NCCU approves campus expansion plan

[ChiefJoJo]

Storys here & here

The university expects to grow by 5000 students by 2017 from its current 8500 enrollment. Of course, neighbors weren't too pleased. Unfortunately for the residents, their property can be taken via eminent domain powers. This may be the first time I've heard of a university using those state powers before, which (to me) makes this a very interesting situation.

"We're not interested in acquiring property just for the sake of acquiring property

[RaleighRob]

That's a lot of growth. But I'm not that surprised...the UNC system has already said their goal was for the smaller universities to do the most growing in order to accomadate the huge increases in college students expected over the next couple of decades. UNC and NCSU can only get so much bigger before they become unmanageable....while smaller state universities like NCCU have the opportunity to achieve the growth and no longer be overlooked as they have in the past. Unfortunately a large amount of residential has practically surrounded their campus. But they can't be too surprised. Anyone living next to a college has to be aware that growth outward would eventually be needed, right?

[ncwebguy]

A google map of NCCU's campus shows a few redevlopable surface parking lots (Nelson, Formosa, Lawson) but for the most part is a pretty compact layout.

The first two phases make sense, sort of. I wonder why they want to expand northwest instead of incorporating the land bound by Formosa/Pekoe/Fayetville -- is that in better shape and/or historic? Or does NCCU want to expand along Lawson toward Roxboro later? The later phases seem to be a bit of a stretch. The land between NC 55 and Alston is less developed, though I could see why NCCU would want to stay on the west side of the four lane road.

[bullcity76]

A google map of NCCU's campus shows a few redevlopable surface parking lots (Nelson, Formosa, Lawson) but for the most part is a pretty compact layout.

The first two phases make sense, sort of. I wonder why they want to expand northwest instead of incorporating the land bound by Formosa/Pekoe/Fayetville -- is that in better shape and/or historic? Or does NCCU want to expand along Lawson toward Roxboro later? The later phases seem to be a bit of a stretch. The land between NC 55 and Alston is less developed, though I could see why NCCU would want to stay on the west side of the four lane road.

[ncwebguy]

An athletics complex at Alston/Durham Freeway (or at least a NCCU/Durham city/county football stadium) would have made too much sense to happen 5-10 years ago, but Durham and NCCU are both coming into their own lately. With athletics going to the MEAC and NCAA's 1-A, now would be an opportune time to step up, as a draw for students going forward.

The same goes for upscale graduate student housing for Central's law and nursing schools. Does anyone know how many students are in the program? Hopefully the Rothchild devlopment will spark additional development south/west of 147, especially in the Fayetville St. corridor.

Does Central have enough housing for all its students on campus, or is there a "student ghetto" similar to the NC State one along Avent Ferry and Gorman streets? This is outside NCCU's land acquisition plans, but Central and Durham Tech could partner to draw a developer to build off campus student apartments between the two campuses on/near Lawson. Are the apartments on Ridgeway/Wabash/Truman market rate or affordable? What condition are they in?

From recent news stories, it seems the neighborhood was burned by the half promises that came with urban renewal -- shoddy public housing and the Durham Freeway.