UCF in downtown

[Jernigan]

UCF has a very minimal presence in downtown Orlando. As an alum, I love our campus and love that it is in a "bubble" in East Orlando. It is a nice alternative to the integrated layouts that most campuses have - especially those in downtown areas (Not Gainesville/Tally/Temple Terrace...think Georgia State, NYU or Boston U)

UCF is one of the 5-6 largest schools in the country - and in particular, UCF's business school is the 2nd largest in the nation - only because the SUNY system counts as 1 school in the rankings.

"What If"....UCF moved their upper level business courses to a nice building downtown? Some immediate benefits that come to mind are:

- Student spending in downtown eateries cafes etc in the daytime hours when the normal lunch crowds aren't keeping businesses busy.

- Imagine you're a student who takes a lynx bus from the main campus to downtown - goes to your internship until 5PM and have plenty of time to walk to your 6PM class that is now also downtown and then can take a bus back to campus. The free UCF shuttle could probably stop by downtown on their way back from Rosen every day. I remember taking 6PM classes and having to rush back to UCF and find parking after my internship.

It seems like a win win!

[JFW657]

Sounds like a pretty good idea, but I don't know about relying on Lynx as the method of transportation. It would take over an hour each way. If the shuttle, did the transportation each way that would be better, but of course, more expensive to operate.

[dpalum]

Sounds like a pretty good idea, but I don't know about relying on Lynx as the method of transportation. It would take over an hour each way. If the shuttle, did the transportation each way that would be better, but of course, more expensive to operate.

[JFW657]

I think that a downtown campus would be a good idea for the upper level business courses, maybe even the graduate business program. However, transportation would be a problem. The expense of leasing space in a building downtown (or building a new building) and providing transportation from the main campus would probably outweigh the novelty of having a downtown campus. And even if UCF does not provide transportation, parking and/or living downtown would be a burdensome expense for broke college/graduate students (like me).

That said, isn't UCF occupy space in the Marriott across from the Amway Arena? And, I think I recall there being talk of a "creative village" in the Orlando Centroplex. If the city indeed aspires to attract students, middle-income families and UCF downtown, then the Centroplex would be the perfect location for this development. Affordable living downtown would really change the dynamics of this city.

[jack]

The Executive Learning Center ( I think that is the name) is on Pine in the Ying building. They offer MPA's and MBA's forpeople that are taking night classes.

[sunshine]

UCF would not increase anything downtown. They actually have a downtown campus already. You can wish for Full Sail or Famu to expand.

Isnt Valencia has a downtown campus too?

If UCF was in downtown, we would be like Austin.

[dpalum]

UCF would not increase anything downtown. They actually have a downtown campus already. You can wish for Full Sail or Famu to expand.

Isnt Valencia has a downtown campus too?

If UCF was in downtown, we would be like Austin.

[jack]

Valencia does not have students downtown. If UCF had a greater presence, we would be better off. Students have to eat and live so our retail options would probably double. We could potentially double our population downtown as well. Every great downtown and even average ones have a strong university presence.

[dpalum]

Valencia does not have students downtown. If UCF had a greater presence, we would be better off. Students have to eat and live so our retail options would probably double. We could potentially double our population downtown as well. Every great downtown and even average ones have a strong university presence.

[FrigginGr8est]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didnt UCF consider taking over Amway Center after the new Events Center was completed but backed out because of budget problems?

[prahaboheme]

Would a presence downtown make UCF the first state school to do so?

I agree with the statement that most great downtowns have a university presence and a lot of smaller college towns have an unparalleled sense of vibrancy (think Ann Arbor, Annapolis, Amherst, Berkeley) that is created by the intellectual community that resides there. It would be a nice change to see the academic community downtown as opposed to just party goers and the 9-5 crowd.

[sunshine]

UCF can build an architecture school downtown if they ever going to get an architecture school.

[cloudship]

I am all for having college campuses in the downtown area. I think it goes both ways - the city gains with more people and a more culture, while the school gains because the students actually become part of a community, not just a hosing complex. One big difference I find with schools located in urban areas versus closed-campus schools is that students in the open campuses tend to have a much broader experience, while those in the closed schools tend to develop into more of a "party" atmosphere.

i also think there is a huge payback if the city government and the business community get involved. Students can often times add much needed spirit, innovative ideas, and the ability to build fro the ground up.If you do have a graduate or senior level business program downtown, that should be treated as an incubator - a chance for students to combine real life practice with theory, and for the city to focus on it's own needs versus finding a fit with national companies.

I think the best college tie-ins come from the more creative programs, however. These are the people who most fit n urban lifestyle. I would love it if Full Sail put a campus downtown. I would love to see more architecture and graphic design programs from UCF there.

I think Valencia might also be a good fit, particularly if they brought in design classes of their own. While normally community colleges tend to be fairly decentralized, Valencia has a pretty strong college culture. By connecting with a downtown location, they can broaden that sense of campus and culture - in effect the whole downtown area can in fact become the expanded campus. As community college students tend to be more integrated with the community versus fully matriculated 4 year students, this might solidify a sense of combined campus and city.

[JFW657]

Atlanta has several universities in the downtown area including Georgia State, Emory & Georgia Tech.

Not a bad list.

[GTR]

As much as I think UCF adds to the urban spread feeling of Orlando, creating its own world out there, I don't see a reason to change it. Why mess with a good thing, having spent time at almost every Florida University I can tell UCF provides the best mix of a small college town environment (Gainesville/Tallahassee) with the conviences of a major city 15 minutes away. Its the best of both worlds and probably has helped it grow so quickly. And our downtown is young enough as is, especially at night. Reaching out to businesses and families would be money better spent.

One thing that would be truly awesome is if the rumors of the FAMU Law takeover are true, would be to build the campus up and the area around it. UCF would have more clout and obviously better finances to do that.

[dpalum]

As much as I think UCF adds to the urban spread feeling of Orlando, creating its own world out there, I don't see a reason to change it. Why mess with a good thing, having spent time at almost every Florida University I can tell UCF provides the best mix of a small college town environment (Gainesville/Tallahassee) with the conviences of a major city 15 minutes away. Its the best of both worlds and probably has helped it grow so quickly. And our downtown is young enough as is, especially at night. Reaching out to businesses and families would be money better spent.

One thing that would be truly awesome is if the rumors of the FAMU Law takeover are true, would be to build the campus up and the area around it. UCF would have more clout and obviously better finances to do that.

[RedStar25]

Downtown YES!!!!!