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A NEW FACE FOR COLLEGE PLACE: Under a
letter of understanding between Eastern
Michigan
University and the City of Ypsilanti, the city
would lease College Place to the
University for
a $1 a year for a period of 99 years. The city would
deconstruct the
road and repair the water main underneath
it. The University would then build a
pedestrian
walkway that will include benches, bike paths, trees
and lighting (see
rendering above). In exchange,
the University would lease the North Washington Lot
in downtown Ypsilanti, for a $1 a year for the next
99 years, to the city. |
Eastern Michigan University wants to close College Place
to vehicular traffic and create a pedestrian-friendly area
with green space and an outdoor stage for campus gatherings
and events. The City of Ypsilanti needs more parking spaces
in efforts to boost the fortunes of its downtown.
As a way to meet its goals, the two entities have joined
forces in an effort to secure state and federal funding
to improve Cross Street between Huron Street and Summit
Avenue, the area adjacent to Pease Auditorium, and the
overall border between the city and the University.
"We want to be good neighbors and work in ways that are
mutually beneficial to the progress of EMU and the city," said
EMU President John Fallon at a press conference at City
Hall Sept. 26.
The city and EMU signed a letter of understanding in August
in an effort to lay the foundation to secure support for
the changes from the Michigan Department of Transportation.
The City of Ypsilanti will gain additional parking spaces
in the downtown area by leasing the North Washington Street
lot, which has approximately 100 spaces, near the bus depot.
The city would assume responsibility for future maintenance.
The city would be free to collect fees for parking in this
lot, except for seven spaces that will be designated for
EMU staff parking.
Ypsilanti Mayor Cheryl Farmer was not sure how much revenue
the city would collect from the additional spaces, but
said the extra spaces would make it more convenient for
visitors to frequent downtown Ypsilanti businesses.
In return for the parking, the city will lease, to EMU,
College Place from Cross Street to Forest Avenue. This
will allow that portion of the project to be converted
to a pedestrian mall that will include benches, bike paths,
trees and lighting. A green space, called "Pease Park," and
an outdoor stage, would be located to the south of the
existing Pease Auditorium.
While the city would pay for the deconstruction of the
street and repairing the water main under it, EMU would
pay to create the pedestrian mall and would be responsible
for maintaining it, Farmer said.
"It (College Place) would be replaced with a surface that
is friendly to pedestrians and accented with landscaping
and beautification for that section of campus," Fallon
said. "It's fairly well documented that pedestrian-friendly
areas help revitalize such areas."
"This is just one more step to minimize traffic through
campus," said Steve Holda, EMU's interim director of finance.
Holda said the pedestrian project could cost approximately
$1 million.
A section of Perrin Street — that is currently one-way
and goes through a part of campus — will become a
two-way street. Because parking on Perrin Street will go
away with the change, EMU is looking to provide roughly
60 spaces on the east edge of the Pease Auditorium lot
for public metered parking. The additional parking would
be mutually beneficial to the city, particularly to businesses
along West Cross Street, and the University.
Under the agreement, the city would lease College Place
to EMU for $1 a year for a period of 99 years. In exchange,
EMU would lease the North Washington Street lot for $1
a year for a period of 99 years. If everything is approved
and goes as planned, the project would commence in spring
2007, Holda said. The Ypsilanti City Council meets this
week and could approve the project at that time, Farmer
said. University approval would be needed from the Board
of Regents, which could likely occur at the board's November
14 meeting, Fallon said.
"It's exciting to be working with the city on a project
that is consistent with our concept plan approved by our
board," Holda said. "We think this will have a significant
impact on our campus and the city."
