Northeastern University - Institutional Master Plan

When did Northeastern first make the jump across the SW Corridor?
 
JohnAKeith said:
Can anyone help me with this? City Councilor Jackson seems a bit miffed that there is going to be a dormitory tower built at Columbus Ave and Burke Street (which is the parking lot location, I think?), saying:

"I sat through meetings for 16 months and the location of this dorm was not nailed down, it was one of 3 locations."

Is there any validity to that statement? There were other locations proposed?

I don't understand his concern that the dorm tower will be "too tall" for the neighborhood, considering the neighborhood is made up mostly of Northeastern-owned properties, a couple of apartment buildings, and, across Tremont Street, a public housing project.

Does he have a legitimate beef? I haven't been following this very closely.
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I went to all of the same meetings Councilor Jackson was referring to. He is correct that Northeastern was discussing 3 locations for residence hall construction (1,000 beds) during the next 10 years. However, upon approval of the IMP, NU was pressured to agree to 500 beds constructed within the first 5 years (incidentally by Jackson and other city officials).

Burke Street was always the first choice for where to put that first residence hall because it is the only undeveloped site (a parking lot). The other sites are where Rubenstein/Burstyn halls are (across from MFA by Punter's) and behind Ryder Hall. The Ryder Hall site's a bit more complicated because a new residence hall there would supposedly include a redevelopment of the Ryder building as well.

The one legitimate "beef" he may have is that the proposed new residence hall is 70% larger than what was forecast would go there. It's less about the height or design of the building, and more a legitimate concern about the flood of students NU will continue introducing to Roxbury.
 
Northeastern has owned parking lots along Columbus since the 1960's. In the late 1980's they built the first parking garage and acquired Columbus Place, an abandoned factory building and renovated it. Circa 1990 they purchased Renaissance Place from the state after it was abandoned due to "sick building syndrome".
 
dshoost88 said:
It's less about the height or design of the building, and more a legitimate concern about the flood of students NU will continue introducing to Roxbury.
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The area has more than its share of subsidized public housing. Students would bring diversity to the area
 
Ultimately more on-campus students will mean less off-campus students, which is good for renters in the neighborhood. Also, an influx of students will help vibrancy and support local businesses. Big win for Roxbury, in my opinion.
 
bigeman312 said:
Ultimately more on-campus students will mean less off-campus students, which is good for renters in the neighborhood. Also, an influx of students will help vibrancy and support local businesses. Big win for Roxbury, in my opinion.
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I agree but never let reason get in the way of politics!
 
I'm pretty sure residents who oppose new dorms are basically making an 'induced demand' argument.
Not saying I agree but there is a bit of logic there.
 
People have been saying this for years. The rent is not going to change much, regardless whether or not there is another NU dorm or not. Housing in Boston is expensive up there, period.


bigeman312 said:
Ultimately more on-campus students will mean less off-campus students, which is good for renters in the neighborhood. Also, an influx of students will help vibrancy and support local businesses. Big win for Roxbury, in my opinion.
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Councilor Jackson has been very adamant about having more women-owned and minority-owned businesses grow in this neighborhood, and for them to make up a greater share of Northeastern's business contracts. I actually agree with him on that front and commend his efforts--it sounds like they're paying off.

With that agenda noted, it's also understandable why he'd be concerned about NU partnering with American Campus Communities on the Burke residence hall. With ACC at the helm, it's unclear how committed they'd be to MOB's and WOB's.
 
dshoost88 said:
Councilor Jackson has been very adamant about having more women-owned and minority-owned businesses grow in this neighborhood, and for them to make up a greater share of Northeastern's business contracts. I actually agree with him on that front and commend his efforts--it sounds like they're paying off.

With that agenda noted, it's also understandable why he'd be concerned about NU partnering with American Campus Communities on the Burke residence hall. With ACC at the helm, it's unclear how committed they'd be to MOB's and WOB's.
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yes... things that he says sound good on paper... in practice, he is obstructionist and working to maintain the status quo. and he fights hard on the side of the people in roxbury who dont want NU expanding into their turf... which is partly understandable, except that the more NU develops around there, the less shitty the whole area seems (plus taking kids out of rented apartments) so...
i mean, god forbid the environs around dudley ever become NICE lord, no
 
Gentrification has a lot of benefits, and NU will benefit the neighborhood by constructing new buildings and bringing in new retail. Gentrification also has a lot of drawbacks, which is why Tito Jackson is putting up a defense for the neighborhood (his constituents).

You might figure that building more on-campus housing will get kids out of off-campus apartments, but frankly there will always be a contingent of students that want to live off-campus and that new on-campus housing doesn't do much if the university doesn't do much to make that housing affordable.

TomOfBoston said:
So they would prefer that Roxbury remain a low income black ghetto, walled off from the rest of the city?
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You'll see more "outrage" from Councilor Jackson as we get closer to next year's mayoral election, I suspect.
 
Proposition Joe said:
Gentrification has a lot of benefits, and NU will benefit the neighborhood by constructing new buildings and bringing in new retail. Gentrification also has a lot of drawbacks, which is why Tito Jackson is putting up a defense for the neighborhood (his constituents).

You might figure that building more on-campus housing will get kids out of off-campus apartments, but frankly there will always be a contingent of students that want to live off-campus and that new on-campus housing doesn't do much if the university doesn't do much to make that housing affordable.



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yes, all true.. but that doesnt mean that jackson is doing anyone any good... he's not much worse than most of the other councillors, i just havent been that impressed with him overall... and he caters to the NIMBY crowd more than he needs to. yes, he did finally get the hotel squared away with higher pay, but he nearly caused that whole opportunity to get blown... and other things... at any rate, i understand the neighborhood opposition, but i dont agree with it.
 
If the Tremont Crossing project is realized with the hotel included, I wonder if it will release Northeastern from the obligation to build a hotel on the parking lot next to Renaissance Place.
 
I'm really starting to like this one. Can't wait to see the finished project though.
 
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