Manhattan Development & Aggieville Parking

[Belvis Noland]

Interesting stuff over on GPC. 

FITZ on Aggieville (can't believe I actually agree with this guy)

Re: Parking in Aggieville Reply

"As the President of the Aggieville Business Association I would like to say that Legore hit the nail on the head.  Outside of Manhattan, Kansas, Aggieville is seen as the epicenter of MHK, where the city and campus meld together into one of the most unique business districts one will find in any college town.  Within Manhattan, Aggieville is seen as a pox that must be tolerated.  Right now, the city is helping downtown with its new street scaping, while mailing Aggieville letters stating that we must repair our own damn sidewalks. Somehow the city found a way to finance a parking garage that sits mostly empty next to a convention center downtown, but Aggieville will never get its own garage unless it finds a way to fund one itself.  People don't realize that these lots at night and on the weekend are open to public parking. One of the things we want to work with the University on is signage informing people of this. Another goal is to work with the University (and city) on redesigning Triangle Park so it's more usable space (with a small band shell, better seating areas and use of limestone walls, paths). The land is actually owned by the University but maintained by the city. We would also like to rename this space Tex Winter Triangle Park."

Aggieville is a great idea.  But, compared to other great mixed-use districts (6th Street and Pearl Street come to mind), Aggieville is prtty shitty.  Signage is bad.  Streetscape is horrible.  Pedestrian experience is non-existant.  No parking.  This district could truly be incrediblde.  As it is, it's decent - meh. 

Other news from GPC...

"If you are out of town you might not have heard the following: 1) Civics Plus the local software co just broke ground on a new 5 story office building to be located where the current Manhattan Appliance store is located downtown close to the Hilton Garden.They will employ about 250. Ground floor will be retail and resstarauts. 2) the vacant lot on the north west side of the Hilton Garden Inn will have a new four story appartment building owned by Hilton 3) local developer just broke ground on a five story mixed use building directly across the street on east side of Hilton Garden Inn. Ground floor will be retail and restaraunts. Upper floors office and apartments. Also GTM announced a major expansion to their current location. Another local firm is about to announce a major expansion with several hundred new jobs . Good stuff"

link for the design plans for the aggieville hotel:  http://www.cityofmhk.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/12558

[pissclams]

manhattan is no different than most college towns in that a good portion of the non-university resident tucks don't want anything to do with the university and it's kids. the bottom line is that when you get old, you get really rough ridin' dumb.

aggieville is in dire need of a face lift but i doubt that it will ever happen.  i  don't know if i agree that the district needs a parking garage though and really, i think they should close moro and remove the on-street parking within it. 

[Cartierfor3]

Everyone's solution to everything is always another parking garage. Have I ever not been able to find a parking spot? Nope. Just drive a block away and park on the street you lazy dorks.

[Boom Roasted]

manhattan is no different than most college towns in that a good portion of the non-university resident tucks don't want anything to do with the university and it's kids. the bottom line is that when you get old, you get really rough ridin' dumb.

aggieville is in dire need of a face lift but i doubt that it will ever happen.  i  don't know if i agree that the district needs a parking garage though and really, i think they should close moro and remove the on-street parking within it.

Need to do it like Iowa City has things set up.  The Ped Mall works pretty sweet and would allow for food vendors and stands to be set up in the middle.

['taterblast]

make a big lighted over hang like old town vegas

[wes mantooth]

manhattan is no different than most college towns in that a good portion of the non-university resident tucks don't want anything to do with the university and it's kids. the bottom line is that when you get old, you get really rough ridin' dumb.

aggieville is in dire need of a face lift but i doubt that it will ever happen.  i  don't know if i agree that the district needs a parking garage though and really, i think they should close moro and remove the on-street parking within it.

yeah, i really like the idea of closing the streets in Aggieville, will allow for better streetscape/landscaping, increase the pedestrian experience.

[Belvis Noland]

manhattan is no different than most college towns in that a good portion of the non-university resident tucks don't want anything to do with the university and it's kids. the bottom line is that when you get old, you get really rough ridin' dumb.

aggieville is in dire need of a face lift but i doubt that it will ever happen.  i  don't know if i agree that the district needs a parking garage though and really, i think they should close moro and remove the on-street parking within it.

Moro should be pedestrian.  No question.

Regarding the face lift, Manhattan should simply designate Aggieville as a community improvement district and impose a 1/2 or 1/8 cent sales tax.  Use these funds for maintenance and improvements.  Simple.  http://kansasstatutes.lesterama.org/Chapter_12/Article_6a/12-6a31.html

Then the olds won't have to worry about paying for anything out of the general fund.  A district of the students, for the students, and paid for by the students.     

[EMAWmeister]

make a big lighted over hang like old town vegas

Add it to the varneys sign.

Also, people that dont use the parking lot by thompson hall are either lazy or Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)

[8manpick]

Aggieville has been getting a bit of a facelift lately, especially on the east end.  All of the new buildings that have gone up are significantly nicer than the old buildings / lots they replaced.

[Belvis Noland]

Also, I don't necessarily think a parking garage is absolutely necessary or should even be a priority.  But, with how much surface lot Aggieville has, it seems like it would be a fantastic idea to condense that surface into a 3-4 level parking garage and develop the old surface lots to create a denser district with more residential.  also, the garage would be helpful, assuming all street parking were eliminated too. 

[Asteriskhead]

Question, how do we kick out Cozy Inn? That would be a substantial upgrade.

[Emo EMAW]

Get rid of the police station before Cozy Inn.

[RickRampus]

possibly incorporate a moat/lazy river into the design? 

[Belvis Noland]

possibly incorporate a moat/lazy river into the design?

it was only a matter of time

[bubbles4ksu]

in the short-term, i'm for anything that worsens the manhattan parking and traffic situation. the townies need to be shocked before they will open their eyes to the only viable solution, which is of course, a city-wide lazy river. if it takes a month long traffic jam, so be it.

[PowercatPat]

There needs to be another parking garage on campus.

[GoodForAnother]

There needs to be another parking garage on campus.

iirc the original plan was to build 4 garages and the new one was just the 1st of those, not sure if that plan has changed though.

as far as aggieville goes, whoever posted that they should designate it as a improvement district with its own sales tax and its own fund for maintenance, that makes the most sense to me.

lol @ townie government not wanting to fund it...when summer rolls around and the students are gone, the locals use/love aggieville.

[Cartierfor3]

There needs to be another parking garage on campus.

Nope. The opposite. Less parking garages.

Am I the only one who walked to class?

[GoodForAnother]

There needs to be another parking garage on campus.

Nope. The opposite. Less parking garages.

Am I the only one who walked to class?

did you ever live on campus?  the derby and strong complexes desperately need adjacent parking garages.

[wes mantooth]

There needs to be another parking garage on campus.

Nope. The opposite. Less parking garages.

Am I the only one who walked to class?

never parked on campus, EVER

[pissclams]

Regarding the face lift, Manhattan should simply designate Aggieville as a community improvement district and impose a 1/2 or 1/8 cent sales tax.  Use these funds for maintenance and improvements.  Simple.  http://kansasstatutes.lesterama.org/Chapter_12/Article_6a/12-6a31.html

why hasn't this been done?  it's a no brainer.  i have to assume Fitz has already approached the mayor and city council about it a million times.  the overwhelming majority of this type of funding would come from non-voting transients (the students), while the overwhelming benefit would go to the property and business owners. 

[steve dave]

link for the design plans for the aggieville hotel:  http://www.cityofmhk.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/12558

Location  PUD

OMG, LOL, OMG GUYS 

[Cartierfor3]

There needs to be another parking garage on campus.

Nope. The opposite. Less parking garages.

Am I the only one who walked to class?

did you ever live on campus?  the derby and strong complexes desperately need adjacent parking garages.

I lived in Haymaker, right across the hall from Ayo Saba. He and I always agreed that another parking garage wasn't needed. Its all we ever talked about.

Also, he stole Capri Suns from my fridge constantly.

['taterblast]

link for the design plans for the aggieville hotel:  http://www.cityofmhk.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/12558

Location  PUD

OMG, LOL, OMG GUYS 

 

[GoodForAnother]

There needs to be another parking garage on campus.

Nope. The opposite. Less parking garages.

Am I the only one who walked to class?

did you ever live on campus?  the derby and strong complexes desperately need adjacent parking garages.

I lived in Haymaker, right across the hall from Ayo Saba. He and I always agreed that another parking garage wasn't needed. Its all we ever talked about.

Also, he stole Capri Suns from my fridge constantly.

Well, I lived on the same floor as Freemaw his freshman year and beat him in Mario Kart a few times on the GameCube.  He always said how much a parking garage would help with football recruiting.