Re: Campustown Revitalization
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Originally Posted by
Angie 
Yeah, a likely reason that the students primarily eat at the dining centers is because that's free - college kids don't have a ton of money, and it's not uncommon for that money to go to beer/entertainment rather than food. I know that I tend to avoid campustown just because it sucks to drive through and there's no parking - and I'm not alone. Unless those two things can change drastically, I don't see how this is going to work.
Its far from free. In 2002, it was near $8/meal. I realize you pay for it with room and board, along with tuition before the semester, but its far from free.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
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Originally Posted by
chuckd4735 Its far from free. In 2002, it was near $8/meal. I realize you pay for it with room and board, along with tuition before the semester, but its far from free.
Yes, that's obviously true. My point was that you don't have to physically have cash in your hand at the time you eat it.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Angie Yeah, a likely reason that the students primarily eat at the dining centers is because that's free - college kids don't have a ton of money, and it's not uncommon for that money to go to beer/entertainment rather than food. I know that I tend to avoid campustown just because it sucks to drive through and there's no parking - and I'm not alone. Unless those two things can change drastically, I don't see how this is going to work.
What would be nice if there is that one home style restaurant where people will eat at once and a while and take a break from the dinning centers.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Isn't it obvious? The easy money is gone, now the developers have to flatter the big brains and the kind-of-elected public servants into spending the public's money.
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Originally Posted by
Frak Gonna have a hard time finding a developer like that in this economy, but at least they are putting forth an effort. One thing is for sure, the area has a LOT of people nearby, so that's at least a plus. I have a hard time believing that ISU is going to lease a bunch of office space with the new buildings going up on campus and the number of employees not exactly increasing.
I do like that the university and the city are working together here. Maybe they DO understand how important Campustown is to both.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Angie Yes, that's obviously true. My point was that you don't have to physically have cash in your hand at the time you eat it.
I figured, but I think with more food options closer to Campus, some people would think twice about buying a meal plan.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Angie Yeah, a likely reason that the students primarily eat at the dining centers is because that's free - college kids don't have a ton of money, and it's not uncommon for that money to go to beer/entertainment rather than food. I know that I tend to avoid campustown just because it sucks to drive through and there's no parking - and I'm not alone. Unless those two things can change drastically, I don't see how this is going to work.
Well, there is the alt proposal to put in the parking garage across from Chamberlain, but here's my issue. That proposal still has what is now Jimmy John's destroyed and replaced by a parking lot. Why? There's not one, but two parking garages within 3 blocks (Would be Lot 22 now? and the MU)
On that note, what's wrong with the MU parking garage?
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Angie Yeah, a likely reason that the students primarily eat at the dining centers is because that's free - college kids don't have a ton of money, and it's not uncommon for that money to go to beer/entertainment rather than food. I know that I tend to avoid campustown just because it sucks to drive through and there's no parking - and I'm not alone. Unless those two things can change drastically, I don't see how this is going to work.
Campustown restaurants need to band together and develop a 'meal plan' system where students can use them at any campustown restaurants. There are enough down there to make this happen.
Little Taipai
Pizza Pit
Jimmy Johns
Subway
Battles (Open?)
Jeff's Pizza
Angie's Kitchen
Famous Wok
Bali Satay House
Fighting Burrito
Es Tas
I'm probably missing some
Meal plans of 3, 5, or 7 a week at reasonable prices or different price levels would do very well in Campustown.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
chuckd4735 I figured, but I think with more food options closer to Campus, some people would think twice about buying a meal plan.
SCNCY's idea of family-style dining could promote that, too. That's the beauty of pizza for college kids - you throw in a couple of bucks with some others, and you get a meal. It has to be hard for a new restaurant that isn't fast-food, though, to go to a place that's fairly inaccessible/undesirable to the business and family clientele. The incentives would obviously help - it would probably be smart to try and get more restaurants like Es Tas in that double as both a bar and a restaurant.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
superfan Well, there is the alt proposal to put in the parking garage across from Chamberlain, but here's my issue. That proposal still has what is now Jimmy John's destroyed and replaced by a parking lot. Why? There's not one, but two parking garages within 3 blocks (Would be Lot 22 now? and the MU)
On that note, what's wrong with the MU parking garage?
According to the plan (Concept 1), there wold be 2 levels of office space and 2 levels of parking, which by the picture would be the two top levels. I would hope that the 2 office spaces would be split between the bottom being retail and the middle being strictly office.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
superfan Well, there is the alt proposal to put in the parking garage across from Chamberlain, but here's my issue. That proposal still has what is now Jimmy John's destroyed and replaced by a parking lot. Why? There's not one, but two parking garages within 3 blocks (Would be Lot 22 now? and the MU)
On that note, what's wrong with the MU parking garage?
Nothing's wrong with it per se, but you don't want to park three blocks away and walk if you're just running in to grab a quick bite or to stop at a business. If I've only got an hour for lunch, I don't want to wait for two different stoplights and potentially have to run back to my car (then sit in line at the MU) to get back to work in time. It's impractical to do that when I can park right outside the door at La Fuente or Hickory Park. Campustown is also not incredibly near most of the major employers in Ames, so it's a further drive than a restaurant on, say, South Duff.
I am not at all bagging on Campustown - I love Campustown. It's just impractical to the average working townsperson to go there during the day.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SCNCY According to the plan (Concept 1), there wold be 2 levels of office space and 2 levels of parking, which by the picture would be the two top levels. I would hope that the 2 office spaces would be split between the bottom being retail and the middle being strictly office.
OK, I misread the document. I saw the parking lot drawn out and thought they would be leveling the buildings. This makes much more sense.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
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Originally Posted by
Angie Nothing's wrong with it per se, but you don't want to park three blocks away and walk if you're just running in to grab a quick bite or to stop at a business. If I've only got an hour for lunch, I don't want to wait for two different stoplights and potentially have to run back to my car (then sit in line at the MU) to get back to work in time. It's impractical to do that when I can park right outside the door at La Fuente or Hickory Park. Campustown is also not incredibly near most of the major employers in Ames, so it's a further drive than a restaurant on, say, South Duff.
I am not at all bagging on Campustown - I love Campustown. It's just impractical to the average working townsperson to go there during the day.
Occasionally, I do like to go to Stomping Grounds, although more for Saturday breakfast or Friday night than at lunch time. It's a bit easier with on-street parking, but there are meters, same as downtown.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Haverhill Campustown restaurants need to band together and develop a 'meal plan' system where students can use them at any campustown restaurants. There are enough down there to make this happen.
Little Taipai
Pizza Pit
Jimmy Johns
Subway
Battles (Open?)
Jeff's Pizza
Angie's Kitchen
Famous Wok
Bali Satay House
Fighting Burrito
Es Tas
I'm probably missing some
Meal plans of 3, 5, or 7 a week at reasonable prices or different price levels would do very well in Campustown.
Don't know if they would go for it, or how the collections would work, but this seems like a very interesting idea.
Re: Campustown Revitalization
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Originally Posted by
CycloneErik Don't know if they would go for it, or how the collections would work, but this seems like a very interesting idea.
I think I went on a rant on this.
With the way ISU Dining is currently set up, it'd be tough to swing, since they're getting paid in full up front and allowing the student to (unknowingly) waste their money by missing meals. Right now, if you eat in Campustown, you're really paying twice, money to the restaurant, and to ISU for the meal you didn't eat.
What you'd probably have to do is get all the businesses to buy in and pay a fee to ISU Dining to be included on the meal plan. ISU would then reimburse the restaurant when a student eats there. You'd have to cap the price to make it fair for the businesses, because nothing is precluding a student from going and buying $50 of food for one 'meal'. You either have to track all the money spent by ISU students or define a "meal" as $X of food, and if they want more they have to pay with Dining Dollars or out of pocket.
Convoluded, but possible
Re: Campustown Revitalization
Quote:
Originally Posted by
superfan I think I went on a rant on this.
With the way ISU Dining is currently set up, it'd be tough to swing, since they're getting paid in full up front and allowing the student to (unknowingly) waste their money by missing meals. Right now, if you eat in Campustown, you're really paying twice, money to the restaurant, and to ISU for the meal you didn't eat.
Convoluded, but possible
It depends on what plan you get. My Freshmen and sophmore Year I got the weekly meal plan. But my Junior semester I went strictly with dinning dollars and will continue to do so since I found my self eating more at the union and wanted more choices then just the meals thatI would get with the meals plan. Plus with the dinning dollars you get a discount. 600 dinnind dollars for only $540.
