Villanova's plan to expand gets off to bumpy public start
Villanova University's presentation to the Radnor Board of Commissioners brought with it an onslaught of public comment in opposition to an expansion originally meant to ease community friction.
Villanova's plan to expand gets off to bumpy public start
As Villanova University officials sat in the front row listening, resident after resident approached the podium to voice their concerns about the university’s plans to build on what Commissioner John Fisher called “the frontline” of their backyards.
Despite some scattered support for the ambitious development along Lancaster Avenue, community members demanded amendments to the plan that would add 1,160 beds, a parking garage, additional retail and a possible performing arts center to the campus. Others asked the Radnor Board of Commissioners turn down the university’s requests all together.
“You go up here and make a nice 20 to 30 minute presentation,” Radnor resident Kevin Geary said. “We have to live this for two to three generations.”
During Villanova’s pitch to the board, Ken Valosky, the university’s vice president for administration and finance, assured the packed audience Villanova has no interest in bringing in franchises to compete with local businesses or increasing student enrollment. Though Valosky said it would be counterproductive to admit more students, he said the university wouldn’t put a cap on enrollment for credit reasons.
Graham Wyatt, a partner at Robert A.M. Stern Architects, also showed photomontages and renderings of the plan, which he called beneficial to the institution and the neighborhood.
But despite Wyatt’s description of the gothic, collegiate-style architecture his firm would use to create a residence hall connected by a series of archways and pedestrian paths, residents focused on what wasn’t included: a pedestrian bridge or tunnel across Lancaster Avenue.
Though the university maintains there won’t be an increased amount of pedestrian traffic, Commissioner Fisher, who represents the Seventh Ward, reminded Villanova officials that students’ closer proximity to classes may mean they return to their dorms more often. Fisher also pointed out that the bookstore’s presence in the new development could increase foot traffic.
“We all remember what it’s like to go to the bookstore at the beginning of the semester, wait in line for forever or they don’t have your books and you have to return again the next day,” Fisher said.
“My concern is we have 10,000 students traversing the pike,” Fisher added. “That’s a lot of pedestrian traffic. If it’s at all possible you can include pedestrian bridges – whether it’s over or under I don’t care – but if [the bridges] are not there, I think the constituents will care.”
Commissioners John Nagle and James Higgins also favored Villanova figuring out ways to improve the intersection at South Ithan and Lancaster avenues. Referencing pedestrian bridges on campuses such as the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University, Higgins encouraged officials to look at what’s going on elsewhere to preserve the safety of students, faculty, Radnor residents and visitors.
“It’s a death waiting to happen,” Higgins said of the intersection.
Aside from working with the township to improve its plan, Villanova will petition the board to rezone the area with an overlay district to accommodate its needs. The university plans to begin its review and approval process this month and brief the Radnor Planning Commission in March.
The university’s current plans call for some four- and five-story portions of the parking garage and residence halls, which would sit closer to the road than is allowed through the zoning code. However, Villanova will not request variances through the Radnor Zoning Hearing Board. Instead, the university will go straight to the Board of Commissioners with an ordinance amendment. After a series of public hearings, it will go to the township's Planning Commission as well as the Delaware County Planning Commission for recommendation.
“The tone of this meeting is that this is going to happen,” Radnor resident Colleen Price said after expressing disappointment in the Board. “They should go to the Zoning Hearing Board and get shut down.”
According to the university’s timeline, Villanova would begin construction on the parking garage in May 2013 and begin work on the residence hall immediately after the garage is finished in May 2014.
"It sounds like it's all about them and what they want," Toni Bailey, an alumna of the school's graduate school and Radnor resident said after the presentation. "We're completely not in favor of this."
It is obvious that residents in the imediate area are against the proposal, and alums and the school administration are for it. Was there any thought the feeling would be different? How do you resolve a dispute such as this? I'm for the proposal and if rejected, hope the students continue to seek housing in the immediate area pissing off the residents that live there.— Bigbirch- Nimby. You bought next to a college. Did you really think there was going to be a giant parking lot there forever?— valentsgrif
- Villanova has been there since 1860. The moron neighbors need to get used to it.— Dunsmore
Comment removed.- All these complaining residents bought into the 19085 zip code knowing that it is the VILLANOVA zip code, and that a large and important university is there. Also, last time I checked, there's a railroad line that goes directly behind the target parking lots. Nobody is directly negatively affected. These are NIMBY scum who are protesting just to protest - despite this project being good for the township as a whole. I forgot how much the neighbors love Villanova students renting in their neighborhoods.— intheweeds
- The school has been there for more than 100 years. People built houses right up to the school's boundry lines and now complain about traffic and sight lines. Their convenience should not dictate with the school does for the property. Clearly, the plans look to beutify the area and provide shopping and housing closed to campus for students. The number of students is not expected to increase.
These are the same township residents that held up the Blue Route for years. Now they complain they encounter too much traffic to get on it. You didn't want it so don't use it!— BLUEBELLION - They don't want them to build on campus because, I guess, they would rather look at an empty parking lot. They don't want more dorms, or dorms of no more than 4 stories, with windows that don't, or didn't, open (south campus). They complain when the students live off campus because of the problems they create, but gladly take the ridiculous rent they charge for terrible housing. They forget the school was there long before they were, and will be there long after they are dead, and that they knew all of this when they moved there. It would be like moving across from a landfill and then complaining about the number of trucks that drive by.— phillyfan1608
- Comment removed.
It will get done, but I do wish they would stop pedestrian crossing at street level. If Villanova wants to move into the future, build the overhead bridge. Fence the area so they'd have to use it. It's 2012. Walk lights and drunk students on the curb, leaning out into traffic, is so 1990s.— CCRichards- These residents are incredibly self centered and out of touch. Villanova has been around since the 1800's with the homes that surround the campus only coming about in the early to mid 20th century. Villanova has continually bent over backwards to meet the avarice and down right mean spirited power grabs of the local community for years. Numerous projected have been significantly altered or canceled in accordance with the towns desires. In addition, I assure you if Villanova wanted to build a pedestrian bridge over Lancaster or tunnel, there would be ardent dissent. So, now, where is our say? I spent four great years at Villanova. I am not from the area nor do I live there now. But I ask again, where is my say? Why is it so few can command so much power as they attempt to devalue my diploma? Stop being so selfish.— VUAlum
- Something about this strikes me as reminscent of the Barnes situation. A bunch of troublemaking neighbors get together to make life miserable for a world-class foundation, continuously moaning about the institution. Then, when the Barnes decides to move, these same neighbors act all huffy because of an erroneous sense of entitlement. Now, I am not suggesting that Villanova is going to move to Philadelphia, but the neighbors need to remember that their property values are determined in some part to living next to a respected institution of higher learning. The neighbors can choose to be part of the process or act as roadblocks. If they choose the latter, do not come crying to the courts for years when things do not go your way.— MrHumphries
- Actullay the guys making the requests to add the pedestrian bridge or tunnel are the smart NIMBYS - approvals for either of those for a US route would take about 7-10 years, i.e., effectively killing the project.
The other NIMBYS I have no sympathy for as they bought next to a college campus that had been there since 1842. It is sad though that Radnor in the 1940's and 1950's failed to require buffer zones on the campus bondaries rather than maximizing the taxable residential property by allowing development right up to the boudnaries. It was that short-sighted decision 50-60 years ago that is really the problem. Today, you'd have minimum 500-feet non-developable buffer zones between the collegiate and residential use and obviously the traffic infarstructure is already woefully inadequate.
The compromise may be getting the variances approved to start the dorm construction 2013, with Villanova required to get the approvals for and fund a pedestrian bridge in the next 15 years with financial penalties for failing to follow through.— eam30717 - "We're completely not in favor of this" Not a valid reason at all.
The school was there long before you were.— ak3883 - Looks like the Villanova Student Govt got their buddies to comment! Some advice and thoughts. You catch more bees with honey then vinegar. Let the neighbors compalain, because it essentially means NOTHING. Radnor Commissioners listen to NO ONE except themselves, especially when it is not an election year. Plain and simple. If you bash the home owners you just draw lines.
Also, not all residents of Radnor hate VU students. Matter of fact most like the students. We have kids, some in college, away from home. I often check in at Campus Corner, have lunch, read the student newspaper (especially the campus police report!) and enjoy seeing the kids. It might help that I grew up next to campus, learned ALL about life at VU during the 70's, crashed every frat party (TKE in Ardmore), bought Quarts from some guy in his dorm room (as did a lot of Radnor High students), grew up at Kelly's Bar, ETC!
You also have to realize that VU does NOT have a very good record when it comes to being transparent with their development and impact studies. And sometimes plans are presented with more then the developer wants, knowing the community will ask for a scale back.
Anyway, try to get along, we all don't hate you, cause if we did we would run more of you over on Lancaster Pike! Oh, and by the way, I REALLY do miss the annual Pub Crawl. Stuff like that keeps you young.
— TiredOfHacks - Why does Philly.com insist on using Temple grads to write about Villanova?— Gatto
