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UWM, neighborhood joust over proposed Columbia overhaul
University wants space, neighbors concerned about noise
By Nicole Arata
“The university needs to work with the neighborhood, not ignore it.” – Mike Rosen, Murray Hill Neighborhood Association member
Once more, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and neighborhood associations are dueling over the Columbia-St. Mary’s property.
UWM is currently trying to obtain the Columbia-St. Mary’s property adjacent to the campus. Surrounding neighborhood associations are adamantly opposed to UWM buying the property if the property is going to be used for the creation of dorms.
Neighborhood associations are protesting by putting up yellow signs demanding UWM to cap enrollment and pass on the property.
Mike Rosen of the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association believes UWM should not expand student residential halls.
“The university needs to work with the neighborhood, not ignore it,” Rosen said.
Neighbors around UWM are tired of damage caused by students spilling into homeowner’s properties, and the partying and the general noise associated with student life. Neighborhood associations are concerned over the decline in buying property on the East Side while other neighborhoods of Milwaukee continue to increase in sales.
They are urging UWM to think of other ways to expand the campus, such as merging of UW-Waukesha.
Despite the controversy, UWM officials are only in the early stages of negotiating the price of the property and the budget of the University of Wisconsin System.
Claude Schuttey, director and planning consultant for UWM, is hopeful that the deal could be done in several months. Schuttey said that the property will also provide student services and academic programs along with student residential housing.
If UWM acquires the property, 10.9 acres will be added to the campus. The parking structure on the premise would add 788 parking spaces and there would be an additional 174 surface parking spots.
The estimated cost in 2004 for renovations to the area was $81.8 million. This does not include the price of buying the property. Some of the renovations include installing fire sprinkler systems, maintaining the parking structure and connecting the property’s energy center boilers to UWM’s system.
The plan for much of the area is to give the health sciences a stable home base. The idea would be to consolidate student services to one area of the campus. Additionally, the university wants to add residential living with security to try to keep up with the demand for on-campus housing. Creating additional classrooms and carving out more academic research space will also be considered.
In the 2004 study of the property, UWM noted the neighborhood’s concern for adding more students to the campus and planned to create a buffer between the on-campus community and the nearby residents. However, specific details were not mentioned. Right now, all neighborhood members and students can do is wait.
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