Downtown housing could benefit city
An Off-Campus Housing Resource Fair will occur on Feb. 20 in Mem. Union.
Feb. 5, 2008
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Although a 2004 report recommended downtown living increase, housing in the city has decreased in the past few years.
The report, prepared by Dallas-based consulting firm J-Quad and Associates, said downtown housing and vertical building in the city could target students.
“The presence of student housing downtown would serve to address a housing need while bringing to downtown a population base that would enliven the environment and bring excitement of college life more fully into the fabric of downtown,” the report stated.
Despite the recommendations from the report, most off-campus development has taken place further away from the city, said Ryan Krull, Off-Campus Housing coordinator for the Wellness Resource Center.
“I’d like to tell you it’s increased, but it’s significantly decreased,” Krull said. “Everything is mostly moving out into developing areas.”
Krull said there are pros and cons to developing off-campus living away from the city.
“It’s good because it helps expand the city,” he said.
Krull said this trend could hurt students, though.
“It’s not the best solution for students,” he said. “It pulls them away from the city and it’s harder to get them to businesses.”
Mayor Darwin Hindman said he wasn’t aware how large of a decrease the downtown living has experienced, but that it would still be beneficial to the city to build downtown.
“I think the best thing is housing that develops in the core of the city,” Hindman said. “It’s in reach that people can walk to campus and walk to entertainment.”
Hindman said downtown living would also help the environment and save residents costs on gas.
“They could ride their bicycles and it’d be easier to provide public transportation,” Hindman said.
Hindman said there are some people who are working on developing downtown housing, but that there hasn’t been a lot of planning that has been completed.
He said “Imagine Columbia’s Future” vision report includes some planning for downtown development that could possibly adhere to the suggestions of the 2004 report.
“There is some talk about mixed development in the downtown area,” Hindman said. “There would be a combination of housing and retail.”
The Columbia Special Business District has been a strong advocate of the downtown renovations and wants to see higher-density development.
“We’d love to see multi-story, mixed-use businesses with people living on the upper floors,” SBD Director Carrie Gartner said.
For students interested in living off-campus next year, Krull said he is conducting the Off-Campus Housing Resource Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 20 in Stotler Lounge in Memorial Union. Krull said the Housing Fair would feature 20 different landlords and Columbia Transit, Columbia Fire Department and Columbia Police Department.
“We’re just trying to inform students and provide them with the best possible off-campus living,” Krull said.
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