Anchored by College Park Center, the College Park District features a residence hall and apartments for 600 students, restaurants, parking structures, a welcome center, and a park.
Urban Vibe
Multi-use College Park development ramps up college town zeal
Winter 2012 · Comment ·
The most ambitious construction project in UT Arlington history is now complete. On Nov. 19 the final phase of the College Park District, the mixed-use College Park facility, held its grand opening.
“Our students now have a destination where they can live, study, dine, and catch a show or a game.”
Practically a campus in itself, the College Park District creates a true college town environment in downtown Arlington where students, neighbors, and visitors can intermingle while enjoying entertainment, sports, and restaurants. Earlier this year, the area’s centerpiece, College Park Center, opened to wide acclaim, along with its neighbor, The Green at College Park.
The last piece to the puzzle, College Park, features two state-of-the-art residential complexes, The Lofts at College Park and Vandergriff Hall, both of which opened in August. The facilities add about 600 students to the University’s thriving residential population, which now numbers more than 5,000.
“The students are really excited to live here and are impressed by how nice it is,” says operations management senior Chris Ehiogu, one of Vandergriff Hall’s residential advisers. “When people come to games or special events, they’ll get a glimpse of Vandergriff and The Lofts and see all the growth UTA is experiencing.”
Students living in College Park are just a short walk from a number of restaurants located on the ground floor of the building. These include Pie Five Pizza Co., which specializes in personal-size pizzas assembled and baked in front of the customer; Pho Xpress, a Vietnamese-style noodle house; Blaze’s Sports Grill, a sports-themed eatery located across from the College Park Center entrance; GRIP Mediterranean Grill; Coolberry Yogurt; Digg’s Taco Shop; and Smiling Moose Deli.
In addition, College Park houses an 1,800-vehicle parking facility for both the University and the city; a University police substation; and the 7,000-square-foot Dan Dipert University Welcome Center, named after the CEO of Dan Dipert Travel & Transportation Ltd., who contributed to its funding. The center serves as the new front door for UT Arlington, showcasing the University as a destination for prospective students, their families, and visitors. It is expected to attract more than 20,000 visitors a year.
“It’s thrilling to see Arlington’s first urban village take root on the UT Arlington campus,” President James D. Spaniolo says. “Our students now have a destination where they can live, study, dine, and catch a show or a game. The College Park District is a beacon for everyone who wants to experience the excitement of a thriving college town.”
