East Winston / Columbia Heights Projects

[Jnard22]

Whats up Urban Planet I am new to the site but have been a long time guest browsing the different topics. However it was not until I was visiting my old neighborhood of Happy Hill that I really realized the growth of WSSU a "one time small hbcu" The sight of that area pushed me to share my excitment and oppinion on the things I have heard as well as seen. So here it goes.... I was riding down MLK yestarday and I saw that along the top part of civitan park that the schoo was constructing a new dorm, so that sparked intrest in me to go see what was happening so I decided to go into the anderson center and play dumb to find out what was taking place....to my suprise there was a meeting going on with the the chancellor and public officials I guess and i stood around to listen and the school is planning to rapidly buy up all of east winston from Davis Garage all the way up past the stadium. Not to mention I heard that there was maps of the college's strategic plans for the next 10 years already in circulation. I thought that was cool until Chancellor Martin said that those plans are becoming quickly out dated and that instead of just aquiring 40 or so acres of land that the school is looking to nearly double its land size from 94 acres to about 200 acres. Also stated at that meeting was that even though civitan park was being purchased for sports facilities due to their recent attempt to go Div I that because of student growth that area may now be used to create a "residential side of campus" which would incluse both private and school owned apartments and dormitories. I beieve it was said that next fall alone that the school would reach its 5 to 10 year projection of 6000 students almost 5 years early. I can only imagine that East winston will began to look more like College town,USA vesus the "ghetto" that it's so long has been potrayed as. So with the demolition of Happy hill and soon after skyline appartments only heaven knows how the other side of 52 will look.

I have now said a mouth full and I am tired but typing but I hope to post some of the maps and pamthlets handed out. If anyone has anymore news on happenings around the WSSU campus Please keep us posted this is cool stuff going on!

PEACE B)

[Matthew]

I was surprised on my first real visit to East Winston. It looked clean and I could

tell the CDCs, mayor and WSSU are working hard to turn the area around. I don't

think you can call that side of town a true ghetto anymore. There has been some

debate over what will happen to Davis Garage. One inside source says WSSU will

buy it and restore it back to a train station and build a business park around it.

Others are saying WSSU will just expand the campus in that area. There is only

one street left of the Victorian Columbian Heights Streetcar Neighborhood (started

in 1892). I know WSSU worked to save that street with Federal funds, but will they

demolish it now? I visited that street and it's not accurately restored. It looks like

they remodeled the houses for modern day use.

Whatever happened to the founder's house? It was an old Victorian Queen Anne

from the 1890's in Columbian Heights. He founded the school and the neighborhood.

I've heard his house was relocated and restored. Is this true? And if so, where can find it?

An expansion map of WSSU

I've heard they plan to stop at 6,000 students, but I think they should build it into

a large university of 20,000+, if possible.

[yadkinv]

I agree, go for 20,000 plus, which is not really unreasonable given the expansion potential at the PTRP!

[sean]

I've always thought that WSSU was a sleeping giant. Immediately adjacent to the Piedmont Triad Research Park and all of its possible synergy and enterprise. Close to the W-S CBD and its corporate community. I can't think of a similar agglomeration of teaching/research facilities with that many exit ramps feeding it; at least not in this region.

[yadkinv]

If you stretch it, one can maybe compare to George Washington University, but there are way more differences than similarities, so please don't take me to task over this statement. It's just an interesting thought.

Also, it's been commented before now, but what's wrong with UNC-WS?

By the way, I saw a reference recently, but can't remember where to NCSA refered to as UNC - Winston-Salem. I wish I could remember where?

[JerseyBoy]

This is a neighborhood/area we often overlook when we're discussing downtown developments and retail projects out on Hanes Mall Blvd.

To start this thread off MJM Capital Partners out of Lake Success, New York is developing a 1.5 acre tract of land at the corner of New Walkertown Road and 10th Street into 16 townhomes.

Company website and portfolio:

http://mjmcapitalpartners.com/index.htm

Floor plans:

http://mjmcapitalpartners.com/images/Proje...Floor_Plans.pdf

[Piedmont Airlines]

This sounds good but do they have a minimum of units that must be sold before construction? Also do they have a estimated ground breaking day?

I ask this because the plan seems similar to Highland Park, an area of town houses off of Silas Creek. I recently rode by them and saw that the town houses did not look occupied and i noticed about half of the development did not have town houses build.

[JerseyBoy]

This sounds good but do they have a minimum of units that must be sold before construction? Also do they have a estimated ground breaking day?

I ask this because the plan seems similar to Highland Park, an area of town houses off of Silas Creek. I recently rode by them and saw that the town houses did not look occupied and i noticed about half of the development did not have town houses build.

[JerseyBoy]

The new Boys and Girls Club being constructed on the greenway on Reynolds Park Road will include 22,000 square feet of recreation space for after school and summer programs for kids. The facility will have a gymnasium, classroom spaces, a playroom, lounge, and various outdoor play areas. This new facility will replace the current one on MLK Boulevard.

[twincity]

i love the recreational aspect of MLK and Reynolds Park Rd. within about a mile, you'll find a recreation center, a golf course, cabins, a greenway, tennis courts, soccer field, baseball field, and now a Boys and Girls club.

[twincity]

Simon Green Atkins CDC, WSSU, and the city are working to revive more streets in the Reynolds Town Neighborhood. Graham, Tenth Street, Lawrence Street will see a mix of rehabbed homes and new construction. The goal is to bring homeownership back to these neighborhoods.

[JerseyBoy]

A new development plan has been released by the planning board for the East Winston area:

http://cityofws.org/Assets/CityOfWS//Docum...aft_2_29_08.pdf

I recommend a read of it (not all 99 pages though) for those who are interested in how this area will develop over the next couple of decades. The city apparently wants to plan a major upgrade to the East Winston Shopping Center with retail fronting the streets with residential on top. Their goal is to have MLK Jr. Drive develop into a streetscaped boulevard with retail lining the streets.

Another vision is to have a conference center located at the 158/Business 40 interchange with single family homes surrounding it.

Existing Land Use:

Future Land Use:

[Piedmont Airlines]

Sounds great,WSSU needs as much help as it can get in revitalizing east Winston.

[twincity]

More recreation options along the greenway!. all of these facilities will be open to the public. its interesting to see that WSSU is adding another regulation football field beside the new practice field to this complex. does Chico plan on leaving Bowman Gray sometime in the future?...or is he really going for top notch facilities to attract quality recruits. we will see! Its good to see Civitan park evolving. it once was a wetland with terrible drainage problems. now its a vibrant space thats retaining its natural beauty.

[winston's finest]

So is this where WSSU new baseball team will play. I had heard that they wanted to add a baseball team. That would be nice for them to use the stadium, as well as local teams. Hopefully if this is their new location they could bring out the community to the games and get more young black guys interested in baseball.

[twincity]

^this is true. East Winston could use a little diversity in little league sports. Lets move beyond AAU and Pop Warner.

WSSU is expecting a record enrollment for this incoming freshmen class. 4,000 applications were submitted and 3,000 were accepted. theyre expecting to shatter the 2005 record of about 1,100. in result close to 300 students will be staying in area hotels this fall. "This level of enrollment will increase the demand for university services, including on-campus housing, well beyond normal levels." ~Dr. Melody Pierce. "demand for on-campus housing is far exceeding supply."

[JerseyBoy]

Great news! WSSU may just be the one who solely rejuvenates East Winston. Realistically, I could see WSSU moving into a new stadium if their enrollment keeps going up and they continue the investments in their team.