Campus Expansion

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

How about a nice 500-unit apartment/restaurant/shopping complex, like that one they have at the edge of Notre Dame's campus?  They could turn Campus Town into residence halls.

That is a fantastic idea

[GGGG]

I find the UW extensions to be the exemption to the rule, that is not the case really anywhere else in the country.  I would absolutely recommend the UW extensions.  I actually don't consider them JUCO's.

To extend this, the UW extensions are so good, that often their classes are actually harder.

I was over generalizing it, but the level of science education at the vast majority of JUCO's is very poor.

The UW Colleges (UW Extension is something else entirely and people are misusing the phrase) are, by definition, JUCOs.  You may not consider them as such, but that is exactly what they are.  IMO they are a misused resource in Wisconsin.

That being said, doing two years there and transferring into a four year school is cheaper.  And academically I don't think you would be missing out on anything.  I'm sure Marquette does recruit those schools because those who finish those first two years are IMO less likely to be academic risks because they showed they can handle course work.

But I also think you miss out on something, socially and academically, not being on campus those first two years.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

The UW Colleges (UW Extension is something else entirely and people are misusing the phrase) are, by definition, JUCOs.  You may not consider them as such, but that is exactly what they are.  IMO they are a misused resource in Wisconsin.


But I also think you miss out on something, socially and academically, not being on campus those first two years.

My best friend experienced this.  He went to UW-Marathon County for two years while I went to Marquette, one friend went to UW-Stevens Point and a couple friends went to UW-Madison.  My friend then transferred to UW-Madison and hated it.  The campus was too big, getting from class to class was a pain, not to mention the struggle to get into the classes that he wanted.  He dropped out during 1st semester of his senior year to work fulltime at the place he had been working part-time.  A few years later, he went back to UWSP, first part-time while working fulltime and then fulltime while working part-time.  He realized it would take him into his 30's to get his degree if he stayed a part-time student.  Finally got his bachelor's degree at 28.

He's doing fine professionally and financially but it took a big detour to get there.  He says if he had it to do over, he would have went to UWSP right away.  The smaller campus and class sizes were more suited to him, plus he says he missed out on the social aspect of college.  The rest of us made all our college friends freshmen year.  He knew some of our high school friends at Madison so he was quickly assimilated into their social group but there's a freedom and process of self discovery that comes from living on your own.  I feel that is a very important aspect that must be weighed along with the economics of choosing a college path.

[GOO]

Maybe MU bought it to donate it to the stadium fund?

What is to the north of this land.  If the building are expendable, this would actually make sense as an arena location.  Michigan could be closed off and that is then one hunk of land that would border Wis. Ave.

[jficke13]

But I also think you miss out on something, socially and academically, not being on campus those first two years.

You absolutely do. I had an awesome party and made life-long friends my first two years at Marquette. It cost me upwards of $50k to do so. Reasonable minds may differ whether that's worth it though.

[Skatastrophy]

This property purchase means that Butch's Old Casino Steakhouse is officially on campus! Yesssss!

[jficke13]

What is to the north of this land.  If the building are expendable, this would actually make sense as an arena location.  Michigan could be closed off and that is then one hunk of land that would border Wis. Ave.

The mansion-ey looking building is a school of some sort. There's an old office building that was something for AT&T I think when I was there a few years back, parking lots for the Wells Fargo Building I think too, as well as getting close to the back of Straz/East and the churches that are over there.

I'm not sure MU bought that land to site a new stadium for Marc Lasry and Wes Edens though.

[Coleman]

The mansion-ey looking building is a school of some sort. There's an old office building that was something for AT&T I think when I was there a few years back, parking lots for the Wells Fargo Building I think too, as well as getting close to the back of Straz/East and the churches that are over there.

I'm not sure MU bought that land to site a new stadium for Marc Lasry and Wes Edens though.

I don't see MU moving north of this space. There is just too much already there.

However this is a great purchase, lots of currently empty land and a chance to frame the other side of the Marquette Interchange, complimenting the new law school building.

I hope it is mostly green space/ornamentation (like the gates and markers they have on Wisconsin Ave.), with one signature new-construction building, preferably a taller one at least 6 or 7 stories, in the same style as the other MU buildings (think Zilber Hall or Raynor Library) that clearly stands out when driving on the Marquette Interchange.

Whether the building is for student housing or academics doesn't really matter to me, as long as it matches the rest of the other new-construction buildings on campus.

All that said, after this purchase I hope MU refocuses its expansion plans to the west. There is so much opportunity to improve the neighborhood and lots of empty lots/unused buildings that could be had for cheap. Creation of more buffer zones (academic buildings, ornamentation, etc.) between 20th and 23rd streets means safer students who live in the 16th-20th street section of campus.

[jficke13]

However this is a great purchase, lots of currently empty land and a chance to frame the other side of the Marquette Interchange, complimenting the new law school building.

Whoever the architect is seems to have a very cohesive and visually appealing vision for the campus. I'm sure we're going to end up with something great.

[jficke13]

All that said, after this purchase I hope MU refocuses its expansion plans to the west. There is so much opportunity to improve the neighborhood and lots of empty lots/unused buildings that could be had for cheap. Creation of more buffer zones (academic buildings, ornamentation, etc.) between 20th and 23rd streets means safer students who live in the 16th-20th street section of campus.

I'd love for them to move north as well. Only a couple blocks north of Wisconsin is State and you don't want to be farther north of that.

I like the idea of improving Marquette's part of the city and hopefully being an anchor to revitalize to the west. (More hope than likelihood unfortunately I'm afraid)

[warriorchick]

That is a fantastic idea

Here is a picture from Google Street view of the ND area I am talking about:  https://www.google.com/maps/place/University+of+Notre+Dame+Investment+Office/@41.6922342,-86.2355024,3a,90y,276.53h,85.94t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s10RdJp6fivPA8PAigN3t-w!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xef72c91cf6cb3515!6m1!1e1

[Coleman]

I'd love for them to move north as well. Only a couple blocks north of Wisconsin is State and you don't want to be farther north of that.

I like the idea of improving Marquette's part of the city and hopefully being an anchor to revitalize to the west. (More hope than likelihood unfortunately I'm afraid)

It seemed like there was some momentum with the new dental school, 2040 lofts, Ambassador Hotel, etc.

Hopefully they keep it moving.

[Coleman]

Here is a picture from Google Street view of the ND area I am talking about:  https://www.google.com/maps/place/University+of+Notre+Dame+Investment+Office/@41.6922342,-86.2355024,3a,90y,276.53h,85.94t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s10RdJp6fivPA8PAigN3t-w!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xef72c91cf6cb3515!6m1!1e1

Not too different from what Campus Town is.

I agree this is the future of student housing. Retail on the first floor is huge.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Here is a picture from Google Street view of the ND area I am talking about:  https://www.google.com/maps/place/University+of+Notre+Dame+Investment+Office/@41.6922342,-86.2355024,3a,90y,276.53h,85.94t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s10RdJp6fivPA8PAigN3t-w!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xef72c91cf6cb3515!6m1!1e1

I'm not saying MU can't do something like this, but the driver for ND's economy is football.

Big time donors flying in on Saturdays in the fall. I believe a lot of those condos are sold to such people.

Thus, they have a specific need for high end retail and shopping.

MU doesn't have that, but obviously it has the advantage of being in the city, so it can draw from the surrounding neighborhoods. However, MU's neighborhood isn't exactly high-end, so there might not be a big enough market to support retail in that neighborhood.

[GOO]

The mansion-ey looking building is a school of some sort. There's an old office building that was something for AT&T I think when I was there a few years back, parking lots for the Wells Fargo Building I think too, as well as getting close to the back of Straz/East and the churches that are over there.

I'm not sure MU bought that land to site a new stadium for Marc Lasry and Wes Edens though.

I know that the intent is not to build an arena at this location.  And, I suspect that the NY guys want something more downtown so they can create value for themselves in adjacent properties, etc.  However, this location if the land to the north could be secured and isn't too valuable (and it doesn't sound like it is, other than the problem with old church property), would actually make a nice location for an arena.  And, it would be great location for MU games!

Maybe it will be the location of MU's on campus arena...  

On a side note, it is really too bad that the 794 spur or whatever it is can't be taken down and located at ground level as a boulevard.  It is an eye soar and really divides the 3rd ward from the downtown.

[MU111]

On a side note, it is really too bad that the 794 spur or whatever it is can't be taken down and located at ground level as a boulevard.  It is an eye soar and really divides the 3rd ward from the downtown.

Not to get too off topic, but Norquist wanted this to happen back when the Park East spur was taken down.  I heard that he essentially had to compromise with WisDOT, etc: give up the 794 fight so the Park East could be dismantled.

[drewm88]

The one place I can guarantee that it is worth it to fill out the forms is Dayton.  Even if you are a billionaire, if you fill out the forms, books and fees are covered.  If you don't, you pay for them. 

Who pays for the Chevy Cavalier?

[Groin_pull]

I'm not saying MU can't do something like this, but the driver for ND's economy is football.

Big time donors flying in on Saturdays in the fall. I believe a lot of those condos are sold to such people.

Thus, they have a specific need for high end retail and shopping.

MU doesn't have that, but obviously it has the advantage of being in the city, so it can draw from the surrounding neighborhoods. However, MU's neighborhood isn't exactly high-end, so there might not be a big enough market to support retail in that neighborhood.

Can enough sales be generated by weekend visitors? If South Bend is the same as I remember it, it's an armpit. Not sure if high-end retail can fly in that town.

[🏀]

Who pays for the Chevy Cavalier?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Can enough sales be generated by weekend visitors? If South Bend is the same as I remember it, it's an armpit. Not sure if high-end retail can fly in that town.

It's not in south bend, it's in Notre Dame, meaning the high end retail/restaurants are basically on campus.

Notre Dame is no longer in South Bend, and honestly, doesn't have a very close relationship with the town. ND is it's own animal. It's now "Notre Dame, Indiana."

The amount of donor $ coming through ND on Saturday afternoons is insane. Makes MU look like peanuts.

EDIT: Correction, the eddy st. commons are technically in South Bend, right next to campus (walking distance).

http://eddycommons.com/

[GOO]

Can enough sales be generated by weekend visitors? If South Bend is the same as I remember it, it's an armpit. Not sure if high-end retail can fly in that town.

I think you agree that it isn't football weekends that keep that going.  It has to be students, visitors, facility on the other 44 weekends and 52 weeks that keep it going.  And, of course, some residents as well.  

This isn't going to work on the new MU land, due to it's location.  But admin buildings or condos/apartments could work along with some minor retail or some retail special enough to bring people to the location.  

My guess is MU bought the land because it was bear campus and available, and will decide what to do with it later... which could even include some type of sports complex in the future due to it's location.    

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I think you agree that it isn't football weekends that keep that going.  It has to be students, visitors, facility on the other 44 weekends and 52 weeks that keep it going.  And, of course, some residents as well.  

This isn't going to work on the new MU land, due to it's location.  But admin buildings or condos/apartments could work along with some minor retail or some retail special enough to bring people to the location.  

My guess is MU bought the land because it was bear campus and available, and will decide what to do with it later... which could even include some type of sports complex in the future due to it's location.    

Yes and no.

I honestly can't say that retailers are singularly supported by football, but like most retailers, they really make money a handful of weeks per year (for most retailers, it's the holidays), and basically survive the rest of the year.

Well, in ND, the "holiday season" is really Sept/Oct/Nov. They might get some hoops business to.

MU doesn't have anything that draws 60K+ plus people to it's campus several times per year.

Oh, and I'm using the term "high end retail" generically. It's basically "high end" compared to MU and Grand Ave.

[moomoo]

I think you agree that it isn't football weekends that keep that going.  It has to be students, visitors, facility on the other 44 weekends and 52 weeks that keep it going.  And, of course, some residents as well.  

This isn't going to work on the new MU land, due to it's location.  But admin buildings or condos/apartments could work along with some minor retail or some retail special enough to bring people to the location.  

My guess is MU bought the land because it was bear campus and available, and will decide what to do with it later... which could even include some type of sports complex in the future due to it's location.    

Soccer/Lacrosse/Indoor Training complex where teams can practice/play games when the Wisconsin winters take hold. These field houses can be done relatively inexpensively and provide the necessary support for two sports in need of a facility like this.  This will help tremendously in recruiting for those sports. And success in other sports can only enhance the basketball program, as well as the entire school in general.

[swoopem]

If a fieldhouse is built, which is what I'm hoping for, do you think it would be open to all students or only athletes? It would be cool if you could play intermural soccer, football, etc all year round.

[moomoo]

If a fieldhouse is built, which is what I'm hoping for, do you think it would be open to all students or only athletes? It would be cool if you could play intermural soccer, football, etc all year round.

Typically they are available for ALL students, not just athletes. The teams have priority, but there is usually plenty of availability for student events that don't have anything to do with varsity sports. These facilities bring a fun dynamic to the students who enjoy watching the sports, and also want to get involved athletically.