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It's clear the neighborhood is not interested in compromise.

They complain about students living in rented houses in their neighborhoods, but when it comes to building a new dorm to keep students on campus, they still complain. AU is not building a 13 floor “high-rise,” even if that would solve their housing problem. The new building will be human sized and fit organically into the neighborhood.

The Nebraska parking lot remains underutilized with about 50% of empty spots during the work week. Even during graduation, the lot doesn’t reach capacity. Building a new dorm there would not only remove the blight of a parking lot in a residential neighborhood, it still won't take away any necessary parking with their inclusion of an underground parking garage.

The neighbors bemoaned the closing of Balducci’s, complaining that AU was an unfair landlord. The reality is without local density, these local stores will never make enough to sustain themselves. Building retail into the buildings will make Ward Circle NW a walkable destination for all of those residents who live in AU Park or Spring Valley. Albeit they will likely remain cafés or restaurants, but the market forces should decide what works best.

Putting the law school at Tenley Circle not only raises the national prominence of American University and the Washington College of Law, it will bring professionalism and class to Tenleytown, which is often overrun by the abundance of high school students from Wilson High.

I believe AU’s 10-year plan has great ideas for the both the university and the neighborhood. While AU should be a good neighbor and work with the locals, I cannot help to imagine the neighbors will provide needless resistance and little compromise.

by cmc on Mar 3, 2011 11:19 am • link • report