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Storrs Center: Putting The Town Back In 'College Town'
Kala Kachmar
Issue date: 1/25/08 Section: News
"To the extent that Storrs Center makes UConn an even more interesting place, providing amenities that exist in other college communities but not here, we have a better opportunity to compete," Callahan said. "And the results redound not simply to the benefit of the institution, but to the broader interests of the state in educating and training a competitive workforce, developing new technologies and enhancing culture."
Prior to the inception of the Downtown Partnership, UConn had plans to develop a $35 billion animal vaccine research center with Pfizer, a major pharmaceutical company, Callahan said. In 1999, after the project failed, the Mansfield town council brought in planning firm HyettPalma to conduct an economic development study. Their recommendations included a partnership between UConn, the town and community members, and a redevelopment plan focusing on the Storrs Center area.
The project evolved to be a mix of a commercial, residential and retail-oriented village destination to service UConn and Mansfield. When the partnership was originally formed in 2001, there was a fair amount of distrust between the university and the town, according to Callahan.
"The reason it's been a success so far is because it's become been a patient, inclusive and transparent process," he said. "The university and the town needed to work together, or the project would have failed."
Community members have played a large role in direction the project has taken over the past few years, Callahan said. Initially, the potential development of Storrs Center raised questions about the environment from community members, especially those who live in neighborhoods near the site of development.
"I've been living here for more than 40 years and I was afraid they'd ruin the environment," said Ruth Moynihan, a long-time resident of Storrs, who now sits on the design committee for the Storrs Center project. "I felt like the university would be imposing on the town, like it had with the construction of the Hilltop dorms."
Prior to the inception of the Downtown Partnership, UConn had plans to develop a $35 billion animal vaccine research center with Pfizer, a major pharmaceutical company, Callahan said. In 1999, after the project failed, the Mansfield town council brought in planning firm HyettPalma to conduct an economic development study. Their recommendations included a partnership between UConn, the town and community members, and a redevelopment plan focusing on the Storrs Center area.
The project evolved to be a mix of a commercial, residential and retail-oriented village destination to service UConn and Mansfield. When the partnership was originally formed in 2001, there was a fair amount of distrust between the university and the town, according to Callahan.
"The reason it's been a success so far is because it's become been a patient, inclusive and transparent process," he said. "The university and the town needed to work together, or the project would have failed."
Community members have played a large role in direction the project has taken over the past few years, Callahan said. Initially, the potential development of Storrs Center raised questions about the environment from community members, especially those who live in neighborhoods near the site of development.
"I've been living here for more than 40 years and I was afraid they'd ruin the environment," said Ruth Moynihan, a long-time resident of Storrs, who now sits on the design committee for the Storrs Center project. "I felt like the university would be imposing on the town, like it had with the construction of the Hilltop dorms."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Lee Cole-Chu
posted 1/25/08 @ 6:16 PM EST
My compliments on this article about a most extraordinary community effort. I look forward to many dinners in the new Storrs Center.
There is a typo regarding the Pfizer project. (Continued…)
Xenia Grunder
posted 5/23/09 @ 12:30 AM EST
I bookmarked this article. Thank you for good job!
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