University City Projects/News

[Niner National]

In regards to a law school, would it be possible for UNCC and UNC system to annex Charlotte School of Law?

My roommate junior year was student body president, so he sat in on all the trustee meetings. He told me that UNC Charlotte had been in discussions with CSOL years ago to take over the school.

 

CSOL was in bad financial shape a couple years after opening and the owners were open to selling it to the UNC system. The merger / buyout never happened and CSOL eventually fixed their financial problems by being MUCH less selective. They've basically become like every other for-profit institution at this point. Many of their credits won't transfer to other schools from what I've been told by people that left / tried to leave.

Edited September 5, 2014 by Niner National

[cltbwimob]

From the article posted above: "Other than the high-rise dorms, the campus was a mix of brick and contemporary glass structures during the ‘70s and ‘80s. But new construction began the makeover with traditional brick buildings historically found on college campuses. Plans include putting a brick facade around those older dorms so they, too, blend into the new concept."

AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH! Please, make the brick monster stop!!

I am ambivalent about architecture on this campus. Additionally, I used to be all for a name change, but I find myself caring less about that. I am much more concerned about academic and professional programs. Higher education is a major deficiency in the Charlotte region and this university may be the only college in a position to change that fact. We need this university to become a top tier research institution; it is barely considered a research institution at all. That is why I was excited to see that the article said the university was planning these programs. That seems to go a step beyond the usual statements of interest. Edited September 6, 2014 by cltbwimob

[Rufus]

Unfortunately there are a lot of hurdles to clear just to get a Med School and a Law School in place.  First of which is to get past the BOG, which has on numerous occasions neglected to even entertain the idea.  I mean, the fact the UNC Chapel Hill planted a satellite campus of their own in the city, and just for 3rd and 4th year med students, should be a slap in the face to the people of Charlotte.  Aside from that, there is little chance of any of these professional divisions getting past the UNC CH-heavy state politicians.  

 

At one point, Presby was looking at establishing a med school with Charlotte, and they got soundly stomped on.  It's not impossible, but it's going to be damn near that to get it with the current leadership.  Naming is a different story, albeit much less important, but professional schools like Law, Medical, Journalism, etc are going to get even harder to even propose until Charlotte city leaders begin demanding such.

[cltbwimob]

Unfortunately there are a lot of hurdles to clear just to get a Med School and a Law School in place. First of which is to get past the BOG, which has on numerous occasions neglected to even entertain the idea. I mean, the fact the UNC Chapel Hill planted a satellite campus of their own in the city, and just for 3rd and 4th year med students, should be a slap in the face to the people of Charlotte. Aside from that, there is little chance of any of these professional divisions getting past the UNC CH-heavy state politicians.

At one point, Presby was looking at establishing a med school with Charlotte, and they got soundly stomped on. It's not impossible, but it's going to be damn near that to get it with the current leadership. Naming is a different story, albeit much less important, but professional schools like Law, Medical, Journalism, etc are going to get even harder to even propose until Charlotte city leaders begin demanding such.

Agreed on most points. Definitely agree that the UNC branch campus is a slap in the face of Charlotte. I wouldn't be so upset about the UNC branch campus if it was actually a full four year medical school that offered everything Chapel Hill offered. But what we did get is just pathetic.

As for Presbyterian, I don't think the BOG has much to do with that one. What they tried to do was to create a consortium of local hospitals (CMC, Presbyterian, and Caromont to be exact) to establish an independent full fledged med school. They got stomped when CMC decided that they would go along with the POS branch campus from Chapel Hill. Even Phil Dubois, (don't really know why his opinion mattered) supported the branch campus option. I guess none of these people, the denizens of Academia, have ever heard of EVMS which is hospital sponsored full fledged medical school that contributes immensely to the Norfolk economy, and could have been replicated here. What I think Presbyterian should do is the same thing Campbell did. Start a College of Osteopathic medicine in conjunction with say, Queens U., or just go it alone. Hell, a hospital in Dothan, AL did it, why couldn't a hospital as large as Presbyterian do it? We even have great people such as the Levines who could and likely would support such a venture. They donated $28 million of the $39 million construction cost for Campbell's med school.

But you are right, until our leaders demand better for the city, we will continue to get the cheap, the leftovers, the value engineered. But what makes any of us think that will happen. Our local leaders choose to chase movie studios and amateur sports complexes rather than that which would fundamentally change our economy for the better. They certainly don't have time to waste on meaningful things such as medical schools, pharmaceutical schools, and law schools.

Edited September 6, 2014 by cltbwimob

[mallguy]

As a lawyer, I don't think that law school is the way to go in that law schools outside the top tier these days are faced with sharply declining enrollments and soaring costs, meaning that ones outside the top tier are facing significant budget challenges and some, if not many, risk being forced to close.  Law schools aren't a growth area, at least until the economy turns up and lawyer hiring picks up significantly. Unfortunately Charlotte School of Law isn't in the top, middle or even lower-middle tier.

Edited September 6, 2014 by mallguy

[Niner National]

Was on campus today for the football game. I noticed that they've already cleared a lot of the trees for the area where the light rail will enter campus.

[birky]

We need this university to become a top tier research institution; it is barely considered a research institution at all.

 

 

I'm not so sure about that.  Charlotte now boasts over 20 doctoral programs, including some pretty well regarding ones.  Not to mention the CRI campus, which caters mostly to graduate-level research and has established some strong relationships with high-tech industry.

[kermit]

Nm

Edited September 7, 2014 by kermit

[DEnd]

What I think Presbyterian should do is the same thing Campbell did. Start a College of Osteopathic medicine in conjunction with say, Queens U., or just go it alone. Hell, a hospital in Dothan, AL did it, why couldn't a hospital as large as Presbyterian do it? We even have great people such as the Levines who could and likely would support such a venture. They donated $28 million of the $39 million construction cost for Campbell's med school.

I am all for Presby or someone opening a med school (DO or MD). But it also needs to establish new residency positions somewhere as well. It does no good to create a med school in the US if there are not residency positions those graduates can fill.

IF Novant really wants a Med School they need to up the trauma and (possibly) cardiac care levels at Forsyth and Presby, and create a Residency program with the two hospitals in at least internal medicine. That will give them some institutional knowledge to be able to create a Med School in association with a University in 10-15 years.

Edited September 8, 2014 by DEnd

[cltbwimob]

As a lawyer, I don't think that law school is the way to go in that law schools outside the top tier these days are faced with sharply declining enrollments and soaring costs, meaning that ones outside the top tier are facing significant budget challenges and some, if not many, risk being forced to close.  Law schools aren't a growth area, at least until the economy turns up and lawyer hiring picks up significantly. Unfortunately Charlotte School of Law isn't in the top, middle or even lower-middle tier.

 

While I agree with your point, law schools are not models for economic growth, I still believe a city the size of Charlotte could benefit from a good law school.  I do not think a hypothetical UNCC School of Law would be a top tier school, however I imagine over time it would find itself in the second tier which I think is respectable.  I will say that I think Charlotte's only chance of ever having a top tier school is if Davidson decides to start a school of law.  (There are some institutions that are heavily focused on undergraduates that still have highly regarded law schools such as Washington and Lee and University of Richmond.  I think these are the models Davidson could follow.)  To your point regarding CSOL, there was an article recently published in The Atlantic that talks about InfiLaw's schools.  To say that it is scathing would be an understatement, however it does also have some disparaging words for the lower tier not-for-profit schools. It is a long article, but it actually explains your point in great detail.

 

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/08/the-law-school-scam/375069/

 

I am one of those people who believes that great cities have great educational institutions.  Great educational institutions often have well regarded professional programs such as medicine, pharmaceutical, veterinary, and law programs.  I think it's unfortunate that Charlotte is not well represented in this arena compared to the Triangle which has three schools of medicine, three schools of pharmacy, one school of veterinary science, and four schools of law.

 

I'm not so sure about that.  Charlotte now boasts over 20 doctoral programs, including some pretty well regarding ones.  Not to mention the CRI campus, which caters mostly to graduate-level research and has established some strong relationships with high-tech industry.

 

I based my assertion on the Carnegie Foundation's ranking of research universities.  The system ranks doctoral research universities in three tiers: highest tier= very high research activity (Duke, Carolina, NC State, VCU, etc.), middle tier= high research activity (Wake Forest, ODU, UNCG), bottom tier= doctoral research university (UNCC, University of Phoenix Online).  UNCC is ranked lower than UNCG in terms of research activity, but the biggest WTF is that it was ranked in the same tier as University of Phoenix Online. 

Edited September 8, 2014 by cltbwimob

[Niner National]

Charlotte will always be handcuffed by the powers that be on the UNC BoG. The board is mostly made up of Chapel Hill alums. NC State has the second most members. ECU and App each have 1 I believe. No other school is represented.

 

I remember reading an article last year or the year before about funding for new buildings or programs and they told Charlotte they weren't getting any money because "you got money last year"

 

Meanwhile Chapel Hill gets anything it wants every damn year.

 

Charlotte has done exceptionally well considering the treatment it gets.

 

I'm optimistic it will change in time as the school grows to be the second largest in the state and the alumni base grows and ages. Right now, most of our alums are under 40 years old.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Niner National

[birky]

The BOG is handing out diminishing funds every year, anyways. At the current rate of decline, by 2050 state funding of higher education will be almost zero.  Schools are finding money other ways.

[ellifyno]

Still encouraging about the Walmart at least.

 

Wonder what kind of company could realistically fill that spot?

 

Nearly a year and a half later, it looks like we have an answer.

 

Taking a look at the website for Tricor, the company that ultimately purchased this building, it appears that they will be subdividing into five spaces with the two largest spaces already taken. The largest space (60,419 square feet) appears to be occupied by Fitness Connection, which currently operates a location just up the street on Tryon; presumably that location will move here. The next-largest space (45,945 square feet) will be occupied by Conn's HomePlus, an appliance store that is opening a similarly-sized location at Carolina Pavilion in the coming months. The remaining three spaces are two small shop spaces (7,905 and 8,000 square feet, respectively) and one bigger box (36,256 square feet).

 

I honestly wasn't sure we'd ever see anything move into this space, so it's great to see that there's some movement, and even better to see that it's not just existing retailers vacating their existing spaces to move here. The current Fitness Connection location on Tryon has been a series of 76 different gyms in the 10 years I've been here, so I have confidence that something (likely another gym) will move into that location pretty quickly.

 

In similar news, the former PetSmart near Target is now a Defy Gravity trampoline park. It actually opened a few months back, which was quicker than I expected that space to be filled. I'll admit that I never expected this particular spot to become an indoor trampoline park, but it appears to be busy every time I'm over that way. Again, it's good to see a new business for the area here, and I hope that they continue to do well. Unfortunately, the former World Market space continues its annual tradition of being leased in September and October as a Halloween store, only to be left alone for the remaining 10 months of the year. Maybe 2015 will be its lucky year.

[ArtieP]

Publix announced their next new location - the new development off of Prosperity Church Road, near Highland Creek.  Guess the entire development project is getting approved!

 

http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2013/091-103/2013-094%20site%20plan%205th%20rev.pdf

[Nolan]

Publix announced their next new location - the new development off of Prosperity Church Road, near Highland Creek.  Guess the entire development project is getting approved!

 

http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2013/091-103/2013-094%20site%20plan%205th%20rev.pdf

Sounds like bye bye Bi-Lo, however that's the only decent Bi-Lo in Charlotte I've ever been to. IMO Publix will probably kill off that Bi-Lo. 

Edited October 30, 2014 by Nolan

[southslider]

Bi-Lol is inside 485. Publix will be outside 485, like Harris Teeter.

[Nolan]

Bi-Lol is inside 485. Publix will be outside 485, like Harris Teeter.

 

Also due to the interchange construction and rerouting of Prosperity Church, Bi-Lo no longer has that visibility on a major road.  The back of it now faces a side street, a block away from the newly renamed Prosperity Church, unless you're a local to the area, you probably won't even notice that Bi-Lo. 

Edited October 30, 2014 by Nolan

[birky]

Not really new news, exactly, but worthy of note here: the new Honors College/Levine Scholars building will break ground in 2015.  For those of you familiar with the campus, it will be right where the traffic circle is at the main entrance.  The pic below also shows how the dorm towers will look once all have been renovated.

 

[Niner National]

I know most people here don't like the uniformity of the new construction on campus, but this past weekend when James Madison came to campus for football, their fans had great things to say about how nice they thought campus was.

[birky]

I know most people here don't like the uniformity of the new construction on campus, but this past weekend when James Madison came to campus for football, their fans had great things to say about how nice they thought campus was.

 

I think there's a big difference in perception when people see the CRI side of campus compared to the east side of campus.  That said, I think UNCC has made big strides in just the last few years to really improve the campus, specifically in terms of new projects and landscaping.

[dubone]

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/28512-Charlotte-NC-Supercharger/page3

 

 

Looks like the Charlotte Tesla Supercharger will go to Cochran Commons at Mallard Creek at Mallard Creek Church Rd.   

 

Exciting to see the supercharging network coming here.  I'm not sure of all the factors, but seems convenient to both 85 and 485.

[ArtieP]

University Center Apts (Mallard Creek Church & University City Blvd)

[Third Strike]

This isn't entirely relevant to UNC Charlotte, but Georgia State University wants to merge with Georgia Perimeter College (two-year college). Doing so would place the university as the largest in Georgia, as well as being one of the biggest in the nation:

 

http://getschooled.blog.ajc.com/2015/01/06/georgia-state-president-merger-with-georgia-perimeter-will-increase-gsus-impact/

 

If such an idea came up with UNC Charlotte and CPCC, would it be a good idea? I'm not familiar with a four year institute merging with a two year college, but would admissions still be low for someone wanting to get just an associate degree? It should also be noted that Perimeter was transitioning into a four year college eventually.

 

Also, the CPCC Central location near Uptown and its five other campuses would be part of UNC Charlotte. This would extend the university's reach to almost every corner of the county, and give UNC Charlotte a prominent location near Uptown.

[Niner National]

I would burn my degree if we merged with a community college.

[js4life]

CPCC already has agreements with UNCC either thru the UNC System or directly with the university itself, so what would be gained by a merger? Sounds like GSU/Perimeter College are trying to cut administrative cost IMO.