Thursday, August 5, 2010

D&C unveils three potential sites for MCC Damon campus

In last Friday's edition of the Democrat and Chronicle three potential sites for MCC's new downtown campus were unveiled. The article predates an official announcement from MCC. Here are the sites listed in the D&C:

1. Kodak's 7+ acre parking lot in high falls
2. Three Parcels on the Midtown site
3. St. Joseph's Park

I find it hard to believe that MCC was giving any serious consideration to the Kodak site because there hasn't been any dialog between the company and the college. MCC wants their downtown campus to be in the middle of downtown, and high falls is a little to far from the center for the Kodak site to be in the top of MCC's list.

Midtown would be a great place for MCC to go if the were aiming for the RBTL theater site. The other parcels listed in the D&C don't fit as well--parcels A and C flank either side of Midtown tower where high end apartments and condos will be. Parcel B is in the butt of the Cadillac hotel. That whole side of the midtown site seems better suited for office or hotel space than a community college.

The St. Joseph's Park site seems like the best of the three sites. It's a little farther off the beaten path than the midtown site, but its between the St Paul Quarter, East End/Eastman, and Main St. It will also be close to the new transit center at Mortimer St. The St. Joseph neighborhood is a blank slate because it lacks a concrete identity beyond the relic of an old church facade. MCC could redefine the neighborhood as an urban college town and spur new development around it. I see a bright future for MCC at this site:

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2 comments:

  1. Man About TownAugust 5, 2010 at 9:49 PM

    I agree that the St Joe's site is the best of the three, but I assert that there is only one choice that will be an all-around success for all parties - stay (and expand) at the Sibley Building. Winn Development of Boston has proposed a $200 million renovation of the Sibley, but it needs MCC to be a 300,000 square ft anchor tenant. If MCC leaves, the chances of revitalizing Sibley are slim to none and where will we be if Sibley is empty?

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  2. DavisAugust 6, 2010 at 12:23 PM

    Its my understanding that MCC is very unhappy with the Sibley Building. They do not like that the owners refuse to put any money in the building. They feel the building is an island that lacks interface with downtown because students can enter and exit through the attached parking deck. They also want a college green which would take a lot of creativity to put in the Sibley building.

    The reality is MCC's Damon campus is scheduled to double to 6,000 students in a few years. MCC only has $70 million to build their new downtown campus. With the cost of new construction, that amount is not enough for half of their projected space requirements. I believe they will use that money to invest in a new campus, but they will need to maintain a presence--perhaps even an expanded one--in the Sibley building. With the campus housed in several buildings, students will come out onto the streets and liven up that part of town.

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