Master Plan Made Public

Eagle-96 · August 13, 2005

New plan calls for additions to UNT

08:25 AM CDT on Saturday, August 13, 2005

By Matthew Zabel / Staff Writer

A visitor center, three new parking garages, a new auditorium, a new football stadium, several new academic buildings and several new residence halls could grace the University of North Texas campus over the next few years.

University administrators plan to seek approval from its Board of Regents next week for a master plan that calls for all those new features.

UNT made its master plan public this week in a community forum, and the entire 144-page document is posted on its Web site: http://www.unt.edu/untmasterplan.

The document contains plans for buildings, parking, streets, bike paths, pedestrian malls, mass transit, potential land acquisitions and more, and is designed to accommodate 41,000 students.

UNT Vice Chancellor Rich Escalante, along with consultants from Sasaki and Associates, led the planning project. Escalante said the university needs “to grow in a manner that’s compatible with the community.”

“The obligation is on us now to take that plan and not put it on the shelf,” Escalante said. “The neighborhood has been cooperative with us. I have enjoyed working with the neighborhood. We’ve been very clear with them that we want to do this in a manner that will not be detrimental to the community.”

He also said the university did not have “a program of massive property buying.”

“We’re looking down the road,” he said. “Where there are opportunities for the university to develop, we’ll look at that. If you see your property is on there [the master plan] and wonder, ‘Is someone going to knock on my door tomorrow and want to buy my property?’ the answer 99.9 percent of the time is ‘no.’”

UNT’s board adopted its previous master plan in 1998 and updated it in August 2002. But that update did not include a plan for the nearly 300 acres that is now the UNT Research Park, which the university bought for $8.9 million from Texas Instruments in 2001.

Then three months after updating its master plan, officials from UNT and the Radisson Hotel, which leased the 160-acre golf course from the university, began discussing the university taking over that lease.

Then UNT announced its plans to build new athletics facilities and residence halls on that property.

That announcement angered many residents in the neighborhood immediately surrounding the golf course. They feared noise, light, traffic and flooding would increase in their neighborhood and their property values would decrease.

In March 2003, UNT retook control of the golf course, and began preparing a new dormitory, dining hall and athletic center on the property.

Those buildings opened last year.

Gayle Strange, a member of the UNT Board of Regents and a resident in the neighborhood adjacent to the former golf course, said it was prudent for the university to use land it already owned rather than buy new land, but that change was hard for many people.

“If you asked, almost everyone would say, ‘I’d rather have a golf course there,’” Strange said.

But UNT has involved the community in its planning to ensure the university will have a positive impact on its neighbors.

In March 2004, once those construction projects were under way, the university hired consultants from Baltimore-based Sasaki and Associates and began a new master plan that would include the golf course property and Research Park.

During that process, UNT conducted several public meetings to provide updates on the progress.

Linnie McAdams, a resident who lives near the former golf course, said she believes UNT did a better job involving the community as the process moved ahead.

“That improved immeasurably,” McAdams said. “Now they are saying it’s important to be good neighbors. They are speaking in a way as if they do have a concern for our community, and we appreciate that.”

She said she is especially pleased with the university’s intentions to develop a green space between the neighborhood and the university.

But Pati Haworth, who also lives near the former golf course, said she’s seen no real commitment from the university to planning an adequate greenbelt.

“Without planning, funding and implementation of a dedicated green space, neighbors have no reason to believe the unplanned greenbelt shown on Sasaki’s proposal — which could really sparkle as an environmental sciences showpiece worthy of national envy — will ever be anything in administrators’ eyes but just a future construction site,” Haworth said.

UNT has planted several trees in the greenbelt and has repaired the sprinkler system. Escalante said the university first needed to concentrate on its construction projects at Eagle Point and would begin working with the city to thoroughly plan the greenbelt as soon as the Board of Regents approves the master plan.

“The residents were very concerned and they remain concerned about the effect this would have on their property,” Escalante said.

Denton City Manager Mike Conduff said he’s had some discussion with UNT officials about developing the green space. He said he believes the university is concerned about the community.

“We all feel like it will take the involvement of not only the institutions but also the neighborhood to make sure that will be done right,” Conduff said. “We really need the input from the people who live closest to it. Done well, I think it can be a fabulous amenity for us.”

On the main campus, UNT plans to make its core land more compact and pedestrian-friendly, by adding landscaping and trees, narrowing and restricting traffic on some streets, moving parking to the exterior of the campus and adding bike paths, Escalante said.

The plan calls for limiting traffic on part of Avenue C to emergency vehicles and converting Highland Street to primarily a transit route.

A dropoff spot near the corner of Chestnut Street and Avenue C in front of the College of Music would allow for handicapped people or elderly people to be dropped off for musical events or other campus activities, Escalante said.

McAdams and Haworth said they remain concerned that the university’s efforts to reduce traffic in the inner part of the campus could also prevent the community’s access to the music events on the main campus.

Haworth said the proposed dropoff spot would still not be as convenient as the current arrangement for the elderly or handicapped people to attend concerts at the College of Music.

Such a change would discourage them from coming, she said, and “expand the chasm between town and gown.”

Escalante said it’s unclear how soon the projects in the master plan would be completed. Much will depend on how fast the university can raise the money, he said.

But, he stressed the university needs to continue to seek input from all areas of the community to ensure the master plan is effective.

MATTHEW ZABEL can be reached at 940-566-6884. His e-mail address is mzabel@dentonrc.com.

UNT MASTER PLAN

Here are some of the highlights of the University of North Texas master plan, which the Board of Regents is expected to adopt next week. The entire 144-page document is available online at www.unt.edu/untmasterplan.

* Acquire property to define the edges of campus as Bonnie Brae Street on the west, Eagle Drive on the south, Bernard Street on the east and Hickory Street on the north.

* Move parking lots to the outside edge of campus in order to reduce vehicular traffic on the interior of the campus, thus making the campus more pedestrian-friendly.

* Add bike paths that will align with city bike routes.

* Add a canopy of trees along sidewalks to provide shady walks across campus.

* Add landscaping and several green spaces to encourage community life on campus.

* Close Avenue C to daily traffic, keeping it open for emergency vehicles and special events.

UNTFan23 · August 13, 2005

While I am thankful NT is trying to address the concerns of the residents over by the Eagle Point Property, it still boggles my mind that they want this amazing green space for what seems like nothing, much how they had the golf course "nature preserve" where people could walk their dogs. I haven't read a thing about how the city might help to fund this "environmental sciences showpiece worthy of national envy" green space.

shaft · August 13, 2005

Why would the city pay for it? It UNT's project, more space that the city doesn't collect property taxes on.

NT80 · August 14, 2005

Why would the city pay for it? It UNT's project, more space that the city doesn't collect property taxes on.
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At one time I read that the City wanted to make a park out of it and maybe add a couple tennis courts and a bike path in exchange for upkeep or some kind of agreement with NT.

DeepGreen · August 14, 2005

At one time I read that the City wanted to make a park out of it and maybe add a couple tennis courts and a bike path in exchange for upkeep or some kind of agreement with NT.
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Sounds like Denia "blackmail" to me.

UNTFan23 · August 14, 2005

Why would the city pay for it? It UNT's project, more space that the city doesn't collect property taxes on.
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Why? 'Cause developing that land to the degree that the Denia residents want it is gonna be expensive. It's the citizens that wants all these bells and whistles over there, not NT.

PlummMeanGreen · August 14, 2005

New plan calls for additions to UNT

08:25 AM CDT on Saturday, August 13, 2005

By Matthew Zabel / Staff Writer

"A visitor center, three new parking garages, a new auditorium, a new football stadium, several new academic buildings and several new residence halls could grace the University of North Texas campus over the next few years." (Zabel)
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The subject of an indoor practice facility has come up numerous times on GoMeanGreen.com, but the only way it would really make sense if it were to somehow become a "multi-purpose" facility used by NT's general student body during the AM hours since NT football would not utilize it until the PM hours.
Of course, the method to NT's madness in allowing general student usage of this facility is getting state funding assistance to help in the building of this indoor practice facility since it would be available to the general student body as well.

Edited August 14, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

ADLER · August 14, 2005

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I do think there should be a large green space on the southern side of the athletics campus.

Unfortunately for the Denia residents, that green space would consist of a huge green topped parking lot with a North Texas logo reniniscent of the Nazca Lines in Peru. There would not be an aircraft arriving or departing from D/FW's North side that wouldn't have a clear view of our logo.

MootPoint · August 14, 2005

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I do think there should be a large green space on the southern side of the athletics campus.
Unfortunately for the Denia residents, that green space would consist of a huge green topped parking lot with a North Texas logo reniniscent of the Nazca Lines in Peru. There would not be an aircraft arriving or departing from D/FW's North side that wouldn't have a clear view of our logo.
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I was thinking we could throw a cross country course into any green space so that Athletics could still use it.

PlummMeanGreen · August 14, 2005

I was thinking we could throw a cross country course into any green space so that Athletics could still use it.
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How about doing the javelin, hammer-throw and discuss competitions "inside" the Denia neighborhood?

shaneb · August 14, 2005

Greenspace is very important for a campus.. its one of the things that students and parents look for. Attractive campus' bring better students and more students. And the look of the campus in 1995 really turned me off... I thought about it a lot when choosing NT. Now I wouldnt think twice. The campus looks better and better everytime I go back.

Why do you think the university tore out parking lots, frat houses and other stuff to build greenspace into the campus?

The fact that it was demanded by the Denia residents made people here knee-jerk into reacting poorly towards it... but the location is a good idea and it will be nice to have for students who are staying on that side of the interstate.

Stock that little pond... make it catch and release... what I wouldnt have given to be able to walk out of my dorm and go fishing!!!

On the same note, I think closing Ave. C to traffic is a great idea. The inner campus at Baylor and other schools is closed to traffic and now that there are not as many parking lots adjacent to that road it should be closed.

They closed this road once before when I was in school and it went over like a fart in church because there was still so much parking along there, but I think they have done away with much of that and plan to do away with the rest.

Shane

Edited August 14, 2005 by shaneb

UNTLifer · August 15, 2005

But Pati Haworth, who also lives near the former golf course, said she’s seen no real commitment from the university to planning an adequate greenbelt.
“Without planning, funding and implementation of a dedicated green space, neighbors have no reason to believe the unplanned greenbelt shown on Sasaki’s proposal — which could really sparkle as an environmental sciences showpiece worthy of national envy — will ever be anything in administrators’ eyes but just a future construction site,” Haworth said.

Ms. Haworth, you can make those checks out to the University of North Texas. You might write "Greenbelt" in the memo line.

PlummMeanGreen · August 15, 2005

But Pati Haworth, who also lives near the former golf course, said she’s seen no real commitment from the university to planning an adequate greenbelt.

“Without planning, funding and implementation of a dedicated green space, neighbors have no reason to believe the unplanned greenbelt shown on Sasaki’s proposal — which could really sparkle as an environmental sciences showpiece worthy of national envy — will ever be anything in administrators’ eyes but just a future construction site,” Haworth said.

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A question I would have is why would anyone buy property (a house) in any decade adjacent to a a state university (which in Texas are known for future growth and expansion)?

Some of the Denia-ites closest to Eagle Point Campus should only look down the road in Arlington and see what Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys did with many, many home-owners where they will build the new JerryDome when the Cowboys exercised their power of eminent domain.

One NT official in Zabel's article says that using that same power of eminent domain to claim land where many Denia houses now stand is not in NT's plan so at what point does this hardy handful of home-owerns become satisfied? AND.....at what point does NT tell some of these Denia-ites: "Sue us for having the audacity to grow and use our own land to accomodate that growth!"

If my good neighbors out here in Parker County adjacent to the acreage where I live heard me complain about their land and my suggesting to them as to what they should be doing with said land they would probably have no problem telling me where to stick it.

We still have so many of these unusual types left in Denton that have always symbolized to me why our school is behind in so many areas, especially in the turnstiles department. NORTH TEXAS to them is "what can that school do for us or just how much can we get out ot that school to benefit us?" So can we blame a handful of our NT officials for keeping their resumes updated and ready (at moments notice) to place on a fax machine for an outbound transmission?

Edited August 15, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen