Villanova expansion

**Volanova** · 04-05-2012, 04:27 PM

Anyone following the uproar from a few NIMBY Radnor residents over Villanova's plans to construct dormitories, a parking garage and a performing arts center on what is now their massive parking lot on the south side of Lancaster Avenue? From what I can tell, the University has handled the PR of it poorly, however the people standing against this seem to be mainly the kind that have always been against any kind of change in the township, especially that involving the University. For a number of reasons, it's a real sore spot with a few people.

The big kicker? The people that are arguing against this are the same ones that can't stand having students living off campus in their community. Having these extra dorms will relieve crowding on campus and will bring students back on campus that are now residing off. It will also do a lot for the aesthetics of the community, and the questionable ecological conditions created by a massive pad of concrete and asphalt that's currently residing on the spot.

Anyway, here's one of a few articles on the whole deal: Radnor list of expansion project concerns will go to Villanova on April 4

**CrazyIvan** · 04-06-2012, 10:02 AM

I just finished my MA at Villanova, so I was parking in that giant lot on an all-too-often basis, and there were nights that it was damn near impossible to find a spot in it. I'll never understand people who move next to a university, then complain when the university wants to get bigger...it's not like Villanova is a brand-new school; it's been there longer than you've owned your house.

And I agree with you- more dorm space= less kids living in people's neighborhoods, which you would think would be a good thing for neighbors. It's like night and day between this proposed expansion, and that of my undergrad alma matter: Rowan. Glassboro residents and Rowan students could have issues with each other, usually at off-campus parties, but overall, the university is all Glassboro has going for it. The expansion at Rowan took down a bunch of old, decaying housing stock (old low-income housing that had been converted to dorms and frat houses) and put up dorms, a hotel, and a new Barnes and Noble bookstore. The frats will probably find somewhere else to go, but now that there is more housing, there can be less commuters (freeing up traffic) and less off-campus living (making residents happy). There wasn't much disapproval from the Glassboro community, IIRC. Is that because Glassboro isn't as financially well-off as Villanova?

But I digress...I just find it interesting to see a really large overhaul (Rowan) get done with few naysayers, and a relatively small expansion (building on already-used property) get argued and debated so fiercely. And who could possibly be against building a pedestrian bridge? The light at Lancaster and Ithan is a long wait because it lets 1)Lancaster go 2) Ithan go 3) both stopped for pedestrian traffic. A bridge knocks out that extra, unnecessairy wait which would have to help traffic.

**Volanova** · 04-06-2012, 12:25 PM

I just finished up an MA there not long ago myself, with the same experience of that lot. Putting a couple of student-accessible garages on campus (like behind the stadium or where Pike Lot is now) would go a long ways towards fixing the traffic issues. I know a lot of these people are concerned that it will drive down property values due to light pollution. I'm not really sure myself how this could worsen light pollution, myself. And to be honest, this will NOT drive down property values.

Like I said in my original post, I think a lot of this has to do with your standard NIMBY naysayers that have always had a beef with Villanova improving or growing. They're same people that keep sidewalk improvements from happening because they want their neighborhoods to be as isolated as possible from the campus and from public transit, and are cut from the same cloth as people that force North Wayne Ave. restaurants to cease outdoor dining at 10:00PM. There's a reason that there's not a sidewalk going down the incredibly dangerous stretch of County Line from campus to the R100 stop and on to the Conference Center, and I seriously doubt it has to do with budgetary constraints. I do love Villanova and Radnor, but sometimes it is just plain backwards when it comes to development.

**Outlaw Star** · 04-09-2012, 09:01 AM

Any word on what happened at the meeting, or where things now stand?

Everything already said is pretty much spot-on. Radnor resents the school, and goes out of its way to be hostile at every opportunity. I'm reminded of a particularly contentious battle over a new health center when I was an undergrad there. Due to neighborhood "outrage" the school had to change its plan to build the center adjacent to South Campus, and shoehorn it in behind Bartley Hall instead.

It's a shame because it's a great school and the Main Line has a lot going for it, but the lack of a college town feel--or at the very least just a basic sense of community--just really hinders the whole experience.

**Volanova** · 04-09-2012, 10:21 AM

Yeah, it really is sad that the only things truly within walking distance of the campus are Campus Corner, Wingers and whatever else happens to be rotating through on that corner. Most residents don't seem to be able to fathom the fact that if there were things to do closer to campus and if there was adequate housing on campus, they wouldn't have half the problems of drunken college students stumbling through their back yards on their way back from Garrett Hill or Rosemont.

Anyway, here's a link to the "Concerns and Suggestions" from the township to the school: http://www.radnor.com/egov/docs/1333557352_171936.pdf

I would do a point by point rebuttal of the majority of these so-called concerns, but it'd be a waste of breath. It looks like all Radnor did was copy and paste the contents of their inbox to this list, misspellings and wrong words included. Here are a few highlights:

That non-conforming high-density 5-story dorm buildings situated only 40 ft. from Lancaster Avenue (rather than the zoned 120 feet from Right of Way), and with parking in front (that is zoned 60 feet, will contribue to traffic bottlenecks in Radnor on the Pike that will adversely affect township and cross-township travel and that will spill over traffic to other local roads and communities.

So, having buildings that front Lancaster is a bad thing now. Because, you know, encouraging foot traffic and creating a streetscape is such a terrible thing. The whole thing about increased traffic due to parking in front of the buildings is just inane. It's not like it's going to be parallel parking on to Lancaster. The way I understand it, there would be no additional entrances to Lancaster than there currently are.

Speed was reduced to 25mph on Lancaster and it is not being enforced

First off, what does this have to do with the University? Secondly, yes, it is being enforced. Every few weeks you see the Radnor PD out setting up their speed trap at the corner of Ithan and Lancaster.

Engineer the water runoff

Because, you know, there aren't already laws in place that would force them to do that. And replacing a massive asphalt slab with buildings and green space is so much worse in terms of water runoff.

Can't Villanova accomodate more students on Campus now instead of building? 1/3 of the Township is occupied by college students

Because, you know, they haven't already tried to max out the number of students they can stick in dorms before sending them (and their money) off campus.

(Every naysayer that has problems with a 5 story dorm)

Because, you know, there are no buildings on campus that are higher than 5 stories that are visible from Lancaster Avenue. Oh, wait, except the fact that are, including a stadium and field house that are right on Lancaster, as well as a church with two huge steeples.

Paraphrased: Tall buildings make traffic noise worse

Actually, they'd act as a sound barrier and would keep the traffic noise out of the residential areas behind campus.

Paraphrased: Light pollution will be bad.

Not true. It would be reduced to to the removal of all of the large pole mounted area lights currently dotting the parking lot.

**randomuser** · 04-15-2012, 05:33 PM

First of all.. "questionable ecological condition"? It's a parking lot for Christ sake's! Honestly, it's more of a problem for the campus fabric than it is a "questionable ecological condition".

Here's what the real situation is, for those of who you don't know the area. People in Radnor are some of the most wealthy people in all of Delaware County. A lot of them are probably "Old Money", and "Old Money" people have egos and want to be the center of attention and not be overshadowed by a university. It's not that they resent the school but that they resent the fact that their "storied history" and reputation is being overshadowed by that university. I can actually understand this because Radnor has meant "wealthy, prestigious, etc" for centuries now. That and of course the fact that they want to be able to live their Radnor lives and not live their lives as the place that Villanova's in, having college students be the focus and not their own kids.

What they need to realize though is that the expansion and growth of our local colleges are good for everybody and Villanova is not just a huge school nationally but is becoming even bigger so they need to suck it up and deal with it. In fact, I hope all of the universities in Lower Merion/Radnor continue to grow and improve. I'm all for Villanova building themselves up, especially with things like parking garages that remove parking lots and concentrate the university's campus inward, which is something that Radnor should be all for.

**jhdiesel** · 07-26-2012, 05:29 PM

I live just behind some 'Nova dorms, and this development would be 1/4 from me as the crow flies. I think it's a pretty good plan (anything is better than that huge parking lot). I've been to two meetings, and there have been a few valid questions about traffic flow and parking for stadium/basketball events. I'm not too keen on the big parking ramp, but it's right next to an existing 5-floor dorm, so it's not really out of place. Some of the NIMBYs are totally crazy (one guy started rambling about Ben Bernanke...).

**Volanova** · 07-27-2012, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by jhdiesel

I live just behind some 'Nova dorms, and this development would be 1/4 from me as the crow flies. I think it's a pretty good plan (anything is better than that huge parking lot). I've been to two meetings, and there have been a few valid questions about traffic flow and parking for stadium/basketball events. I'm not too keen on the big parking ramp, but it's right next to an existing 5-floor dorm, so it's not really out of place. Some of the NIMBYs are totally crazy (one guy started rambling about Ben Bernanke...).

There are valid criticisms to be had, like traffic flow, etc. But you're right about some of the NIMBYs, way too many of them don't have any valid arguments. Some just don't want to see any changes for whatever reason, others just want to hear themselves talk.