knowledge neighborhood

Knowledge Neighborhood CharretteJuly 26-27, 2012

Problem Statement

Context

Community

Design

Impact

Charrette

Appendices

CONTENTS

01 [01 - 02]

02 [03 - 14]

03 [15 - 18]

04 [19 - 37]

05 [38 - 42]

06 [43 - 46]

AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE . . .

Dear Participants,

Brownsville is my kind of town! It’s got “salsa”, it’s got history, and it’s got natural beauty! (think resacas, parrots, birding…) It’s got old, it’s got new – a young population ready to learn and lead our community to greater heights. With this in mind, we have a challenge – obstacle or opportunity? I say we have a great opportunity to lay the foundation that 100 years from now it will be remembered just as historic as bringing the railroad connection to Brownsville 100 years ago. The connection we now ponder is how do we get our cherished community college Texas Southmost College & the University of Texas System at Brownsville to provide our young people the path to success on all levels.

The “Believe in Brownsville Charette” is designed to do just that. The City of Brownsville will be the vehicle to provide options that offer both UTB & TSC a unique solution to what might be perceived as a difficult situation. Brownsville is prepared to reach out to both institutions and incorporate the downtown area to accommodate the needs of both institutions either for a long or short term period.

We will extend innovative, practical and economical ideas that places all in a desirable position for growth, understanding and most of all in an exciting learning environment for all! Please know that this event is taking place by the generosity of everyone’s time and talent on very short notice for the betterment of the “Brownsville Family” which you are now a part of for today and always.

Con abrazos, tu servidor - Tony

Dear Participants,

The University of Texas at Brownsville finds itself at an important inflection point. The twenty year Partnership with Texas Southmost College that launched UT Brownsville is ending by August 2015. During its formative years of the Partnership, the University has produced an internationally recognized chess team and ground-breaking research in gravitational wave astronomy and biomedicine. It has also earned prestigious national accreditations in business, community counseling, engineering physics, computer science and music. And during this time it has graduated over 29,237 numbers of students with certificate, associate, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and created pathways for graduates to continue their education in professional and medical schools and into jobs.

But now that the Partnership with TSC is ending, UT Brownsville has a rare opportunity to ‘reset’ itself. To ask anew what its vision should be and where it can best achieve that vision. The task before the leadership of the University is to design a new vision for 2050 that would take advantage of dedicated and experienced faculty and staff and of new technologies for teaching and learning to serve one of the fastest growing regions of the state and play a transformative role in the development of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. This work has begun and will continue to evolve over the next few months. The additional task and the one before this work group is to help decide where best to locate the new university.

I am very grateful to all of those in the Brownsville community who have joined the work led by the Office of the Mayor, Brownsville CDC, bcWorkshop, and U3 Ventures. I am also particularly grateful to Ford Foundation for their generous support of this important effort.

- Dr. Juliet Garcia

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TO dEvELOP a dESigN PROgRaM aNd ECONOMiC MOdEL fOR ESTaBLiShiNg dOwNTOwN aS a KNOwLEdgE NEighBORhOOd LEvERagiNg ThE ECONOMiC aNd SOCiaL iMPaCT Of ThE LOCaL aCadEMiC iNSTiTuTiONS TO 1) MEET ThE uTB ShORT-TERM aNd LONg-TERM NEEdS aNd aSPiRaTiONS, 2) dEvELOP CONNECTiONS BETwEEN ThE ExiSTiNg TSC CaMPuS, dOwNTOwN, aNd fuTuRE uTB dOwNTOwN CaMPuS, 3) SuPPORT ThE ENTREPRENEuRShiP Of LOCaL BuSiNESSES, aNd 4) STEwaRd ThE iNTERESTS aNd wELL-BEiNg Of aLL STaKEhOLdERS.

Organizational Goals

CiTY Of BROwNSviLLE uT BROwNSviLLE uNivERSiTY Of TExaS

01 Self-financing Model

UTB is one of two UT system branches that is not eligible for funding from UT’s Permanent University Fund. Income generation is crucial to the stainability of the University.

02 Security

Due to its proximity to the Mexico Border UTB is commonly perceived as being an unsafe University, when in fact it is has the lowest crime rate of any UT system institution.

03 Identity

It is important that UTB develop a distinct and clear identity, separate from TSC. This is critical for recruiting, fund raising and public support. This will require explicit land use planning and design and targeted marketing.

01 Enhancing Success 01 Priority One

02 Priority Two

To serve as the conduit for success, ensuring a successful environment for both UTB and TSC.

03 Priority Three To foster an environment in which the entire community takes ownership for the redevelopment of downtown.

To ensure the success of every learning institution in Brownsville, immediately that of both University of Texas Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.

02 Increasing Research

03 Global Competitiveness/Tech

04 Improving Texas Health

05 Enriching society through arts

06 Improving productivity

This project is an explorative study to understand the potential for a downtown Brownsville campus as an alternative to a proposed new suburban campus along Highway 77 in North Brownsville. The premise of the study is that an urban campus has the potential to be mutually beneficial to UT-Brownsville, the City of Brownsville, the UT System, all regional learning institutions, and the residents of the Rio Grande Valley. Preserving the historic character, scale, and existing businesses and residents of downtown are paramount to the study. This is only an idea at this time, and no decisions have been made regarding the UTB’s future development.

Problem Statement

TExaS SOuThMOST COLLEgE

01 Reduce the cost of tuition

Without raising taxes or revenue bonds.

02 Ensure sufficient facility space

Projected growth of the student body will require a significant amount of infrastructure, which the College intends to maintain.

03 Enhance the quality of education

The college will continue to provide quality programs and education that directly relate to job opportunities and higher learning for graduating students.

03

Regional Area

The Lower Rio Grande Valley, at the convergence of the Texas coastline of the Gulf of Mexico and the national border of the Rio Grande River, is comprised of the three southernmost counties of Texas. South Texas is relatively isolated from the rest of the state by hundreds of miles of open land, it is 236 miles south of San Antonio and 350 miles south of Austin, the State Capital. The nearest metropolitan centers, although across the border, are the Mexican cities of Reynosa and Matamoros.

Despite extended distances between the region and more urbanized parts of Texas, the area is experiencing rapid growth in cities as well as unincorporated ‘rural’ peripheries. Hidalgo, Willacy, and Cameron Counties each grew by an estimated double-digit percentage points in the last ten years; 36.1%, 10.2%, and 21.2% respectively. According to the 2010 Census, population counts have surpassed 1.2 million residents.

The three counties of the Lower Rio Grande Valley are diverse but share many of the same resources, opportunities and challenges. In an attempt to address current developments needs within the region, counties operate to a certain degree under a regional Development Council, which aims to provide comprehensive planning for the region.

The region boasts a rich cultural and development history, the area is known for its natural diversity and highly specialized ecosystems. It is sub-tropical, with various micro ecosystems and stopping point for the most migratory birds in the nation.

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[above] map of Texas, depicts Brownsville’s proximity to surrounding major cities[right] Aerial map of Brownsville and surrounding area.

MatamorosBrownsville

HoustonAustin

San Antonio

Monterrey

Cuidad Victoria

300

mile

s

BROwNSviLLE, TExaSuNiTEd STaTES

MaTaMOROS, TaMauLiPaSMExiCO

DOWNTOWN STUDY AREA

05

Local Area

Brownsville, which holds the southern and eastern boundaries of Cameron County, is the largest city in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The city has seen a rapid increase in population over the last fifty years, rising from just over 50,000 in 1970 to more than 175,000 residents today. In the first century after its founding in 1848, Brownsville was the dominant economic cultural center in the region due to its position as a river and sea port as well as a port of entry to Matamoros and Monterrey in Mexico. The historic downtown core remains largely intact, with a rich architectural heritage, but the majority of the city’s recent growth has occurred to the north and west of the city’s historic core. The development away from the core has been in the form of large subdivisions and low-density sprawl along the major streets, without a great sense of connection. Much of the commercial and retail development has been concentrated along highway 77 in the form of vehicle friendly big box retail and interior and exterior malls.

In addition to its cultural assets, Brownsville has a unique confluence of resources, including a deepwater port, a four-year university, a junior college, railroad terminals, and multiple international connections. The City has been engaged in two planning efforts to create a framework for Brownsville’s future growth and implementation strategies to achieve that vision: the Brownsville Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2009, and the Downtown Revitalization Plan, currently under review.

Key elements consistent in each of Brownsville’s planning goals involve development of the city’s historic core; including but not limited to the proposal of a number of policy changes and incentives to spur revitalization and Catalyst Projects, such as improvements to key locations (Market Square), pedestrian scale improvements (Crossing at International Blvd), and improved safety in the downtown and border areas. Citizen led actions, such as Better Block festivities, continue to develop active and safe programming in the hopes of presenting Brownsville to the public as a vital center for business, recreation and tourism. The city and region continue to celebrate local bicultural heritage with annual events such as Charro Days and the Sombrero Festival.

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[right] aerial map of Downtown Brownsville and surrounding neighborhoods

02

WEST BROWNSVILLE

RIO VIEJO

MITTE

VILLA VERDE

SOUTHMOST

BUENA VIDA

DOWNTOWN CORE

FORT BROWN UTB + TSC

07

History of Brownsville

The history, cohesion, and development of American and Mexican cultures along the river created a unique and multicultural identity for the region which brings great pride to residents of the area.

The first settlers of Brownsville were considered squatters that had come across the river from the existing city of Matamoros (1765). Historic Brownsville was originally a 4,676 acre town site that was established the same year that the Treaty of Guadalupe was signed, which ended the Mexican American War. But before the Brownsville Town Company (Charles Stillman,Samuel Belden, and Simon Mussina) founded the city in 1848, Fort Brown (Fort Texas) supported American soldiers and the commerce that was developing around the fight for land.

The town grew quickly and began to outpace its older neighbor, Matamoros (established 1765). Growth over the next 50-60 years was fueled by the Civil War,and the town’s access to international trade through sea ports, the river, and in 1906 the arrival of the train lines and the irrigation district.

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[from left to right] 1. Brownsville Market Square; 2. Charro Days; 3. Botica Nueva; 4. Alonso Compex; 5. Brownsville/Matamoros River Boarwalk; 6. Passenger Station and Park; 7. Merchants National Bank; 8. La Nueva Libertad; 9. El Jardin Hotel

09

History of UT Brownsville + Texas Southmost College

In 1926, Texas Southmost College (TSC) was established under the name The Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley as an extension of the Brownsville Independent School District. The high school and college shared facilities until the deed to Fort Brown, a U.S. Army base established in 1846 and decommissioned in 1946, was transferred to what was then Brownsville Junior College in 1948. The name “Texas Southmost College” resulted from a 1949 naming contest, won by a student from Rio Hondo.

In 1973, TSC partnered with Pan American University, located in Edinburg, to create a four-year extension program offering Bachelor’s and graduate degrees. TSC and Pan American University at Brownsville shared facilities but operated independently, and the latter was incorporated into the University of Texas System in 1989. In 1991, demonstrating a commitment by the UT System to the region, the University of Texas-Brownsville (UTB) was established with Juliet V. Garcia as president.

With the creation of UTB, the two institutions entered into an innovative Educational Partnership Agreement to broaden access to the higher education in the Rio Grande Valley despite scarce fiscal, physical and human resources in the region as well as ease the transition between associate and Bachelor’s degree programs. Under the agreement, the two institutions shared facilities, faculty, student body and administration under a model dubbed the “community university.” UTB and TSC had open admissions, requiring only a high school diploma or GED for enrollment, an anomaly in the UT System. In 2000, declaring the partnership a “demonstrably effective method of serving the community” in the enhanced partnership statement, and citing significant increases in the number of programs offered and degrees awarded, the agreement was extended for ninety-nine years. Most of the shared facilities and physical assets belonged to TSC, while most faculty and administration were employed by the UT System

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[right] images from UTB and TSC’s current campus

11

UT Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Today

On February 17, 2011, the Texas Southmost College Board of Trustees affirmed the split, voting 4-3 to operate as a separate entity from UTB. Under the rules of the original Educational Partnership Agreement, the agreement will be dissolved no later than August 31, 2015 and UTB will transition to an independent, four-year university.

Operational separation of the two institutions began when Lily Tercero assumed her role as TSC’s President on October 1, 2011; Dr. Juliet V. Garcia has continued as President of UTB. Currently, the two schools hold the same accreditation, and in order for TSC to continue operating in its current capacity it must seek independent accreditation. Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, students for the first time will apply either to TSC or to UTB; the former will retain open admissions, while the latter will have new admissions standards.

The majority of the land and facilities that have been shared by the two institutions are owned by TSC. UTB owns five facilities--the Science, Engineering and Technology Building, the Education and Business Complex, the Life and Health Sciences Building, the Casa Bella student housing facility, and the Biomedical Research Building--as well as 80 acres of land for a planned new athletic complex, half of two thermal plants, and certain parking areas.

With space a primary concern, UTB proposed an “Educational Village” concept to TSC, with facilities owned and operated separately alongside one another on the Fort Brown campus. On June 26, 2012, TSC representatives declined to sell any real estate to UTB, offering instead to lease certain facilities. UTB rejected this offer, declaring it not in the best interest of the growth of the university, and instead began to explore options that would move the campus away from its existing location. Broaddus Planning, in a report dated July 2012, proposed a suburban campus of over 200 acres along Highway 77 in North Brownsville.

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UTB and SMC Ownership Map [right]Numbered buildings reference page 14

UTB Ownership

TSC Ownership

Water

Park

INTERNATIONAL BOULEVARD

PALM BOULEVARD

FRONTON STREET

ELIZABETH STREETMADISON STREET

HIGHWAY 77

UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD

]

SIXTH STREET

1

2

4

3 5

ATHLETIC FIELDS

13

UT Brownsville Needs [Immediate and Long-Term]

With continual growth in Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley it is vital for UTB to maintain a needs assessment. That assessment is best developed through a program of set future goals for the University. These goals are highlighted on the adjoining page which denote both the immediate needs and the future needs based on the goals decided upon by UTB.

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[right]UTB immediate 3-year and future 20+ year programattic and spacial needs. Immediate Needs numbers 1-5 reference on page 12.

Immediate Need: Enrollment = 7,400 Students

3 YEaR PROJECTiON (2015)

01 Biomedical Research

02 Education + Business Complex07_classrooms02_class labs 07_special class labs

03 Life and Health Sciences 08_classrooms03_class labs16_special class labs

03_classrooms 06_class labs 21_special class labs

Future Need: Enrollment = 20,000 Students

20 +YEaR PROJECTiON (2032)

01 On-Campus Housing

02 Student Demographic

03 On-Line Learning

As of spring 2012 enrollment, 4% of students live in campus housing. In order to reach 20,000 students in 20 years, UTB will have to systematically increase campus housing options to attract students from outside the region. In planning for UTB 2.0, UTB is targeting 25% of students to live in campus housing.

04 Science Engineering + Technology05_classrooms02_class labs27_special class labs

05 Casa Bella On-Campus Residence400_student apartments

06 Academic Center (Campus Core)

07 Library Information Technologylibrary collectioncomputer labs + data centerIT administration + tech support

08 Student + Administrative Services President’s officeadministrative offices

classrooms and study roomstechnology supportfaculty offices

09 Music Building06_rehearsal hallsteaching studios and practice rooms

10 Kinesiology01_full size gymmulti-purpose roomfitness area

11 Physical Plant/ Campus Security

12 Thermal Plant

campus police

58,588 SF

127,000 SF

103,760 SF

145,039 SF

160,000 SF

120,000 SF

128,000 SF

60,000 SF

41,000 SF

24,000 SF

14,000 SF

uTB

Bu

iLd

iNg

S O

wN

Edu

TB B

uiL

diN

gS

NEE

dEd

In the spring of 2012, 69% of the student enrollment reported living within Brownsville’s city limits. In order to meet the 20 year projection, UTB’s demographic composition will have to shift to reflect the increase of the students from outside the area.

Spring of 2012 data reflects that 9% of the student population is considered international students. Also, 31% of students reside outside Brownsville’s city limits. In order to meet the 20 year projection, UTB’s demographic composition will have to shift to reflect the increase of the students from outside the area and attract more international students.

Another important initiative to serve 20,000 students in 20 years is to increase the number of on-line offerings. As of June 6, 2012 there were 599 online courses offered. UTB had an on-line enrollment of 12,484 students, generating 38,202 credit hours. The immediate goal is to increase on-line participation by 7%. UTB 2.0 must utilize practices from successful institutions and launch a new model of hybrid learning to serve the students of the region and beyond.

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Population Demographics [Community + Student Populations]

Brownsville has a population of approximately 175,000 people. It has a young population with an average age of 29.5, and shows a sharper decrease in older populations with over 50% of the population being under the age 35. One third of the city’s population is under the age of 19. The city’s location on the US/Mexico border is apparent, 93.2% of its population is hispanic or latino in origin, and 86.2% of its hispanic/latino population originates from Mexico.

UT Brownsville/Texas Southmost College mirrors this demographic. It’s a student population of approximately 14,000. The student body is 93% Hispanic which is comparable to 89.5% Hispanic make-up of downtown Brownsville. In addition 87% of all students receive some sort ofinancial aid, which relates to the low median income of the area.

Figure 01 [from left to right]. United States, Texas, Brownsville, and 2 Mile Radius figures: 2010 US Census and 2011 ACS reports available online; UTB/TSC data; www.utb.edu/aboutus

AGE / SEX DISTRIBUTION

United States

Texas

RACE / ETHNICITY

United States TexasCity of

Brownsville 2 Mile Radius

7.0%5.0%1.2%

0.1%

13.1%78.1%

11.7%4.0%1.0%

0.1%

12.2%80.9%

AVERAGE AGE

37.2 United States

33.6 Texas

29.5 City of Brownsville

30.3 2 Mile Radius

24.0 UTD/TSC

16.7% 38.1% 93.2% 95.0%

85+80-8475-7970-7465-6960-6455-5950-5445-4940-4435-3930-3425-2920-2415-1910-14

5-90-4

12 mil.6 mil.0

FEMALEMALE

06 mil.12 mil.

FEMALEMALE 85+80-8475-7970-7465-6960-6455-5950-5445-4940-4435-3930-3425-2920-2415-1910-14

5-90-4

1 mil.500,00000500,0001 mil.

Brownsville85+

80-8475-7970-7465-6960-6455-5950-5445-4940-4435-3930-3425-2920-2415-1910-14

5-90-4

007,50011,250 3,750 3,750 7,500 11,250

FEMALEMALE

Other / UnknownAsianAmerican Indian / Alaskan NativeNative Hawaiian / Pacific IslanderBlackWhite

9.1%0.7%0.4%

0.0%

0.4%88.0%

10.4%0.2%0.3%

0.0%

0.4%87.2%

Hispanic or Latino Origin

93.1%

GENDER - MALE : FEMALE RATIO

49.2% : 50.8% United States

49.6% : 50.4% Texas

47.2% : 52.8% City of Brownsville

46.7% : 53.3% 2 Mile Radius

41.8% : 58.2% UTD/TSC

17

Income Demographics [Community + Student Populations]

Brownsville has a larger family size on average, 4.13, than both Texas and the United States, 3.35 and 3.17. The city also has a higher average persons per household, 3.66, than the Texas and United States averages. In the downtown area of Brownsville these numbers decrease slightly, but are still above state and national averages. Brownsville has a total of 53,936 housing units, 13,300 of which are in the downtown area. The housing units downtown have a vacancy rate of 13.9%, with 1,083 units unoccupied.

The median household income, $21,158, is less than half of the national average, $50,046. The city’s per capita income is less than $10,000.00. Brownsville has almost three times as many residents living below the poverty level, than the national average.

There are discrepancies between University employee salaries and the local and regional median income. The average salary for all institutional employees is $59,800. Full time faculty earns an average of $79,000 and non-academic staff earns an average of $47,000. In contrast, the median income of Brownsville-Harlingen metro area is $31,700 while the median income for downtown Brownsville is less than $15,000. This discrepancy begins to indicate that employees of the institution are not living within close proximity to campus. There is also a significant educational attainment gap in Brownsville. Within a 2-mile radius of campus, only 9.4% of the population has earned a bachelors degree.

Figure 01 [from left to right]. All data from 2010 US Census, and ACS reports available online.

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3.26

3.83

3.66

4.13

2.78

3.35

2.59

3.17

0 2.51.25 3.75

HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY SIZE

2 Mile Radius

City of Brownsville

Texas

United States

AVERAGE PERSONS PER HOUSEHOLDAVERAGE FAMILY SIZE

13,300

53,936

0

NUMBER OF TOTAL HOUSING UNITS

2 Mile Radius

City of Brownsville

15,000 30,000 45,000 60,000

$15,000

$30,000

$45,000

$60,000

AVERAGE PER CAPITA INCOMEMEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

United States Median HouseholdIncome: $ 50,046

United States Per CapitaIncome: $26,059

INCOME

POVERTY RATE

United States Texas City of Brownsville

United States2 Mile Radius City of Brownsville

Texas

13.8% 16.8% 35.8% Persons Below Poverty Level

19

Downtown Core Boundary

The Brownsville Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2009, was the result of a collaborative effort between the City and citizens of Brownsville to imagine and guide the future of the city in a way that is consistent with the goals of the community. The plan provides a blueprint for implementation within a ten-year time frame as well as provides guidance to the City Commission regarding the allocation of critical resources. The plan outlines strategies to reach a higher quality of life in the Brownsville area by focusing on four core elements: land use, downtown, economic development and mobility/infrastructure. Building on these strategies, the University of Texas at Brownsville and the City of Brownsville are exploring the potential for establishing downtown as a knowledge neighborhood.

The bounds used in the Brownsville Comprehensive Plan are based on a series of defined overlays, including a Heritage Historic District (outlined on the opposite page) that contains the physical core of downtown. Within the scope of the Comprehensive Plan, a more detailed plan was adopted that identifies the opportunities for returning vibrancy specifically to the downtown core. The Downtown Brownsville Plan divides downtown into several regions; two of the four regions encompass the central core specifically.

This charrette will focus on the historic and physical core of downtown Brownsville as identified by these two important documents.

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Downtown Core Boundaries [right]

Study Boundary

Heritage Historic District / Comp Plan

Downtown Area Plan

12

]


PALM BOULEVARD

FRONTON STREET

ELIZABETH STREET

MADISON STREET HIGHWAY 77


SIXTH STREET

21

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Land Use (Zoning)

The City of Brownsville uses two sets of general district overlays to encapsulate primary regulations for development of land. Zoning districts detail the use allowed in each while Area districts hold a quality and character of form to each district. In the Downtown area there are 8 zoning districts. Land Use Map [right]

Apartments

Dwellings/Retail

First Commercial

Second Commercial

Third Commercial

Fourth Commercial

Seventh Commercial

First Manufacturing

12

]

PALM BOULEVARD

FRONTON STREET

ELIZABETH STREET

MADISON STREET

SIXTH STREET



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Area Use

The City of Brownsville uses two sets of general district overlays to encapsulate primary regulations for development of land. Zoning districts detail the use allowed in each while Area districts hold a quality and character of form to each district. In the Downtown area there are 4 Area districts.

J- 50 units per acre, FAR 3.2 (6 stories, then setbacks)H-25 units per acre, FAR 1.6 (3 stories, then setback)G-12.5 units per acre, FAR 0.8 (2 stories, then setback)F-8.5 units per acre, FAR 0.4 (2 stories, then setback)

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Area Use Map [right]

Area J

Area H

Area G

Area F

12

]

PALM BOULEVARD

FRONTON STREET

ELIZABETH STREET

MADISON STREET

SIXTH STREET



25

Flexibility of Existing Building Stock

The core of downtown Brownsville has a diverse stock of buildings, which can be characterized by six overarching forms. These range from single-family homes at the smallest mass to entire blocks of traditional mixed-use buildings at the largest mass. The designation “single-family home” refers to the form of the building, as some of these structures are used as dwellings while a more significant number have been converted for retail use. “Multi-family home” refers to the apartment complexes and high-rise condos that are built specifically for higher-density residential use. “Neighborhood retail” refers to the smaller, one-story buildings fronting the street that were designed for neighborhood stores, but are capable of being used for a variety of uses. “Traditional mixed-use” refers to the two- to five-story full lot buildings with street frontage; these structures have open cores, which allows for the highest flexibility in use. “Commercial/Industrial” refers to banks, warehouses, and similar structures that have forms that were built to meet a specific purpose. “Institutional” buildings, which include churches and schools, are the final form found in downtown Brownsville.

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Flexibility of Existing Building Stock [right]

Single Family Form

Large Multi-Unit Dwelling

Neighborhood Retail

Traditional Mixed-Use

Large Commercial/Industrial

Institutional Other

Parks

12

]INTERNATIONAL BOULEVARD

PALM BOULEVARD


FRONTON STREET

ELIZABETH STREET

MADISON STREET

SIXTH STREET

27

Amenities

Downtown Brownsville is rich with amenities, many of which are housed in historic and beautiful buildings. There are thirty buildings built before 1900 in downtown including Market Square, which originally included a retail market on the ground level, but now serves as City Hall. There are nine churches in Downtown Brownsville, including Immaculate Conception Cathedral which was constructed in 1854 and is one of the oldest structures in the region.

There are two police stations in downtown Brownsville as well as the headquarters of the Fire Department and Fire Station no. 1. The residents of downtown have easy access to education at all levels, including eight early and on-going education facilities within its boundaries. These include Brownsville Early College High School, Esperanza High School and Putegnat Elementary School adjacent to Washington Park.

Washington Park and the Gladys Porter Zoo anchor the north edge of Downtown and help maintain a connection with nature and the outdoors. The zoo sits on 26 acres of lush plantlife and has 1600 animals. It is also known for its success in breeding endangered species of wildlife. Adjacent to the zoo are the Camille Lightner Playhouse and the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art.

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Downtown Amenity Map [right]

Schools

Fire Station

Grocery

City Hall

Historic Buildings

Parks

12

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PALM BOULEVARD

FRONTON STREET

ELIZABETH STREET

MADISON STREET

SIXTH STREET



29

Areas of Opportunity [Vacancy]

There are more than fifty buildings in the downtown area that are available for re-use and adaptation and eighteen of them sit on lots that are at least 100 feet wide by 120 feet deep. Using these buildings alone could constitute 150,00 to 250,000 sf of office, classroom, theater and housing space. Additionally, there are more than fifty vacant lots and more than forty surface parking lots that have the potential to be converted to better uses. More than thirty of these are at least 12,000 sf and at least ten of them are 24,000 sf or larger. A significant number of these larger vacant buildings and vacant or surface lots are located in the south corner of downtown, around the Brownsville Municipal Court Building at 10th and Levee.

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Under Utilized Land Map [right]Numbers reference page 32 lot + buildings

Vacant Building

Parking Lot

Vacant Lot

12

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1

2

3

4

5

67 8

9

PALM BOULEVARD

FRONTON STREET

ELIZABETH STREET

MADISON STREET

SIXTH STREET



31Areas of Opportunity [Profiles]

[right]Areas of opportunity: vacant buildings, parking lots, and vacant lots. Numbers reference map on page 30.

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1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

33

Connectivity [Systems]

Brownsville has the most extensive and well-used public transportation system in the Rio Grande Valley. A new multi-modal bus station has recently been completed, with park-and-ride opportunities being developed for auto-dependent commuters as well as bicycle commuters. The station is immediately adjacent to the university on the downtown side of International Boulevard.

Designated bike routes cross the city in the east-west direction along Levee and St. Charles Streets and north-south along Palm Boulevard. The city is actively working with traffic engineers to increase safety for bicycle riders. Funding and grants have also been approved to build upon the existing hike and bike network by transforming old rail lines to pedestrian and bicycle friendly paths throughout the city. The next stage in this process has been planned and will connect lower income-neighborhoods in West Brownsville to the downtown core and the university.

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Transportation Map [right]

Various City Bus Routes

Pedestrian Nodes

Parks

12


PALM BOULEVARD


CITY HALL

La Plaza Bus Station

BORDER CROSSING

5 MINUTE WALK10 MINUTE WALK

FRONTON STREET

ELIZABETH STREET

MADISON STREET

SIXTH STREET

15 MINUTE WALK

35

Connectivity [Street Use]

The Downtown District has a gridded street structure that is made up of two lane, one-way streets with parallel parking on either side. Sidewalks are eight- to ten-feet wide on either side. Furnishings are abundant, and overhead awnings create comfortable shaded experiences for walking. Typically, intersections are every 240 or 300 feet, making navigation easy for pedestrians and allowing for a variety of routes around temporary disruptions such as construction or street festivals. Most blocks are bisected by a single, relatively wide alley that contains overhead utility lines, service meters, trash collection, and loading zones.

International Boulevard, which connects Highway 77 to the border crossing, is a six lane arterial road that serves as the eastern boundary of downtown and the northwestern boundary of the existing university campus. Because the campus buildings to the south are pulled back from the street edge and the buildings on the downtown side include vehicle-oriented structures such as gas stations and the bus terminal, International Boulevard can be perceived as wider than it is and unfriendly to pedestrians.

Downtown Brownsville was built for pedestrians. The city’s core is a lively, well-used pedestrian environment. All sidewalks within the study area are activated by foot traffic and used even in the hottest summer months.

[right]Representative downtown street sections.

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Washington Street

NTS

International Boulevard

Alley Condition

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Souces: Downtown Brownsville Revitalization Plan; Imagine Brownsville! A Call to Action; B rownsville Parks & Open Space Master Plan 2010; US Census 2010; Images on the opposite page are 1”=20,000’.

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Maintained Parkland and Protected Open Space Comparison

Six cities of comparable populations to Brownsville’s exisitng population of 186,000, and six cities comparable to Brownsville’s projected growth of 364,000 by 2035, are analyzed for their dedicated park and open space acreage. For the six smaller cities, the population range is between 180,000-190,000, with an average population of 189,415. The average parkland and open space provided totals 5,017 acres, with 2.6 acres for every hundred residents. For the larger cities, the population range is between 315,000-400,00, with an average population of 363,496. The average parkland and open space provided totals 4.265 acres, with 1.2 acres for every hundred residents. The City of Brownsville manages 46.19 acres of parks and open space, approximately .02 acres for every hundred residents.

Total acres of Park and Open Space in Brownsville are 46.19 (2010).

Newport News, vaPopulation 179,611

9,124 Acres P/OS4.7 Acres per 100 Residents

glendale, CaPopulation 191,719


Shreveport, LaPopulation 199,311

5,000 Acres P/OS2.5 Acres per

100 Residents

amarillo, TxPopulation

190,6955,315 Acres P/OS

2.8 Acres per 100 Residents

Cleveland, OhPop. 396,815

2,038 Acres P/OS0.5 Acres per

100 Residents

worcester, MaPop. 181,631

1958 Acres P/OS1.1 Acres per100 Residents

Little Rock, aRPopulation 193,524


arlington, TxPopulation 365,438


Minneapolis, MNPopulation 382,578


St. Louis, MOPopulation 318,069


wichita, KSPopulation 382,368


Tampa, fLPopulation

335,7093,250 Acres P/OS

0.7 Acres per 100 Residents

39

Impact

Universities and ‘anchor institutions’ can be considered economic engines for their cities and regions and impact their communities through a number of drivers. A traditional way of looking at the economic impact of an institution is though its research and operational expenditures and the discretionary spending of its employees and students. UTB/TSC is a major economic engine, employing over 1,800 faculty and staff and educating nearly 15,000 students. The University has an annual budget of $173,000,000 and purchased $26,600,000 in goods and services in FY2011. UTB/TSC has research expenditures totaling $5,600,000.

While the drivers listed above indicate a robust anchor institution, to better understand the impact of UTB/TSC locally, it is important to consider the following metrics:

Local Capture: the local capture of employees, students, and purchases within a proximate geography to the campus. The larger number of students and employees living adjacent to the campus, the more likely they are to have a direct economic impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. The larger number of purchases procured from local businesses also indicates a greater economic impact. Social impact: The demographic and socio-economic indicators of the institution and how they relate to surrounding neighborhoods as well as through university related initiatives and services that directly benefit the community. The greater difference between the demographics of the campus community in terms of salary, educational attainment, and other metrics indicates a disconnect between the campus community and the surrounding community. Physical impact: The physical manifestation of development at the campus edge and in adjacent neighborhoods to the campus. If an institution is integrated with its surrounding community, it will be manifested in commercial activity and physical development in adjacent communities.

While much of this data is still being attained, these drivers will indicate the true impact of the institution locally. Using available data, however, we can begin to paint a picture of UTB/TSC as an institution that reflects the character and make-up of the city but has limited economic and physical impact on downtown Brownsville.

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[above].City residents enjoying an afternoon in Downtown Brownsville[right]Typical Downtown pedestrian activity

Local Capture:

Students:Today, the enrollment of UTB/TSC is 14,918 with nearly 12,000 undergraduates, more than 1,000 graduate students, and more than 1,900 dual credit high school students. The majority, more than 70% of students, reside in the city of Brownsville but only 429 are accommodated in on-campus housing. Furthermore, 53% of students are enrolled in part-time status. Part-time students typically spend less time on campus and therefore have a smaller economic impact. A full analysis of the residential patterns of students will be developed to gain a better understanding between student commuting patterns and the campus.

Employees:The combined institutions employ more than 1,800 employees making it the second largest employer in the city after the school district. The University currently has 1,100 full time staff and 750 part-time staff and hires approximately 120 new employees on an annual basis. A full analysis of employee residential patterns will be developed to gain a better understanding of commuting patterns and the potential to capture more employee residents and discretionary spend closer to the campus.

Purchasing:The University has a budget of $173,000,000. In fiscal year 2011, the University purchased $26,600,000 in goods and services of which $10,000,000 was in building construction and $8,900,000 was in commodity purchasing. Data regarding local spend has not been attained yet but a 2010 study by the University reports the total impact of UTB/TSC related expenditures on local business volume to be $144,500,000. This number accounts for the direct spend by UTB/TSC, faculty, staff, and students in Cameron County.

The University currently purchases 12.57% of its goods and services from historically underutilized businesses (HUB). The majority of HUB spending falls in specialty trades (43%) which are related to building construction. The University has set a goal of increasing participation of local vendors in HUB purchases by 10% annually.

A more complete analysis of local purchasing practices will be developed for the final report.

41

Social Impact:

Brownsville’s location on the border, means that it is often percieved as a dangerous city. However, its crime rates are low in comparison to state and national averages, and incidents of violent crime are lower than any other city in the University of Texas system. By remaining in proximity and seeking to further integrate the campus in the city core, UTB can help to change the current perception. Changing this perception on the safety of students and residents in Brownsville can help to increase enrollment and influence the growth of the university.

The employment rate and educational attainment of City of Brownsville residents are key indicators in the influence of the university. Less than 50% of Brownsville residents have received a college degree. The unemployment rate in the City of Brownsville is 2% higher than the current national average. In the downtown core the number becomes twice the national rate.

The University provides economic and community development through ITEC – the International Technology, Education,and Commerce Center which is located in an old shopping center a few miles from the UTB campus. Through this center, the University provides continuing education services as well as business incubation, commercialization, professional consulting, and entrepreneurship education. The business incubator at ITEC has helped launch over 75 companies with a 70% success rate.

Crime Statistics: 2010 FBI Report; Educational Attainment: 2010 US Census and ACS Reports; UTB/TSC Student Population: www.utb.edu. Unemployment Statistics: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, available online. *Unemployment statistics for the 2 mile downtown area are based on 2009 estimate.

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CRIME STATISTICS - 2010

VIOLENT PROPERTY LOCATION CRIME CRIME

404 3,000 United States

451 3,750 Texas

257 5,528 City of Brownsville

1 4 UTB/TSC

VIOLENT PROPERTY LOCATION CRIME CRIME

484 5,233 San Antonio

416 3,704 Tyler

452 3,607 El Paso

328 3,792 Austin

-- -- Arlington

373 3,607 Dallas

267 4,695 Edinburg

787 4,139 Odessa

CRIME STATISTICS - 2010, UT SYSTEM CITIES

Less Than 9th Grade 9th -12th Grade, No Diploma High School Graduate Some College, No Degree

2 MILE RADIUS CITY OF BROWNSVILLE

TEXAS UNITED STATES0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Dual Credit High School Students: 12.7%Undergraduate Students: 80.3%Graduate Students: 7.0%

UTB/TSC STUDENT POPULATION UNEMPLOYMENT

8.2% United States

7.0% Texas

10.4% City of Brownsville

16.9% 2 Mile Radius*

Associate’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree or Higher Graduate or Professional Degree

11

Charrette Location

The Cueto Building (La Nueva Libertad)Address: 1301 Madison Street

Built: 1839; late Nineteenth Century South Texas commercial architecture.The Cueto Building was originally built as a grocery and mercantile, retail and wholesale business belonging to Don Andres Cueto (1862 - 1927), a native of Spain. It included a retail store, storerooms, a carriage house, and domed brick bakery ovens. It now functions as a meeting hall for the city.

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[above].Map of Charrette location[right]Charrette agenda


PALM BOULEVARD

FRONTON STREET

MADISON STREET

THIRTEENTH STREET

Agenda [Knowledge Community Charrette]

[07.26] THURSDAY @ the Cueto Building

08:00 Breakfast & Check-in Participants arrive, enjoy coffee and are organized into teams

08:30 Welcome & Orientation of the Day Together we review our agenda and prepare to begin work

09:30 Work Session 1: Dreaming Big Ideas Teams: Urban/campus design, Economics and finance, & Knowledge community Each team creatively generates big ideas to shape downtown Brownsville into a knowledge neighborhood

12:00 Lunch Discussion & Debate Together we share our “Big ideas” with each team framing their vision

13:30 Work Session 2: Refining the Ideas Refine & declare visions & strategies for success. Returning to our teams, we take what we learned as a group and now begin to craft the details & make the vision clearer.

16:30 Group Review & Decisions - Moving Forward All together, each team presents a more defined vision with strategies for moving forward.

17:30 Closing Group discussion: choose one or more visions to move forward - inform & define Friday’s focus

18:00 Gathering in the Cueto Courtyard Refreshments & light fare to end our first work day. The group is then encouraged to gather, grab a new friend, and dine around town.

FRIDAY @ the Cueto Building27

JuNE

26 JuNE

08:00 Breakfast & Conversation Gathering and preparing for our second day of work

08:30 Review of Work & Schedule for the Day 09:00 Final Work Session: Refinement Further development and refinement of proposals

13:00 Lunch Discussion & Decisions Identification of missing elements, next steps, roles and responsibilities

16:00 Mariachi Celebration & Dinner in the Cueto Courtyard

45

Cannon design

Cannon Design is an Ideas Based Practice, ranked among the leading international firms in planning and design for healthcare, science & technology, education, corporate commercial, sports & recreation and government clients. Recognized for design excellence and technological innovation, and known for performance and dedication to client service, Cannon Design’s ‘single firm, multi-office’ practice approach enables the firm to focus the resources of its staff through a network of ten regional offices. By assembling all disciplines within the organization, a committed team of architects, engineers, planners and interior designers offers clients a single point of responsibility and accountability, ensuring each project’s success. Cannon Design strives to create environments that are a thoughtful response to the program mission, physical setting and functional purpose, reflecting the spirit and personality of each owner.

Community development Corporation of Brownsville

Since 1974, the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville (CDCB) has provided programs to make homeownership a reality for Rio Grande families. Our mission is to assist low-income families with below market financing and offer quality construction and efficient home designs.

buildingcommunitywORKShOP

The buildingcommunityWORKSHOP is a Dallas based nonprofit community design center seeking to improve the livability and viability of communities through the practice of thoughtful design and making. We enrich the lives of citizens by bringing design thinking to areas of our city where resources are most scarce. To do so, the bcWORKSHOP recognizes that it must first understand the social, economic, and environmental issues facing a community before beginning work.

u3 ventures

U3 Ventures is a multi-disciplinary firm that draws on an unparalleled depth and breadth of knowledge focused on the university market. We firmly believe that anchor institutions hold the key to sustainable community and economic development in many cities across the country. Through our advisory services and real estate development portfolio, we specialize in leveraging economic capacity, integrating institutions with their surrounding neighborhoods, and creating opportunities for vibrancy around urban universities.

Public architecture

Public Architecture is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in San Francisco. It engages architecture firms, nonprofits, and manufacturers to commit to design for the public good through its nationally recognized 1% program; it acts to bring about positive community change through public-interest design initiatives and pro bono design service grants; and it shares the potential of design to change the world through advocacy and outreach.

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Charrette Facilitator Organizations

Juliet V. Garcia President, University of Texas at BrownsvilleTony Martinez Mayor, City of Brownsville

Murad Abusalim Assistant Professor of Architecture, UT-BrownsvilleAlan Artibise Provost, UT-BrownsvilleEmily Axtman Fellow, buildingcommunityWORKSHOPPatti Ayala Senior Vice President, Frost BankJude Benavides Assistant Professor of Hydrology & Water Resources, UT-BrownsvilleOmar Blaik President, U3 VenturesDavid Boon Student, UT-BrownsvilleBrent Brown Director, buildingcommunityWORKSHOPPatrick M. Burchfield Director, Gladys Porter ZooClaudia Cantu-Grimaldo Regional President, Wells Fargo BankLisa Davis Ford FoundationIrv Downing Vice President for Economic Development, UT-BrownsvillePeter Ellis, Cannon DesignJaime Estrada, Brownsville Public Utility BoardAlex Feldman Senior Associate, U3 VenturesRachel Flores Executive Director, Brownsville Community Improvement CorporationRoger Frechette President, PositivEnergy PracticeEnrique Garcia Brownsville CHCSamantha Given-Dennis Administrative Manager, Public ArchitecturePaula Gomez Executive Director, Brownsville CHCMike Gonzalez Executive Director, United BrownsvilleRamiro Gonzalez Comprehensive Planning Manager, City of BrownsvilleRose Gowen City Commisioner, City of BrownsvilleJason Hilts President & CEO, Brownsville Economic Development CouncilElizabeth Jones Evaluation & Analysis Associate, buildingcommunityWORKSHOPMark Kroll Dean, College of Business, UT-BrownsvilleJill Kurth City Designer, Cannon Design Sandra Langley, Brownsville Economic Development CouncilTrung Le Principal, Cannon DesignSteven Lewis President, Thinking LeadershipJulia Lindgren Community Designer, buildingcommunityWORKSHOPLarry Loft UT-BrownsvilleMark Lund Director, Brownsville Metropolitan Planning OrganizationGreg McCumber AccountantBen Medina Director of Planning, City of BrownsvilleStacy Meekins Senior Planner, Sam Schwartz EngineeringVeronica Mendez Associate Vice President for Facilities & Planning, UT-BrownsvilleLuciana Mendoza Student, UT-Brownsville

Charrette Participants

Nick Mitchell-Bennett Executive Director, CDCBSilveria Perez Owner, Nine-Eleven CafeJohn Peterson President, Public ArchitectureMichael Putegnat, UT-BrownsvilleChris Rice Director of Planning, Broaddus PlanningAlexandra Rodriguez Student, UT-BrownsvilleOrlando Rodriguez Chief of Police, City of BrownsvillePriscilla Rodriguez Executive Director, Brownsville Historical AssociationFernando Saenz, Brownsville Public Utility BoardEmily Schmidt Planning Associate, buildingcommunityWORKSHOPNick Serafy CEO, Proficiency Testing ServiceGeorge Smith Associate, U3 VenturesMark Spier Superintendent, National Park ServiceKathy Stapleton Assistant Principal, Saint Mary’s SchoolJohn Syvertsen Senior Principal, Cannon DesignJustin Tirsun Community Designer, buildingcommunityWORKSHOPLinda Tovar Public Affairs Manager, HEBAdrian Trevino Student, UT-BrownsvilleAnne Whitko Project Manager, Ambiotec GroupTraci Wickett President & CEO, United Way of Southern Cameron CountyMaggie Winter Community Designer, buildingcommunityWORKSHOPEric Zachrison Vice President, Cannon Design

aPPENdiCES

Knowledge Communities

Urban Campus Precedents

Brownsville Municipal Code

UTB Campus Vision Plan

01

02

03

04

Growing Knowledge in the Community

The rapidly growing mountains of information and the technologies that we use to inform ourselves and each other are changing not just the quantity and types of things that we can learn, but they are helping to evolve and adapt the very methods by which we teach and acquire knowledge.

In 1999, Dr. Sugata Mitra, a scientist at NIIT installed a computer with an internet connection in the Kalkaji slum in New Delhi and left it, without instruction, for the children and people who live and work in the area. Within minutes the chil-dren began to instruct themselves and were quickly performing basic searches. Within months they were learning and teaching each other. Along with basic education tools, they were also learning the basics of English and Computers. The implications for a nation with a dramatic shortage of teachers, especially in poor and rural areas, will be dramatic.

Since 1972, the City As School in Manhattan has been distinguished by its focus on experiential learning trough in-ternship. Students currently choose two internships each semester from a pool of 500 opportunities in fifty categories including Law, Health Care, Finance, Music and Hotel Management. Students also are eligible to take classes at local col-leges, often tuition-free.

In 2010, Sheridan College in Mississauga, Ontario introduced their Creative Campus concept. As part of its thirty nine steps to Student Success, they are introducing co-curricular records that include activities beyond their academic achievements within their school. These previously untracked achievements and experiences will include service to the community and classes and interactions with other universities including the University of Toronto and York University. Other recommendations include Interprofessional Education which encourages faculty and students to work across dis-ciplines to help design curriculums, Forging Strong Links with Secondary School Partners and launching Innovation Pilots to encourage faculty innovation.

This fall, Harvard and MIT are launching edX. They will offer free classes online to everyone around the world. “Along with offering online courses, the institutions will use edX to research how students learn and how technology can facilitate teaching—both on-campus and online.” This initiative is funded by a $60 million joint contribution from the two universities, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has provided a $1 million grant to develop an Introduction to Computer Science Course. Stanford’s Coursera and Udacity offer 124 different cost-free, entirely online classes and edX will likely exponentially increase that number.

Figure 01 [clockwise from top left]. Examples of community service, computing, online university classes, and internship opportunities.

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SSavannah College of art and design

ESSENTIAL FACTSLOCATION

Savannah, GA

FOUNDED

1978

TYPE

Private University

ENROLLMENT (2011)

8,478

FACULTY

720

2 millionGROSS SQUARE FEET

Architects, among others. An economic impact study prepared by the Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges in 2007 showed SCAD contributed more than $369.7 million to the Savannah-area economy. The university partners with the city to host a number of annual events, including the Savannah Film Festival and the Sidewalk Arts Festival.

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is a unique model of historic preservation and adaptive reuse at the university level. The urban campus is scattered around Savannah’s National Historic Landmark district, one of the largest such districts in the nation. The university’s first acquisition was also its first restoration project: Poetter Hall is an 1893 Romanesque Revival building that was home to Savannah Volunteer Guards Armory before SCAD renovated it to house classrooms and administrative functions in 1979.

SCAD now has four campuses with over 100 facilities around the world, yet the university has constructed only four of those. The rest have all been rehabilitation projects, ranging from former hotels and schools to a synagogue, an antebellum railroad station, and a jail. Termed a “recycled” urban campus, the buildings are carefully restored for functions as diverse as dorms, lecture halls and video-editing studios.

Architect Christian Sottile, who transformed a 1853 railroad depot into the school’s Museum of Art, described the commitment to rehabilitation and reuse this way: “[The college] became an engine of preservation at the same time Savannah’s historic preservation districts took off. The message of SCAD is interwoven with saving buildings, saving the city.” The university has been credited as a primary engine in the revitalization of historic Savannah, although criticisms include rising rents and scarcity of parking.

SCAD won the Georgia Cities Foundation’s inaugural Renaissance Award in 2003 for its contribution to revitalizing downtown Savannah. The university has been honored with numerous awards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Institute for

Figure 01 [from top to bottom]. Poetter Hall [built 1893, restored 1979]Trustees Theater [built 1946, restored 1989]Student Center [built 1909, restored 2006]

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Sarizona State university - downtown


Phoenix, AZ

FOUNDED

2006

TYPE

Public University

ENROLLMENT (2011)

9,400

FACULTY

400

335.7STUDENTS PER ACRE

28CAMPUS SIZE (ACRES)

Facilities for both students and the general public were carefully considered, including the 2.7-acre Civic Space Park, attracting office workers, tourists and other users. The City and the University cite job creation, increased public revenue and private investment, local business growth, improved social services and increased educational opportunities as consequences of the downtown campus. Current student enrollment is 10,000, over 1,000 of whom live downtown. Enrollment is expected to exceed 20,000 by 2020.

In 2006, Arizona State University opened a new campus in downtown Phoenix, seeking to create a “campus that is embedded within the city and embraces the cultural, social and physical setting of urban downtown in the 21st century,” as described by university President Michael Crow.

Citing the significant economic advantages and societal benefits of a major university in the historic urban core of a city, the development of ASU-Downtown was achieved through a close partnership between the city and university and an unprecedented public referendum. Believed to be the first example of a state university expansion funded by a city government, $223 million in public bond money was allocated to ASU-Downtown through a City of Phoenix ballot initiative. The City of Phoenix was responsible for the initial land acquisition and developing the buildings and infrastructure, while ASU committed to bringing academic programs downtown, developing student housing and parking, and operating and maintaining the campus.

Various downtown locations were explored, but the selection of the site was ultimately determined by the new light rail corridor set to run through the heart of downtown, meeting the goal of keeping university facilities within a five-minute walk from the station. The development of the campus included the renovation of a number of historic structures, including a 1926 automobile dealership and former office buildings. The College of Nursing and Health Innovation, the Cronkite School of Journalism, the College of Public Programs and the Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory are now located at the downtown campus, as well as student residences and services. Future buildings include a new law school and the renovation of a historic US Post Office into the new student union.

Figure 01 [from top to bottom]. Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory in the Security Building [2005]Taylor Place Dormitories [2009]Civic Space Park [2009]Historic Post Office [built 1936, restored 2012]

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Suniversity of washington - Tacoma


Tacoma, WA

FOUNDED

1990

TYPE

Public University

ENROLLMENT (2011)

3,657

FACULTY

209



Universities, a network of public, urban research universities committed to creating an educated workforce, building strong communities and improving the health of diverse populations.

The decision to locate the University of Washington-Tacoma in the century-old Warehouse District, rather than an outlying area, is credited as a major factor in revitalizing the city. The siting of the university was an investment in the South Sound region: “equal parts higher education, historic preservation and economic revitalization,” wrote Peter Callaghan in The News Tribune in September 1997.

The university opened its permanent campus in 1997 in a historic warehouse district built in the late 1800s and early 1900s at the terminus of the transcontinental railroad, an area which had deteriorated and become crime-ridden. The campus, currently at about half of its final build-out, has committed to renovating historic buildings whenever possible. The university has been a catalyst for economic activity in the area, incorporating retail space in the phased construction that serves both the campus and the community. A July 2010 study stated that the direct and indirect economic impact of the university on the city was nearly $125 million annually.

The university was honored with a Best New Development award by the Sierra Club in 2005: “The partnership between businesses, local and state government, and the University of Washington has created a better Tacoma, reduced crime, increased economic activity, protected historically significant buildings, and created an area where it is easy to walk and use public transportation.” The campus has won a number of architectural and historic preservation awards for its adaptive reuse projects, which include the renovation of a power company’s transformer house into the university’s library and the transformation of two buildings—originally a cabinet works and a furniture maker—into the student center.

UW-Tacoma is a member Coalition of Urban Serving

Figure 01 [from top to bottom]. Pacific Avenue [2011]Keystone Building [2001]

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SEmerson College


Boston, MA

FOUNDED

1880

TYPE

Private University

ENROLLMENT (2011)

4,469

FACULTY

438



the city in terms of revitalizing the area and for Emerson,” noted Richard Freeland, the Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education; this “risk has both rewarded the college with cutting-edge learning space and revived a struggling neighborhood,” said Lawrence A. Chan, President of the Boston Society of Architects.

Originally a small “school of oratory” located in the affluent Back Bay neighborhood in Boston, Emerson’s expansion of academic programs led to a dramatic rise in enrollment beginning in the 1970s. Located in a predominantly residential neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Emerson had limited potential for future growth and spent the majority of a decade exploring relocation options in various Boston suburbs.

Emerson purchased a derelict historic movie house in 1983 in a downtown Boston neighborhood that had deteriorated to the extent that it was dubbed the “Combat Zone.” The university renovated the Cutler Majestic Theater, which served as a beacon for the future of the university and the neighborhood. The success of that project led Emerson to move its campus to the Theater District, continuing its history of renovating historic structures; by 2006, the university had completed its relocation to this neighborhood at the southeastern edge of the Boston Commons.

Emerson, with strong programs in communications and the performing arts, now owns more performing arts space than any other institution in Boston. The move allowed Emerson to double its gross square footage and significantly increase enrollment while raising admissions standards, spurring a notable rise in the university’s endowment and catalyzing economic development in the surrounding area. Emerson’s renovation of the 1932 Paramount Theater as a mixed-use performance space and student residences received a National Historic Preservation Honor Award, naming it as integral to the renaissance and resurgence of the area, which saw 40 new restaurants and businesses open in 2011.

“The move to downtown was absolutely brilliant, both for

Figure 01 [from left to right]. Boylston Street, Emerson College [2011]Paramount Center [built 1932, restored 2010]Cutler Majestic Theater [built 1903, restored 1989]

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SBrown university, Knowledge district


Providence, RI

FOUNDED

1764

TYPE

Private University

ENROLLMENT (2011)

8,768

FACULTY

1,223

232,000GROSS SQUARE FEET

storefront retail, commercial office and small executive suites—that the university has committed to maintain. In August 2011, the Alpert Medical School opened in a converted, four-story, 134,000-square-foot jewelry factory built in 1928. While still a nascent endeavor, the district has brought over 1,000 students and faculty to the area, as well as new restaurants, businesses and services.

Brown University has created its first satellite campus just over a mile from the central campus on College Hill, anchoring Providence’s new 360-acre Knowledge District. Created in partnership with city and state governments, the new district is a coordinated effort to bolster Providence’s economy by drawing high-tech businesses to a former manufacturing district near downtown, including the toymaker Hasbro and a new video game company.

Though previously home to one of the nation’s most prominent centers of the jewelry manufacturing industry, the area had deteriorated and was dotted with vacant buildings and parcels. Underutilized factory and office space, industrial buildings with large footprints that were well-suited for adaptive reuse and the rerouting of I-195—which opened up almost 20 acres of developable land—made the area appealing for economic development. The creation of the Knowledge District “involves a combination of financial incentives, rezoning and coordinated planning among Providence’s major hospitals, colleges and universities,” as described in the New York Times. Financial incentives for business relocation have come in the form of sales tax exemptions, loan guarantees and other tools from the state’s Economic Development Corporation.

Brown relocated its fundraising and technical support offices to the Jewelry District in the mid-1990s. A more concentrated investment came in 2007 when the university acquired seven properties totaling 232,000 gross square feet in the district as part of its plan to move beyond College Hill. The area was chosen because it would contribute to the economic goals of the city and state, as the success of the Knowledge District required local anchor institutions to bolster new enterprises.

The properties have a mix of tenants—including Figure 01 [from top to bottom]. Ship Street Square [2012]10 Davol Square [built 1880, restored 2011]

knowledge neighborhood

Documents

ut brownsville

city of brownsville

brownsville charette

brownsville family

university of texas

new vision

community counseling

new technologies