Urban Vibrancy
City of Arlington supports University’s mixed-use development project
Come 2012, UT Arlington and the City of Arlington will begin the next phase of their relationship. That’s when College Park—a mixed-use development just north of the planned special events center—is expected to open.
“College Park will play a critical role in building the life of our city,” Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck says. “It will be a living and shopping destination and also provide vital parking support for major downtown events.”
College Park will help create a true college town through its shops and offices and through those who take advantage of the new parking garage for special events center activities.
—James D. Spaniolo,
UT Arlington President
The $80 million project includes residence halls wrapped around an 1,800-vehicle parking garage with street-level retail and office suites south of UTA Boulevard, between Pecan and Center streets. College Park also will include a campus welcome center, a satellite campus police station, and—in response to rising demand for on-campus housing—81 apartment units.
The development marks the largest partnership to date between the University and Arlington. The city has committed up to $18 million toward the parking structure, which will serve visitors to UT Arlington’s 6,600-seat special events center currently under construction, as well as visitors to other downtown venues.
The special events center, scheduled to open in late 2011, will be home to UT Arlington basketball and volleyball but also the site of community events such as concerts and high school commencements.
“This is a model for town-gown partnerships,” says UT Arlington President James D. Spaniolo. “More and more, our students are demanding high-quality residences close to class, and College Park will help meet that need.”
Spaniolo credits Cluck with crafting a collaboration that will benefit all who want to see increased activity downtown and in the University district. The First Baptist Church of Arlington is another partner in the project, donating 1.5 acres in exchange for use of the parking facility.
“College Park will help create an urban vibrancy, a true college town, through its shops and offices and through those who take advantage of the new parking garage for special events center activities,” Spaniolo says.
Designed by Jacobs Engineering Group in Fort Worth, the facility mixes glass with metal, brick, and stone in an update to the prevalent campus architecture.
Wow looks great, I can’t wait for this to be completed!
Will the new apartment complexes allow for pets? I know that the major reason why I do not live on-campus in any of the student apartment complexes is because I have pets that I cannot just walk away from to attend college for a few years, but if the new community allows pets I would love to live there!
That aside, this sounds like an awesome, innovative concept, and totally makes Arlington a worthwhile place to be!
UT Arlington allowed cats and dogs weighing less than 25 pounds in its older apartment communities several years ago. While many students enjoyed having pets, ongoing problems with pet damage, nuisance behavior, and animal bites and scratches caused the University to reconsider this program. Ultimately, the policy allowing pets (other than fish) was discontinued for all campus apartment communities. This will include the College Park apartments. We share your enthusiasm about the upcoming College Park development. Remember, groundbreaking ceremonies are Oct. 11.