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Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 2:20 pm
by twisted3829
my answers to your questions in bold

Why is the URI bookstore only open Monday thru Friday from 9am to 5pm...? that's the time that most classes take place
What do students do if they need supplies or books on weekends or weeknights...? CVS like 90% of students do already, much much cheaper than the bookstore
Why is the bookstore hidden in the basement...? not the basement it's on the first floor of the union, same level as eye doctor, hair salon, ronzios, dunkin, and the mail room
Where can I get legit URI gear on campus...? bookstore, adidas store in the union, ram zone in ryan center, apparel store in the emporium (next to bagels)

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:18 pm
by RhowdyRam02
I haven't been in the union in a while, where is the Adidas store?

And again, people keep talking about the Emporium being a key place for URI to redevelop. They don't own it and they can't force the current owner to sell or renovate.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:27 pm
by twisted3829
it's right across from the hair salon next to ram computers, it's actually the ram gift shop but it has a lot of adidas products

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:31 pm
by billyjack
twisted3829 wrote:my answers to your questions in bold

Why is the URI bookstore only open Monday thru Friday from 9am to 5pm...? that's the time that most classes take place
What do students do if they need supplies or books on weekends or weeknights...? CVS like 90% of students do already, much much cheaper than the bookstore
Why is the bookstore hidden in the basement...? not the basement it's on the first floor of the union, same level as eye doctor, hair salon, ronzios, dunkin, and the mail room
Where can I get legit URI gear on campus...? bookstore, adidas store in the union, ram zone in ryan center, apparel store in the emporium (next to bagels)
Thanks twisted.

With the Emporium... is there any incentive for the owners to improve the place...? It seems that right now there isn't. However, if the Ryan Center area was developed with stores (doesn't even have to be that much yet) that would provide competition to the Emporium, then I would think that the owners would have to improve it.

I was going to sketch something out, but haven't had the time.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:34 pm
by twisted3829
the inside of the stores and shops isn't really that bad, in my opinion it the exterior that needs at least paint and maybe some modifications. and the parking lot/entrances need some help

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 4:22 pm
by RF1
I had forgotten about Williams College which has a beautiful campus in Williamstown, MA. The town center which is all of two short blocks on Spring Street is right in the middle of the Williams College campus surrounded on all sides by the school.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... own_MA.jpg

Williams also has a hotel on the edge of its campus:

http://www.newenglandinnsandresorts.com ... g2006d.jpg

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:34 am
by ATPTourFan
Ah! There's the hotel! I was wonderimg from where the pimps and drig dealers would operate. :roll:

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 1:12 pm
by RhowdyRam02
Last week there was a story in the Cigar about adding a 300-500 bed apartment complex between Wiley and Garrahy Hall that the university is hoping to have ready for fall of 2017.

http://rhodycigar.com/2014/10/09/propos ... -be-built/

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:01 pm
by ATPTourFan
Do it!

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:20 pm
by RF1
RhowdyRam02 wrote:Last week there was a story in the Cigar about adding a 300-500 bed apartment complex between Wiley and Garrahy Hall that the university is hoping to have ready for fall of 2017.

http://rhodycigar.com/2014/10/09/propos ... -be-built/

I like the idea of apartments where students would be able to cook their own meals and not be mandated to be on the expensive meal plan. It might entice students that have tight budgets back to campus. It is important that the school's housing options be varied as the student body has different needs and desires when it comes to housing.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:59 pm
by twisted3829
that's how garrahy and Wiley are now, they are more apartment style than dorm style and they are mainly for the athletes and the upperclassmen

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:01 am
by Maineiac66
I would agree that having apartments would be an excellent idea. However, at some point they need to revisit the subject of allowing some form of alcohol consumption on campus. I can remember that for some brief time in the mid 60's that the administration looked the other way and parties were held in fraternity houses with no major issues.

I had graduated by the time they had the beer hall in the Union, but I think that coincided with the brief period where the drinking age was lowered to 18. I can't remember reading that the world came to an end.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:38 pm
by OBRAM
Going to the Pub in the Union, drinking frosted mugs of dark gansett and walking home to the dorm. One beer never hurt anyone. Then someone started to steal the mugs and they went to plastic cups. I did have to sneak in since you needed to be 21 with a falsified ID since I was only 18-19.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:35 am
by RhowdyRam02
This seems as good a place as any to put this with all the talk of The Emporium in here. According to my friend both UMelt and The Burger Shack are now closed.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:43 am
by ATPTourFan
As in closed forever?

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:50 am
by RhowdyRam02
That's the way he made it sound. Said both businesses had paper covering all their windows and UMelt had a sign up telling people to visit their Providence location. UMelt still lists a Kingston location on their website but when you click on it to order online it says page not found. The Burger Shack website seems fully operational, so not sure what their deal is.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 1:03 pm
by RhowdyRam02
So to follow up, UMelt and Burger Shack were indeed closed forever, and a new place, Mia's Kitchen opened last week using both vacated businesses.

http://rhodycigar.com/2015/02/12/new-em ... next-week/

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:25 pm
by RhowdyRam02
The Good Five Cent Cigar had an article today investigating towing improprieties at The Emporium

http://rhodycigar.com/2015/03/12/towing ... questions/

The Emporium could be a real asset to the campus area, but between the owner doing a poor job of maintaining the property and aggression to even the customers and workers of the businesses it's really not living up to its' potential. I know the University has thought about purchasing the area in the past, and it seems like that would be a great thing. If they can't agree to a reasonable purchase price then they should look to develop their own plaza to compete with the Emporium.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:34 pm
by Taylor Swift
When I drive by the Emporium it just looks so tired and rundown. They did a horrible job plowing it this year, so the fact that they have the audacity to troll people and tow their cars like that baffles me.

Burger Shack is no longer there (which kind of shocks me) and has been replaced by "Mia's Kitchen" which offers a healthier alternative to calzones and pizza.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:50 pm
by ATPTourFan
OMG, I'm not even half way through this and I'm furious. I know this happens too and that story about the couple eating at Bagelz with people to vouch for their patronage wasn't "enough" to release her car at no charge? I would be on the phone with the police immediately.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:56 pm
by RhowdyRam02
The one that really got me was the girl that was working at Bagelz that brought her time card with her showing that she was working when her car was towed and being told it was a forgery.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:59 pm
by ATPTourFan
So at the end of the piece it says that the local police (I wonder if they mean just URI police or SK police or both) say they can do nothing.

If I was working and had my car towed I would report my car stolen to SK Police and tell them a red tow truck was seen taking my car out of the lot.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 2:03 pm
by Taylor Swift
In this case it would be SK police since not on URI property. Just absolutely ridiculous. Sounds like typical back room RI handshaking to me.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 2:26 pm
by adam914
Wow this is still happening? I used to work at the pizza place across the street from there (I think its a Dunkin Donuts now maybe?) and used to get towed all the time while working. My boss would always get my car released for me, but it didnt make it any less annoying.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 2:54 pm
by Taylor Swift
That whole Emporium needs major updates. I remember when I lived on campus as a Freshman & Sophomore, the food choices were so boring on weekends. You can only order DP Dough so many times....

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:24 pm
by RhowdyRam02
Why weren't you going to Albie's?

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:40 pm
by Taylor Swift
Albie's isn't open late at night. I think they closed at 11.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 9:11 pm
by RhowdyRam02
URI was supposedly expecting bids on the hotel project by this time last year. The fact that there's been no information leads me to believe the hotel idea is on life support at best, which is a shame. I might not have agreed with every detail but I certainly felt overall it was a great idea. At least ATP's mother in law doesn't have to worry about the pimps and drug dealers.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2016 10:17 am
by SGreenwell
RhowdyRam02 wrote:URI was supposedly expecting bids on the hotel project by this time last year. The fact that there's been no information leads me to believe the hotel idea is on life support at best, which is a shame. I might not have agreed with every detail but I certainly felt overall it was a great idea. At least ATP's mother in law doesn't have to worry about the pimps and drug dealers.
The last I knew, around January or February, the hotel thing was still alive. However, it's URI, so stuff like that seemingly takes forever. I'll try to ask the person I got the info from about it next time I see them.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2016 10:43 am
by RhowdyRam02
This is from the 2015 fiscal year capital budget that was presented by Lincoln Chafee:

"URI University Inn, Admissions, and Housing and Retail – The Governor recommends expenditure of $59.2 million to develop a mixed use University Inn on the east side of Upper College Road, of which $57.0 million is from third party financing and $2.2 million is from University and College funds. The facility will be privately owned and managed on University property with the University acting as the anchor tenant. The facility will include a 100-bed hotel, 20 two-bedroom apartments, a restaurant/University Club, a retail bookstore, conference space, and University Admissions public spaces. The Governor and URI will seek approval for a long-term lease of the facility during the 2015 Legislative session. Recommended expenditures would be as follows: FY 2015 – $2.2million; FY 2016 – $29.7 million; and FY 2017– $27.4 million."

Not sure if they ever got the legislative approval.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2016 11:47 am
by RhowdyRam02
From the newest budget on the hotel:

"URI Upper College Road Multi-use Development – The Governor recommends expenditures of $500,000 from University and College funds to perform a feasibility study for creating a multi-use facility on Upper College Road. The study will consider the feasibility of a public-private partnership for developing a multi-use facility, including a hotel, apartment style housing units, a restaurant, retail bookstore and conference space."

Seems like fading but not dead. Or like SGreenwell said.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2016 11:50 am
by RhowdyRam02
There is a proposed $60 million bond in 2020 to rehabilitate East, Ranger, Washburn, Quinn, Davis and Roosevelt Halls. Good to see they don't want those important pieces of the Quad to fall into disrepair.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 9:21 am
by Rhodymob05
I was on campus a few weeks ago, improvements have started on a few buildings such as Ranger. Good to see. I know URI is also updating their Kingston and Bay campus master plans. Lots of improvements to come.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 9:29 am
by RhowdyRam02
Here's an article that talks about the $6.3 million renovation to Ranger Hall for the Harrington School of Communication and Media that started in November. Sounds like at least the first floor will be good to go in the fall.

http://www.independentri.com/independen ... 8fcba.html

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:08 pm
by RhowdyRam02
This summer URI begins construction on a $94 million, 500 bed apartment complex across the street from Meade and Burnside. It should take about two years to complete and be about the same size as the new chemistry building.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:50 am
by Taylor Swift
RhowdyRam02 wrote:This summer URI begins construction on a $94 million, 500 bed apartment complex across the street from Meade and Burnside. It should take about two years to complete and be about the same size as the new chemistry building.
That's great news. Bring the students on campus instead of Down the Line. Isn't there going to be a hotel over in that area, too?

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2016 9:09 am
by RhowdyRam02
No, the hotel was supposed to be where the university club is, but that project doesn't seem to be progressing. Unless you're talking about the master plan that came out in 2000. They wanted a hotel/convention area/golf course in that area across from Meade/behind Heathman.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 4:37 pm
by RhowdyRam02
A lot of good information about current and future campus construction projects can be found in this Good .05 Cigar article. Looks like the biggest project that hasn't been mentioned is a new $7.6 million welcome center where the information center currently is.

http://rhodycigar.com/2016/12/01/multip ... ay-at-uri/

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 5:39 pm
by ramster
RR2,

Glad to hear they are going to invest in the Welcome Center. For a University the size of URI that current Welcome Center is pretty weak as compared to what most schools are providing.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 9:34 am
by Rhodymob05
Great news for URI, proud to be an alum.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 2:02 pm
by RhowdyRam02
RhowdyRam02 wrote:From the newest budget on the hotel:

"URI Upper College Road Multi-use Development – The Governor recommends expenditures of $500,000 from University and College funds to perform a feasibility study for creating a multi-use facility on Upper College Road. The study will consider the feasibility of a public-private partnership for developing a multi-use facility, including a hotel, apartment style housing units, a restaurant, retail bookstore and conference space."

Seems like fading but not dead. Or like SGreenwell said.
This has been updated to:
"URI Upper College Road Multi-use Development – The Governor recommends expenditures of $1.4 million from university funds to create a multi-use facility on Upper College Road. This public-private partnership will include a hotel, apartment style housing units, a restaurant, retail bookstore, and conference space. The Governor recommends expenditures of $482,703 in FY 2017, $583,715in FY 2018, and $279,607 in FY 2019."

So still alive. ATP, please apologize to your mother in law about any future pimps and drug dealers

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 2:14 pm
by RhowdyRam02
RhowdyRam02 wrote:There is a proposed $60 million bond in 2020 to rehabilitate East, Ranger, Washburn, Quinn, Davis and Roosevelt Halls. Good to see they don't want those important pieces of the Quad to fall into disrepair.
This doesn't appear to be on the list anymore. I didn't see any potential bonds for URI listed in the latest capital budget.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 11:04 am
by RhowdyRam02
RhowdyRam02 wrote:A lot of good information about current and future campus construction projects can be found in this Good .05 Cigar article. Looks like the biggest project that hasn't been mentioned is a new $7.6 million welcome center where the information center currently is.

http://rhodycigar.com/2016/12/01/multip ... ay-at-uri/
It looks like the welcome center project should be moving forward soon. The line of trees that separated the visitors center and their parking spaces and the larger visitors and staff lot have been taken down.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Fri May 26, 2017 11:20 am
by RhowdyRam02
Soon is next week. Starting next week the old University Club will serve as the Visitor's Center and construction will start on the new Welcome Center where the Visitor's Center has been.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Fri May 26, 2017 11:27 am
by Rhodymob05
A larger welcome center should have a lasting effect on anyone visiting the campus. Much needed asset.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 2:21 pm
by ATPTourFan
Will they offer beer and wine at this temporary welcome center?

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 2:46 pm
by RhowdyRam02
haha, that's one way to get more visitors to campus. I was under the impression the University Club closed a couple years ago, but I've seen mixed messages about that over the last year. It might be open as The 95 Club.

Green Hall Mall Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:21 am
by OBRAM
GreenHall_Mall.JPG
Has anyone scene the new Green Hall Mall. They had to cut down all the old trees that were I believe rotten. They planted new trees and grass and it looks fantastic.

Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:56 am
by RhowdyRam02
It was a shame that they had to get rid of those old trees, but they certainly made the best of it, like you said that area looks great.

Re: Green Hall Mall Re: Brainstorming about updating campus area

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 2:37 pm
by Rhodymob05
OBRAM wrote:GreenHall_Mall.JPGHas anyone scene the new Green Hall Mall. They had to cut down all the old trees that were I believe rotten. They planted new trees and grass and it looks fantastic.
Yea they had arborist lines already holding up older limbs of the tress to avoid them falling so unfortunately they had to go. Itll take about 50 years to regain a similar "allee" affect, but nothing you can do about it.