[scottditzen]

Hi there RootforRoo44, what traffic are you specifically referring to? Is it traffic from the existing proposal, or concerning the theory that there should (or should not) be retail along that stretch?

I don't think Exchange is a good street to fully close off. But traffic there, and on most of the streets along campus and downtown have to be tamed a bit. Especially true downtown where the one way streets are like having Route 8 going right through the city!

Not really the point, it's the location of the garage that is the concern. The sad truth is that we're still and always may be a commuter school, which does not reflect well on the University. But to place the garage in such prominance, fronting a street that could/should be the main drag through campus, is not only bad planning but gives the appearance that Akron places a higher priority on parking rather than building a beautiful, functional, vibrant, pedestrian-centric campus neighborhood.

Feel free to disagree zippy5, but I've been to beautiful cities and colleges all over the country. And it is not a good idea to have long stretches of your main street have giant parking garages aka dead zones fronting the sidewalk.

geez. we are talking about a parking garage right?

Why is nobody asking the big question?

Where will all the traffic go? It's already tough enough in that area but imagine all of the extra cars leaving peak class times/big events. Can you imagine?

[Jake]

I want to comment on the new parking garage that is looming over Exchange like a concrete tidal wave. Unlike virtually every other campus project in the Proenza era, this one is not looking good. Not only will it be a major league eyesore, it's simply bad planning. I'll explain.

Though increased parking may in fact be necessary, and I'm not even sure it is, the design of it is simply awful. It's counterproductive to a campus that is aesthetically challenged to begin with. Coming from Wolf Ledges or Grant, this structure is now by far the dominant image of our school. It simply sends the wrong message and virtually screams "commuter school." It echoes the sad realization that we may never have walkable, vibrant urban neighborhood but instead a campus that caters to cars speeding by at 45 mph.

The way that it infringes upon the sidewalk is a prime example of poor planning. In a city like Akron where the downtown and the campus desperately need each other, the design of this structure will be a major impediment to connectivity. Garages fronting on city sidewalks are bad news. This area will certainly be a dead zone along the sidewalk that will not foster walking between a resurgent downtown (including the new student residences) and main campus.

The University should know better; they should have had the foresight to designing this enourmous garage with ground floor retail. This would have made the stretch of campus welcoming, vibrant and useful. The school could have leased out the space for added revenues.

This parking garage is a design failure, pure and simple. U of A should have done a much better job of concealing it, and its construction is testament to a huge oversight on the part of the decision-makers of the school.

For an expample of how a parking garage should function in a city and need not be an eyesore, check out Fat Fish Blue in Cleveland:
http://z.about.com/d/cleveland/1/0/t/C/-/-/fatfish.jpg

In the not-so-long-run I think you will see this work out well for the campus and its image. What really makes the UA campus "scream commuter school" is if the university and downtown area blob together as an indistinguishable one. And, while I agree with you when you say downtown needs the campus, I disagree with you when you imply that the relationship works in the opposite direction. That is ABJ and Mayor Don's propaganda. UA does not need downtown at all. Politicians want us to think that but it is a lie. UA is a big fat milk gorged tit and downtown is a big fat selfish baby trying to suck on that tit at every opportunity.

I think we will see Exchange Street in the area of UA be closed off just like Buchtel and Carroll. They are talking about it and they are also talking about making the UA campus have a better and autonomous identity separate from the downtown syndrome that so many Akron dinosaurs refuse to let go of.

You will see more integration of the campus than you think and you strike me as someone who has the good vision that will be pleased by this integration of the campus with itself. This will include many things and among them will be a multi-purpose University of Akron Basketball Arena located conspicuously in the heart of the true UA campus near, if not east of the campus football stadium.

Go Zips!

Jake, all you're going to accomplish is getting another thread locked. We know what you think about campus/downtown. Stop.

If this thread gets locked it will be because of you and your constant personal attacks. So, stop yourself.

[Hilltopper]

If this thread gets locked it will be because of you and your constant personal attacks. So, stop yourself.

[Jake]

If this thread gets locked it will be because of you and your constant personal attacks. So, stop yourself.

You look cute zip junky even thought someone needs to slap you in the face.

[ZippyTuba11]

The only people who spend 45 minutes looking for a place to park are just lazy. I found a place every day within 5 minutes. Heck, I never have to even look, because there are lots open all day. And I arrive during peak hours too, between 10am and 2 pm. Everybody wants to get those precious spots in north deck so you drive around for 30-60 minutes instead of parking a little farther away and walking for 10.

I do think the U needs to build a bridge of some sort over exchange. There is an ever increasing pedestrian traffic and it is coming into conflict with motorists. A simple bridge will solve a lot of problems.

The parking deck is not the most appealing building on campus but it doesn't need to be. Nobody is going to be turned off of campus because they drove past a big parking deck on their campus visit. If they are, good riddance, they'd probably drop out anyway.

[UAzipsMan]

The only people who spend 45 minutes looking for a place to park are just lazy. I found a place every day within 5 minutes. Heck, I never have to even look, because there are lots open all day. And I arrive during peak hours too, between 10am and 2 pm. Everybody wants to get those precious spots in north deck so you drive around for 30-60 minutes instead of parking a little farther away and walking for 10.

I do think the U needs to build a bridge of some sort over exchange. There is an ever increasing pedestrian traffic and it is coming into conflict with motorists. A simple bridge will solve a lot of problems.

The parking deck is not the most appealing building on campus but it doesn't need to be. Nobody is going to be turned off of campus because they drove past a big parking deck on their campus visit. If they are, good riddance, they'd probably drop out anyway.

I laugh at the morons that constantly drive around the parking decks waiting for a spot to open. Their complete ignorance to the number of other parking areas is astounding. I too don't waste time looking for a space. I always go to my first-choice parking area first. If thats full, I move on to my second and third choice. On average, I dont spend more than 15 minutes finding a parking space.

I would love to see them build a pedestrian bridge over exchange. Most of the pedestrian traffic there is contained within the McDonalds and Exchange St Dorms, so a bridge there would be perfect...

[ZachTheZip]

The only people who spend 45 minutes looking for a place to park are just lazy. I found a place every day within 5 minutes. Heck, I never have to even look, because there are lots open all day. And I arrive during peak hours too, between 10am and 2 pm. Everybody wants to get those precious spots in north deck so you drive around for 30-60 minutes instead of parking a little farther away and walking for 10.

I do think the U needs to build a bridge of some sort over exchange. There is an ever increasing pedestrian traffic and it is coming into conflict with motorists. A simple bridge will solve a lot of problems.

The parking deck is not the most appealing building on campus but it doesn't need to be. Nobody is going to be turned off of campus because they drove past a big parking deck on their campus visit. If they are, good riddance, they'd probably drop out anyway.

I laugh at the morons that constantly drive around the parking decks waiting for a spot to open. Their complete ignorance to the number of other parking areas is astounding. I too don't waste time looking for a space. I always go to my first-choice parking area first. If thats full, I move on to my second and third choice. On average, I dont spend more than 15 minutes finding a parking space.

I would love to see them build a pedestrian bridge over exchange. Most of the pedestrian traffic there is contained within the McDonalds and Exchange St Dorms, so a bridge there would be perfect...

Same here. We have the laziest student body ever. Willing to drive in circles at 5mph for an hour to get a spot next to the building your class is on but refuses to park in the always empty Lot 9 and walk for two minutes on our nice, new sidewalks.

And another vote for a bridge over Exchange. I want to be able to park behind Folk Hall and get to campus without dodging city busses. I want to quickly stop at Dairy Queen for a blizzard between classes. I think it would also help the businesses across the street out greatly and you might see them start to cater more to the students than the 'hood behind them.

[you am i]

A pedestrian bridge over Exchange is a good idea in theory, but probably not in practice. Where's there's a grade-level crossing available people tend to perceive a bridge as inconvenient. Its easier to just cross the street and take your chances. Also, I think the ADA would require such a bridge to be handicap-accessible and so there would probably need to be a winding ramp up and down, and that would also discourages use.

If/when the university expands south of Exchange this will become more of a problem, but I doubt a bridge will be built.

[ksu sucks]

It's probably more likely that they will close off that part of Exchange and made it a pedestrian walkway. They need to do something. Someone is going to get hit(if it hasn't happened already!)

[RootforRoo44]

It's probably more likely that they will close off that part of Exchange and made it a pedestrian walkway. They need to do something. Someone is going to get hit(if it hasn't happened already!)

It has happened...i personally witnessed it happen fall 08. It was pretty scary. Amazingly the person hit was alright, the car just clipped him with its mirror.

[ZippyTuba11]

It's probably more likely that they will close off that part of Exchange and made it a pedestrian walkway. They need to do something. Someone is going to get hit(if it hasn't happened already!)

I doubt the city will ever let the University close another major street like Exchange. The previous closings really angered a lot of people.

But youami is probably right. It wouldn't be used much unless the University put in escalators.

[ZachTheZip]

It looks pretty nice on the part where they put up the brick work.

Also, I doubt they would close off Exchange along that stretch because it makes the new parking deck almost inaccessible. What's the point in building a gigantic new parking deck only to close it off from most of the roads used to get to it?

[Jake]

It looks pretty nice on the part where they put up the brick work.

Also, I doubt they would close off Exchange along that stretch because it makes the new parking deck almost inaccessible. What's the point in building a gigantic new parking deck only to close it off from most of the roads used to get to it?

Much of the street can be closed off without blocking access to the deck. Bridges have already been ruled out By UA because they won't get used. UA is actually considering having that area of East Exchange vacated in the future. The minotiry of people who like to get angry at progress in Akron will just have to deal with it. Those angry "Joe Akron's" are the true lazy people in Akron. Don't like it when they have to drive an alternative route. They are the parents of the lazy students who spend 45 minutes trying to find a parking spot right next to their classroom.

[g-mann17]

It looks pretty nice on the part where they put up the brick work.

Also, I doubt they would close off Exchange along that stretch because it makes the new parking deck almost inaccessible. What's the point in building a gigantic new parking deck only to close it off from most of the roads used to get to it?

Much of the street can be closed off without blocking access to the deck.

Love to see how that would work

[Jake]

It looks pretty nice on the part where they put up the brick work.

Also, I doubt they would close off Exchange along that stretch because it makes the new parking deck almost inaccessible. What's the point in building a gigantic new parking deck only to close it off from most of the roads used to get to it?

Much of the street can be closed off without blocking access to the deck.

Love to see how that would work

So would I. Perhaps you can talk to university planners like I did to find out more. It is their idea and not mine. Try not to attack them though. I know it is what you like to do best...attack any progressive and positive thought, that is.