Students at a forum last night echoed concerns that College Park is lacking a college town atmosphere and offered suggestions to SGA leaders and city officials for redevelopment in coming years.
About 50 students in the crowd said they wanted movie theaters and grocery stores within walking distance, as well as more upscale sit-down restaurants and student-oriented retail stores. They also suggested putting more symbols of university pride around town, including red road signs and university decals in local businesses.
The students, many of whom were Student Government Association members, formed small groups with District 2 Councilman Bob Catlin and Mayor Stephen A. Brayman to discuss their concerns with College Park.
"College Park is missing an intangible atmospheric thing that makes a great college town," said David Whitehill, a graduate architecture student. "Having a great college town is the reason alumni come back with their pocketbooks open, and it's 90 percent of the student experience."
Catlin said he is often approached by people with concerns about College Park's lack of a college town atmosphere. "It's second to crime [for most people]," he said.
Brayman said he was pleased that many of the students' visions for College Park are similar to those of long-time residents. "My colleagues and I have made a concerted effort to reach out to students," he said, noting that students have reciprocated and reached out to the city council.
SGA President Andrew Rose said the university is looking to build a town center on Route 1 near the Leonardtown apartments. Within the next two years, the university should have a plan to clear more than 30 acres of land by relocating the service buildings and the bus depot that currently occupy that space, he said.
The forum, organized by the SGA's College Park Economic Development Committee, was a precursor to a charrette - or meeting - they are holding on Saturday, April 8 in the architecture building. The charrette will bring together students and architecture faculty for a day-long event that will generate drawings, maps and pictures of students' visions for a new and improved College Park.
Rose said he was pleased to hear students' goals for College Park and hopes that future students will build off what the committee is starting with events like the forum and the charrette.
"People don't know how influential we can be," he said.
Contact reporter Andrew Schaefer at newsdesk@dbk.umd.edu.
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