Agenda

UNIVERSITY SPACE COMMITTEE (USC) MEETING
August 24, 2022
Video Conference
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Approval of the Minutes – Arden (5 mins)

Consent Agenda (No Item(s) – Arden (0 mins)

Action Items
1. Physical Master Plan (2020), Benchmarking for Space and Planning Assumptions Follow-up, (Info Item 21.10) – S. Jones-Humienny (5 minutes)
2. Physical Master Plan Update: Principles, Processes, Prototypes – Staff Support (30 minutes)

Information / Discussion Items
1. N/A

Next Meeting: Friday, September 30, 2022, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Adjourn

Minutes

UNIVERSITY SPACE COMMITTEE MEETING (USC)
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Video Conference
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Attendance and Distribution
Members present: Warwick Arden; Charles Maimone; Mladen Vouk

Staff Support present: Adrian Day; Alicia Knight; Adam Brueggemann; Cameron Smith; Don Hunt; Doug Morton; Jonathan Horowitz; Lisa Johnson; Lisa Van Roekel; Liz Moore; Margery Overton; Sumayya Jones-Humienny
Staff Support not present: Jessie Askew; Christopher Ross

Guests present: Barbara Moses
Guests not present: Catherine Phillips; David Rainer

Additional Distribution: N/A

Approval of the Minutes
The minutes of the July 29, 2022 meeting were approved with one correction and have been posted.

Approval of the Consent Agenda
N/A

Action Items
1. Physical Master Plan (2020), Benchmarking for Space and Planning Assumptions Follow-up, (Info Item 21.10): At the last USC meeting, the committee stated the enrollment projections appeared reasonable but questioned how the rate of 1/2 of the student enrollment growth for staff growth was determined and whether the current ratio of staff to students is adequate to support current enrollment. The committee requested additional data to assess the staff projection needs. S. Jones-Humienny gave an update that Staff Support, with SmithGroup, is delving into historical trends analyses to address these questions in greater detail and will follow up via email with this information.

2. Physical Master Plan Update: Principles, Processes, and Prototypes: Lisa Johnson and D. Morton presented an update to the 2020 Physical Master Plan (PMP) in the refining of the big ideas phase, focusing on the College of Engineering (COE) Growth, housing opportunities, and Western Boulevard improvements. For reference, see the attached presentation “PRS 2022-0824 NC State Physical MP_Space Committee Update.”

a. The proposed South Oval Development sketch shows opportunities to build over 1.1M GSF of academic and research space while preserving views from Hunt Library to Lake Raleigh.

The committee emphasized the priority of providing adequate academic and research space for the College of Engineering, College of Sciences, and Poole College of Management, which are the three fastest-growing colleges.

b. Proposed sketches with placeholders for new housing show replacement of old, poor-condition inventory while addressing the freshmen on-campus living requirement for the additional 7,500 incoming students over the next 10 years. The first phase of development is slated to start at Cates Avenue West with the removal of Lee, Sullivan, and Bragaw Residence Halls plus the construction of new multi-story housing and a new dining facility. There are additional opportunities for new housing without demolishing existing buildings at the north end of Centennial Campus.

The committee recommended considering the incorporation of mixed-use buildings with student services into these neighborhoods as there are better efficiencies with larger facilities; however, the separation of housing from other services is critical to the success of this model in portraying the services as available to all students versus just to those that live in the building. The model would be similar to retail on the ground floor of office buildings. At Cates Avenue West, they liked the anchor of dining and student services as the terminus but advised adding additional activation components, such as meeting and gathering spaces, especially good quality outdoor spaces. They cautioned against residence halls being too dense/tall and recommended providing a more affordable model than the private options that have 12-month leases within a one-mile radius of the university. They also recommended considering leveraging partnerships with private developers for opportunities to provide space for certain functions, especially at the Innovation District, given its proximity to the Centennial Campus academic core. The overall scope of this development on CC requires significant building/infrastructure and the university needs to look at all options, including P3. Discussion ensued that student services and dining could be incorporated into the Innovation District as private services versus space allocations, but these would likely be expensive services for students’ price point range.

c. To improve vehicular traffic flow and make the crossing of Western Blvd. at the Pullen Road Bridge safer for pedestrians and cyclists, the proposed sketch shows the realignment of eastbound Western Blvd. under an expanded bridge with wider sidewalks and bike lanes plus new vehicular on- and off-ramps. The new bridge is an opportunity to brand this intersection as a gateway to NC State. Improvements will require discussions with DOT, COR, and the Pullen heirs. Since the Pullen heirs will not allow changing the width of Pullen Road, relief must be made in other ways. The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system implementation is facing delays due to funding procurement complexities. Phase I includes New Bern Avenue. Phase II includes New Bern Ave to Clayton via S. Saunders St. Phase III includes Western Blvd.; however, the earliest phase III contract can be let is in 2025.

The committee concurred that this intersection is not safe for pedestrians and bikes and it should be a high priority to make it safer. NC State should apply its influence to have the bridge replacement designed with wider sidewalks and bike lanes and to accommodate the future rerouting of eastbound traffic underneath. Perhaps NC State can lead the way by implementing wider sidewalks and bike lanes on its side of the property and coordinating with DOT to meet its future counterparts.

d. Next Steps: The SmithGroup will return to campus the week of 9/26 to gain consensus for the Preliminary Physical Master Plan, provide updates on the process framework and continue explorations, and gather input on the draft design guidelines and prototypes.

Information / Discussion Items
N/A

Other Business
N/A

Next Meeting:
September 30, 2022, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Meeting Adjourned at 11:13 AM.