Meeting with Community on Frieze/North Quad
Hi!
Yesterday Pam Baker from PIRGIM and I attended a meeting that the University held at the Alumni Center to address concerns with the proposed North Quad plans and demolition of the Frieze Building. You can read the Daily's article on the meeting here: <http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/01/14/41e7ab8b8e728>.
Overall, I think the meeting went very well. The University was very upfront in letting those in attendance know that they planned to move ahead with the construction. Citizens accepted this but hoped that the University would conserve the Carnegie Library and the facade of the building. Business owners from the State Street district supported the new construction, as did many local churches. Pam and I were particularly frustrated with the Old Fourth Ward Association Chairperson, Christine Crockett. She had greeted us at the door quite pleasantly when she thought we were students of a professor in historic preservation, but when she spoke at the meeting she said that students were causing "erosion" in Ann Arbor neighborhoods. She told the State Street businesses that they should be weary of the development because it might become a "clone" of South University: once a "charming" district of town, but with the influence of students had become "tawdry." She was very disrespectful to students, but she did acknowledge that any parking problems in her neighborhoods were due to professors and staff, not students.
I personally feel that these community requests to conserve the facade and library could be honored if they would not cost the already financially-strapped University (except in terms of administrative salaries, apparently ... <http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/01/14/41e7aea45953b>) too much money and as long as North Quad would still house a considerable amount of students. If conserving the facade would only cost 20 beds or so, it might be appropriate to honor the community's wishes, but any substantial loss in housing capacity should not be suffered in order to conserve the front of the historic but neglected building. With the State of Michigan's budget crisis and cuts to higher ed funding and financial aid, students are dedicating more and more time to jobs in order to pay for their education and have less time to deal with landlords. Student Legal Services (SLS) is far too understaffed to meet student tenant needs, as without advertising SLS average 80 cases per lawyer. Further, students no longer have the Ann Arbor Tenants Union (AATU) or similar organization to meet their needs. We must bring more students back on campus so that they can focus on their education instead of getting their deposits back from crooked landlords or worrying about how to pay for broken legs called by faulty porches when landlords refuse to take responsibility <http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/01/22/3e2e4427a24a7?in_archive=1>.
I can't update on the ERC meeting last night, as I was at the North Quad meeting, but I will as soon as I get in contact with McFo.
Have a great weekend!
Rese
Yesterday Pam Baker from PIRGIM and I attended a meeting that the University held at the Alumni Center to address concerns with the proposed North Quad plans and demolition of the Frieze Building. You can read the Daily's article on the meeting here: <http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/01/14/41e7ab8b8e728>.
Overall, I think the meeting went very well. The University was very upfront in letting those in attendance know that they planned to move ahead with the construction. Citizens accepted this but hoped that the University would conserve the Carnegie Library and the facade of the building. Business owners from the State Street district supported the new construction, as did many local churches. Pam and I were particularly frustrated with the Old Fourth Ward Association Chairperson, Christine Crockett. She had greeted us at the door quite pleasantly when she thought we were students of a professor in historic preservation, but when she spoke at the meeting she said that students were causing "erosion" in Ann Arbor neighborhoods. She told the State Street businesses that they should be weary of the development because it might become a "clone" of South University: once a "charming" district of town, but with the influence of students had become "tawdry." She was very disrespectful to students, but she did acknowledge that any parking problems in her neighborhoods were due to professors and staff, not students.
I personally feel that these community requests to conserve the facade and library could be honored if they would not cost the already financially-strapped University (except in terms of administrative salaries, apparently ... <http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/01/14/41e7aea45953b>) too much money and as long as North Quad would still house a considerable amount of students. If conserving the facade would only cost 20 beds or so, it might be appropriate to honor the community's wishes, but any substantial loss in housing capacity should not be suffered in order to conserve the front of the historic but neglected building. With the State of Michigan's budget crisis and cuts to higher ed funding and financial aid, students are dedicating more and more time to jobs in order to pay for their education and have less time to deal with landlords. Student Legal Services (SLS) is far too understaffed to meet student tenant needs, as without advertising SLS average 80 cases per lawyer. Further, students no longer have the Ann Arbor Tenants Union (AATU) or similar organization to meet their needs. We must bring more students back on campus so that they can focus on their education instead of getting their deposits back from crooked landlords or worrying about how to pay for broken legs called by faulty porches when landlords refuse to take responsibility <http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/01/22/3e2e4427a24a7?in_archive=1>.
I can't update on the ERC meeting last night, as I was at the North Quad meeting, but I will as soon as I get in contact with McFo.
Have a great weekend!
Rese
