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NCSU's Centennial & Biotech Campuses


orulz

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Actually I think you've described the current centennial plan to the letter, the only difference is that they seem to be increasingly emphasizing plentiful parking. The monorail (they call it a people mover) is still in the long-term master plan. I attended a charette where I-40 exit designs were being considered about a year ago. The residential and retail/entertainment component of Centennial has yet to be defined clearly; so far, they've just got some third-party townhomes and condos going in by the lake. They're getting closer to build-out of all the projects they had lined up for the 2000 bond issues, so a new bond issue will be needed to kickstart the next phase of construction.

Back on main campus, in the past couple of months, Riddick Stadium was demolished. They have temporary classroom space in the Riddick lot for the college of design, but the plan is to redevelop the entire area for more academic space. This is the "last fronteir", so to speak, on north campus. After that district is built out (who knows when) there will be nowhere else to grow. At that point, all new construction will take place on Centennial or the Vet School campus.

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I like that the master plan has an oval and a town square, both look promising to generating a resemblance of student life on centennial campus in the future.

The architecture looks nice, but I wonder if it will look nice as it ages. For example, Harelson looks like a nightmare now in my opinion (not sure if it was ever considered nice). Similarly, Georgia Tech's general classroom building (the name escapes me) that was relatively new already looks terrible today.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...

Yeah, how do we lose out to Richmond,VA That city is beat with crime and what not. Raleigh would be a much more desirable place. Oh well, we'll get someone else.

Land values.....this makes 7 F-500's for Richmond. And the crime mentioned is only in a few centrally located crack ridden areas. Don't get me wrong...my heart is in Raleigh but my body is in Richmond.

Richmond has a great skyline but there are several corporate parks way out now and most new relocations are going to these type parks just like Raleigh is experiencing with RTP.

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  • 10 months later...

Has anyone heard of the NCSU Centennial Biomedical Campus?

I'm an alum and I've never heard of it before. Here's the link--says they will develop 1.6M sf of space over 25 years on the land where he vet school is currently between Blue Ridge Rd, Hillsborough St, Wade Ave and I-440. NCSU just submitted a master plan to the city for review. I wonder how they are going to maintain the necessary space for the vet school (which is one of the best in the nation) and how this might compete with UNC or even the Kannapolis project?

DanR, care to take a stab at this one?

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The biomed campus, like you said, is near the vet school. There is currently one building there now but I guess they are trying to expand. This would complement the vet school rather than displacing it. NCSU really has a great niche with the agro/micro/zoology/vet fields and will most likely play to that. Centennial has been a success so far so I would imagine this will feed off of that. Carolina North will be more human health oriented so I don't see a ton of overlap between the two. NCSU's role in Kannapolis will be primarily very project-focused (a blueberry project) and won't really make much od difference at the main campus.

Biomed Campus

Edited by DanRNC
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Here is a map of the Centennial Biomed Campus master plan. I was just out that way last week and noticed that it looks as if demolition of an old research building may take place soon. Also there is a NC State Highway Patrol facility that I would imagine would have to be moved before large scale construction begins.

Map

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Here is a map of the Centennial Biomed Campus master plan. I was just out that way last week and noticed that it looks as if demolition of an old research building may take place soon. Also there is a NC State Highway Patrol facility that I would imagine would have to be moved before large scale construction begins.

Map

Thanks for the map. True to Centennial Campus form, this campus barely connects itself to the surrounding area, the surrounding area has little to no urbanity to offer the campus in terms of say walkable streets, nearby cafes, sheltered bus stops, sidewalks etc. I am sure the buildings will be pretty to some degree, all shiny and new....I do see that one street lines up with the fairgrounds entrance and some the Blue Ridge buildings are pushed up close to the street, but the campus concept up and down Blue Ridge continues to reign....I suppose the topo and site and general was a bit hard to work with, maybe its not so bad...

Edited by Jones133
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Here is a map of the Centennial Biomed Campus master plan. I was just out that way last week and noticed that it looks as if demolition of an old research building may take place soon. Also there is a NC State Highway Patrol facility that I would imagine would have to be moved before large scale construction begins.

Map

Agreed, thanks for the map. NCSU need to make the corner of Blue Ridge and Hillsborough a focus, given its proximity to the TTA regional rail station. I've had enough of this internally-focused bull**** where buildings point their rear ends towards prominent corners in what's supposed to become a walkable district.

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I would assume that since this facility is directly linked to the vet school that the location had to remain there-hence the reason why this is not on the main Centennial Campus grounds. From things I have heard there will be a lot of work done on animal pathogens/microbes. Also there will be an advanced imaging facility for large animals )cows, horses, pigs, etc.) that just is not feasible to locate on the main campus. I do think they need to design this campus to be a little bit appealing but understand the practical limitations as well.

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Two comments:

1. I see a positive that they are at least planning on retaining most of the land to the NE near 440 & Wade as open space for the Vet School animals, etc.

2. This master plan, like most others is preliminary, and given that it has been submitted for review, I'm sure the city will have plenty of comments related to the urban (or lack thereof) nature of the Blue Ridge/Hillsborough intersection.

Keep in mind that NCDOT/TTA is supposed to build a grade separation at Blue Ridge/Hillsborough so that the trains do not conflict with auto traffic at Blue Ridge Rd--that is the near/long term plan (to raise the grade of Blue Ridge over H-boro and the tracks, TIP project U-4437). I'm not sure that will help the urban form or hurt it. I guess with the station being right there it would facilitiate better ped movement as people could walk under the bridge to and from the TTA station and this campus area.

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Keep in mind that NCDOT/TTA is supposed to build a grade separation at Blue Ridge/Hillsborough so that the trains do not conflict with auto traffic at Blue Ridge Rd--that is the near/long term plan (to raise the grade of Blue Ridge over H-boro and the tracks, TIP project U-4437). I'm not sure that will help the urban form or hurt it. I guess with the station being right there it would facilitiate better ped movement as people could walk under the bridge to and from the TTA station and this campus area.

Chief, are you quite sure that they've picked that alternative? Last I'd heard, there were still other alternatives (such as this one) involving an at-grade intersection between Hillsborough and Blue Ridge.

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I hope they aren't keeping the land on the NE corner of Hillsborough/Blue Ridge "empty" to continue to allow for media parking for the NC State Fair... The land and secondary road buffer between Hillsborough/Blue Ridge and buildings is crazy. It could be for "future expansion" but the future is well spoken for with the other buildings as part of this "campus."

Turning two Hillsborough street entrances into one by combining the University Club entrance with the Vet school's is nice, but leaves a long driveway to both areas and disrupts a current grazing area. With the amount of parking in place for the existing facilities, I would guess there would be more, not less, after the additional buildings? They do not have any TTA station connectivity planned, yet do not have anywhere for students, faculty, researchers, etc. to park either. Do they think Wolfline will be enough?

The second building next to the University Club will probably be more ball room or meeting space, which I guess NCSU wants to provide to corporate "partners". The present building is nice but severely outdated, like a poor person's Bushwood.

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Last I'd heard, there were still other alternatives (such as this one) involving an at-grade intersection between Hillsborough and Blue Ridge.

Hmm, I've never seen that b4. I only knew that the grade separation was being studied there. I think that would actually be preferable to a complete grade separation--and cheaper too.

The most difficult task would be to match all of the grades with the HUGE clearance that is required over RRs (min 23' from street grade to bottom of bridge girder) while still providing clearance for TTA's and tracks and the future SEHSR corridor. You'd have to significantly elevate H-St and Blue Ridge, and lower the RR, all while trying minimize impact to neighboring properties.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Agreed, thanks for the map. NCSU need to make the corner of Blue Ridge and Hillsborough a focus, given its proximity to the TTA regional rail station. I've had enough of this internally-focused bull**** where buildings point their rear ends towards prominent corners in what's supposed to become a walkable district.

Its disappointing for NCSU to build 'suburban' in the new developments (Centennial, Biomed Campus). With such large developments that will become job and education centers for the area, the university could do so much to influence private development in those same areas and too their own benefit.

If the buildings in the Biomed Campus were built in a more urban style for example with buildings constructed up to the street edge, there could be first level retail and shops. These spaces could be left open for and filled as needed. It'll be a natural move for private developers to continue this style and also fitting to have an area already retrofitted for continued urban development.

Residential could also be incorporated by a private developer. This is prime land and should be used to the fullest. NCSU might not be able to stop sprawl in N. Raleigh but it can put a bit more thought into its new developments and make a difference in how people in this area live, work, and even play.

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  • 1 month later...

If you look here, apparently it's been named after Lonnie Poole, the final donor.

The Arnold Palmer Signature Course is planned as an 18-hole, 7,025-yard, par-71 public course. The environmentally friendly course and facilities will cover about 200 acres in the southern portion of Centennial Campus. Eventually, the facility will include a clubhouse and a 12,000-square-foot building that will house classrooms, working labs, meeting and conference rooms, and offices.

The plan is to open the golf course in spring 2009. NC State continues to raise funds for the project, which carries a total cost of about $11.6 million - all of which will be raised through private donations.

The site is just north of I-40 and west of Lake Wheeler Rd.

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