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President of California State University,
Fresno
11/27/06 05:18:27
The Fresno Bee's editorial [Nov. 22] questioning the reasons for
development on the southeast corner of the California State University,
Fresno, campus is curious.
The Bee has long advocated well-planned growth in the community,
supported a broad range of Fresno State endeavors and championed
quality, innovative education.
The Campus Pointe project positively fits each of those positions.
Campus Pointe is proposed for acreage most recently used as Save Mart
Center overflow parking on the eastern edge of the campus. Prior to
that, the land along Shaw Avenue was used to grow forage crops for the
campus farm. The project is under the oversight of the California State
University, Fresno Association, the Fresno State auxiliary organization
that also developed the highly successful Save Mart Center.
Ground lease revenue will be used as a component of the Save Mart Center
financing plan and will also be used to directly benefit the
university's nationally acclaimed College of Agricultural Sciences and
Technology and the farm laboratory.
Campus Pointe is similar to communities springing up around university
campuses across the nation.
Each gives residents greater opportunity to use university intellectual,
cultural and entertainment resources, adds to the local economy,
provides a core of experienced experts to teach and mentor students and
helps further diversify the campus community.
Campus Pointe will include housing for retirees seeking a campus
environment, fulfilling a need expressed by participants in Fresno
State's Osher Institute Program of classes and workshops for people 50
and older. Older people also are enthusiastic attendees at lectures,
concerts, cultural events and athletic contests on campus.
Faculty and staff who would like to live within walking distance of
work, likely will reside in Campus Pointe housing, establishing a
permanent community.
The availability of this type of housing is a very important component
in faculty recruitment. The health benefits to individuals and
environmental benefits as a whole are obvious.
The carefully planned project will vastly improve the university's
ability to host conferences, whose economic benefits spread through the
community. Campus Pointe businesses will offer job opportunities for
students, increase community use of campus facilities and upgrade the
campus area by providing service options to low-income residents and
setting a higher standard for area housing.
Hyatt Place Campus Pointe would provide 197 top-quality hotel rooms,
which are in short supply near Fresno State.
The hotel site is freeway-close to downtown Fresno's Convention and
Entertainment Center, helping make the entire community more attractive
to convention planners. The hotel/conference facility will allow Fresno
State to attract major executive and academic conferences, which will
strengthen the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the
Craig School of Business and the International Center for Water
Technology.
Campus Pointe's 14-screen movie theater will provide classrooms and
community meeting areas by day and entertainment at night for
22,000-plus students, faculty and staff, as well as for nearby residents
who can walk, bike or take a short drive to the area. The theater plans
to show "art films," something else The Bee has supported for years, as
well as Spanish-language films.
The project also will be state-of-the-art, incorporating sustainable and
environment-friendly building technologies. It also sparks the needed
widening of Chestnut Avenue and puts in place other improvements to the
infrastructure serving both the campus and the community.
Moving this project to reality, the university has scrupulously followed
all requirements to notify — and seek input from — the cities of Fresno
and Clovis, and other government agencies and the public. Fresno State
is committed to continuing its efforts in that regard.
Unfortunately, some entities and individuals have not participated in
the review process or did not raise concerns in a timely fashion, even
though notified. The draft EIR, however, offers detailed explanations
and positive solutions to many of the concerns and commits to additional
collaboration to develop final plans.
The EIR process is offering exactly what The Bee is asking for: a
thoughtful discussion of the project in partnership with all interested
agencies and individuals.
Fresno State had nearly a $507 million impact on the regional economy in
2004-05. The university is a unique force in improving Central
California's economy. Its overall economic activity is sufficient to
support 6,630 full-time jobs.
Even more importantly, its work in job development, research, the arts,
education, health care and agriculture strengthens the region in
innumerable ways.
Campus Pointe is a key ingredient in Fresno State's effort to transform
its campus and be fully engaged in building a healthier regional
economy. Developing a more vibrant community surrounding the university
and improving the area's visual and business attractiveness help fulfill
the university's leadership role in the community.
But at its heart, Campus Pointe is a significant investment in the
educational mission of Fresno State to enhance the university experience
for the students who study, work and live on our campus.
What's curious is not the university's motives, but The Bee's
questioning of this well-planned project at Fresno State that will
provide significant benefits to students and to the community as a
whole.
John D.Welty is president of California
State University, Fresno.
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