideration must be to do no further harm to UWM’s immediate neighbors. No more load on the locals!
• Columbia Hospital and Medical Arts Bldg. have an enormous footprint, a cul-de-sac that can cut down on traffic speeding on side streets, and LOTS OF PARKING. It is contiguous with the UWM. It seems that the UWM should buy + use Columbia, if not for dorms, then for classes. 1) Why has it been eliminated as a dorm site? 2) What are the plans for living accommodations for the freshmen when they become sophomores? 3) Where on Farwell + Brady? Can’t imagine where it might fit.
• I would love to lee them in Riverwest – but not on the river. Tracks would be great!
• It seems most of the party houses are “of drinking age” students. How will putting underage students in dorms solve that problem?
• Can the 1500 beds be like a new freeway lane to solve a problem that cannot be built to the solution?
• #1 I have been hearing that UW-Stout leads the UW system in the private dorm building movement – with some pretty bad consequences. Are you aware of this? #2 If UWM doesn’t buy Columbia, it’ll almost certainly be a private dorm – with even less accountability. How could this be good?
• Many students need cars to get to part time jobs. County buses do not offer enough service to offset the need for a car.

Index Card Questions for Alder Kovac

• What’s going to become of Columbia Hospital?
• Are more “private sector” dorms planned for the area like the building at Park and Cramer with a proposed 170 students? Where will these students park? Who will control them?
• Can you detail how the dorms are taxed? Do they pay a 1 time fee or yearly taxes? How are they calculated?
• Under what circumstances will you allow for a zoning change?
• Can we have a 2 year moratorium on dorms until we see how many are needed?
• Is any space available at Pabst site? or Tower Automotive?
• Who is involved in site selection and qualification? What is the role of city leaders in this process? Why are Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, etc. excluded? 2. Can we look at this as an opportunity for economic development west of Holton?
• Nik, do you have a personal preference for the site? If so – please explain.
• How will new dorms affect the housing market on the East Side?
• If a dorm went up at the Hometown site, what infrastructure changes would be made to accommodate the increase in traffic flow from the dorm to UWM – specifically, Newhall Street – a way to bypass Oakland Mary Smith 2619 N. Newhall St.
• How about making Downer a pedestrian walkway from Park to Bradford. Allow development on both sides of the street. It could be like State St. in Madison.
• Are Dorm residents eligible for City of Milwaukee night parking permits?
• What will be the impact on our current poor housing market if we build new housing? How can we ensure that the dorms won’t create a greater number of vacancies and foreclosures that’s already occurring west of Holton.

Index Card Questions for UWM:

• Is UWM committed to giving us a public process?
• Has UWM determined a maximum number of students?
• Why can’t UWM create a community college system where they create off campus programs for lower classmen – i.e. Waukesha, Franklin, Oak Creek, or north of Mke. – The East Side campus could be for upper classmen & grad students.
• Has UWM considered their properties on Lake Dr. for expansion?
• Locations? Why can’t west of Holton or the Tower industry locations be made safe enough for student housing? It is working on 17th & Wisconsing. The local residents may approve too! (increased safety that is)
• How much money is UWM making on dorms? Can we see the financials? Are they publicly available?
• Would UWM consider small- or medium- (30-150 beds), instead of high-density dorms?
• If UWM is taking Public Health & Engineering off campus, why can’t one or more of the buildings be converted to dorms?
• Has UWM considered re-use/rehab of existing buildings?
• I get regular updates on UWM spraying chemicals on their publicly used lawns. Will UWM commit to stop spraying harmful chemicals on their property? Will they seriously consider using a local, natural landscaper and doing native plantings and chemical-free landscaping?
• What does the university envision for sophomores…? (where to live? cars?)
• 1500 beds – How big would the footprint be? How tall – How many stories? What volume? Cubic feet, square feet is needed.
• Is anyone planning where these students will go once they aren’t freshmen?
• How did Columbia Hospital get off the table before this meeting?
• Until we know UWM’s enrollment plans for the next five years is it possible that all 5 sites will be needed within that time frame?
• Is urban/minority enrollment decreasing? What is the commitment of UWM to teaching Milwaukee kids? How does that play out in actual students enrolled?
• How many beds would be available if UWM used Columbia Hospital?
• How close to full is the new RiverView Dorm? What is the capacity?
• What sites could be made available on UWM Campus?
• I’d like to see UWM build high quality, green design (LEED gold or platinum, or equivalent certification) on any new UWM buildings or rehabs.

Sponsored by Brady St. Area Assn., Cambridge Woods Neighborhood Assn., East Village Assn., Greenwich Village Neighborhood Assn., Mariners Neighborhood Assn., Murray Hill Neighborhood Assn., Prospect Ave. Assn., Riverside Park Neighborhood Assn., Riverwest Neighborhood Assn., Water Tower Landmark Trust and Milwaukee River Neighbors

31 Jul 2008 | 8:15 pm | Environmental Sustainability, 3rd District

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