M e e t i n g     N o t e s     

Meeting Subject:                   Community Advisory Committee Meeting

Location:                               UNLV Foundation Building

Meeting Date / Time:             March 14, 2002 / 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.        

Issue Date:                            March 28, 2002

Participants:                         See Attached Sign-In Sheet

Prepared By:                         SmithGroup JJR

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this meeting was to introduce the Campus Master Plan process to the Community Advisory Committee.  This session was intended to generate ideas and issues regarding the existing campus and community conditions and projected needs related to the upcoming UNLV Master Plan.  The committee members raised ideas, comments, and suggestions referencing six (6) category / topic boards.  The following text summarizes the comments that were recorded during this session.  In an effort to rank the relative importance of the issues, each committee member was given four colored stickers to "cast votes" on the issues that they deemed most important.  Items with parenthesis and a number indicate how the votes were cast.

Environment

·         Add more student life activities / facilities to campus. (2 votes)

·         There is nothing to keep students on campus after hours. (1 vote)

·         UNLV is perceived as a self-contained campus.

·         The quality of the physical environment is not commensurate with the quality of research/education and academics at UNLV.

·         The Engineering Building's "Great Hall" is example of a quality gathering space.

·         UCLA is considered a model institution (benchmark).

·         Add more places "to see and be seen" on campus.  The Lied Library was sited as an example.

Campus/Community - Edge/Interface

·         The first impression of campus is parking and parked cars.  This needs to be improved! (6 votes)

·         Redefine and revitalize the vision of Tropicana and Maryland Parkway without reducing traffic capacity. (4 votes)

·         Link transportation technology with University initiatives. (2 votes)

·         Increase UNLV's exposure to other city groups . "ask them what they need vs. telling them what you're doing." (1 vote)

Maryland Parkway

·         Explore opportunities for mixed-use development on the east side of the parkway.  Use the mixed-use to minimize pedestrian conflicts when crossing the parkway. (7 votes)

·         Consider eliminating or reduce traffic on Maryland Parkway.  Can a tunnel be built?  Elevated walkway? (3 votes)

·         Minimize the presence of cars along the parkway.

Linkages

·         Mass transit needs to be improved as a means to get to campus. (2 votes)

·         What is the status of the monorail?  Consider a potential to link to campus. (1 vote)

·         Pedestrian movement from the residential areas to the east (of Maryland) is a safety issue. (1 vote)

·         Edge definition?  Where does campus begin? (1 vote)

·         The one-way streets adjacent to campus are problematic.

·         The student population (east of campus) within ½ mile is important.  There are zip code destination statistics on record.  UNLV to get this data for the consultant team.

·         A major overhaul to Maryland Parkway is forthcoming.  This is targeted to be a major mixed-use area.

·         Future traffic patterns cannot constrict Maryland Parkway.  There is a major regional shopping destination to the south.

·         There are poor links to the airport from campus.

Circulation

·         Better signage is needed for vehicular circulation. (6 votes)

·         Consider bus "turn-outs" on the roads adjacent to campus. (3 votes)

·         Consider a welcome center on campus. (3 votes)

·         An ongoing RTC study is examining Flamingo Road, Tropicana Avenue, Maryland Parkway, and others including alternative transportation modes (bus, light rail, fixed guide way, etc.).  This could be important to UNLV. (3 votes)

·         Create a transit system from the McCarran International Airport to campus and to town.

·         UNLV is a transportation (car) culture. 

·         Walking distance, for students, from "car to classroom" is relatively small.

·         UNLV is not a user-friendly campus.  It is inaccessible, inadequate, and keeps people away from campus.  For example, what do you do after you get off Maryland Parkway?

Other Issues

·         The campus needs an entrance.  Where do you "start"? (8 votes)

·         Consider satellite campuses in the Las Vegas valley. (4 votes)

·         Image elements are needed.  There is no consistent architecture on campus. (3 votes)

·         Create affordable off-campus housing. (2 votes)

·         The businesses around campus are not doing as well as they could or should. (1 vote)

·         Can growth go east from I-95? (1 vote)

·         The Moyer Student Union does not serve the campus adequately (it is currently far from many places).  Consider satellite unions.

·         UNLV priority projects are 1) Engineering and Technology Building, 2) Student Services Building Addition, 3) Greenspun College of Urban Affairs Building.

·         The Business & Engineering Colleges are and should become more of an asset to the community.

·         The safety of the student population (east of campus) is an issue. There are questionable properties east of Maryland.

·         Determine the FTE to student ratio.  How does this compare to the perception of a commuter campus and "older student population"?

·         Where do "young marrieds and graduate students" live?  Consider this in the Master Plan.

·         The Las Vegas valley and communities surrounding UNLV have a homeless and mental health population that "affect site design" on campus.

Respectfully submitted by:

SmithGroup JJR

 << Back to Products