Rethinking the Urban Conversation in a College Town

Rethinking the Urban Conversation: RethinkCollegePark.net Robert Goodspeed PhD Student M.I.T. Department of Urban Studies and Planning October 16 th , 2009

Outline
Project context
Website structure, content, and participants
Reflection and emerging hypotheses

College Park, MD

Planning Geographies

Rapid Changes Proposed
Billions in investment over the next 10-15 years:
East Campus Development Initiative (expected well in excess of $500 million)
Purple Line
M-Square Research Park ( extensive office, 490 condos)
Private Investments in the pipeline
Mosaic at Turtle Creek (8 stories 300 condos behind Hillel)
City Hall project (9 stories, 165 condos, 350 space downtown garage, retail)
Northgate (17 stories 204 condos, retail)
Starview Plaza (110 units, office, retail)
University View Overlook (office, retail)
Berwyn House Apartments (additional 72 units)
CP Metro Station (400 condos)
Hillcrest Height (140-160 condos, retail – now considering combining with Lasicks and providing student housing)
Mazza Grandmarc Apartments (211 unit student housing – North CP)
Camden at College Park (500 condos, retail)
Greenbelt Station (2,000 townhomes, office, retail)
Former NOAA site in Riverdale Park (460 units)
Connector Road

Complex Policy Environment

The Cast of Characters University Administration City of College Park State of Maryland Prince George’s County University Students & Staff

Purple Line

East Campus

Community Character

Rethink College Park “ Our mission is to help transform College Park into a great college town. We believe in full access to information, public dialogue, and the power of creative ideas” Posts by Contributor David 155 38.0% Rob 125 30.6% Clay 48 11.8% Eric 31 7.6% Chris E. 16 3.9% Matt 6 1.5% Reza 6 1.5% Chris W. 4 1.0% Evan 4 1.0% Sam S. 4 1.0% Sarah 2 0.5% Albert 1 0.2% Andrea 1 0.2% Bob 1 0.2% Danielle 1 0.2% Jesse 1 0.2% Sam M. 1 0.2% Sean 1 0.2% Totals 408 100.0%

Topics

Visual Library

Who Participates? 71.6% left one comment

Whiter the “H”? (History)

Emerging Hypothesis
Information drives the discussion
The urban conversation is already online
The web can facilitate participation
Changing professional boundaries

Theory
Communicative action?
Non-Euclidian planning?
Lessons for E-Government?
New Media and Urban Politics?

Imagining a great college town for a great university Robert Goodspeed M.I.T. Department of Urban Studies and Planning web.mit.edu/rgoodspe/www [email_address] www.rethinkcollegepark.net

Rethinking the Urban Conversation in a College Town

by Robert Goodspeed

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