Campustown Redevelopment

[Messi]

I guess I don't see why that is a thing people want, to show the kids where you hung out during college? Or do you mean to go there on game nights and then walk to the game? Or I guess maybe because it's harder for places to survive only being used by college kids?

I kind of don't mind having Campustown be for college kids mostly, although Macubana ******* owns, and then the rest of the city is basically for everyone. I pretty much avoid Campustown from September until May for the most part.

parents coming to see their kids would probably enjoy a walkable restaurant close to campus they could take them out to instead of getting in their car and driving to Duff

similar for basically any adult visiting campus for business not wanting fast food, dining hall or bar.

 

[3TrueFans]

seems similar to this driveway which was approved and built just a 1/4 mile east

View attachment 127221

He wanted an alley or something right? I don't know anything about city design or whatever but I suppose that's a fairly different use case from a parking entrance.

 

[cycloneG]

parents coming to see their kids would probably enjoy a walkable restaurant close to campus they could take them out to instead of getting in their car and driving to Duff

similar for basically any adult visiting campus for business not wanting fast food, dining hall or bar.

Don't go to Duff! Much better options in downtown or Sommerset

 

[Messi]

Don't go to Duff! Much better options in downtown or Sommerset

agree just making the point that anywhere "nice" in ames requires getting in car or bus if departing from campus

 

[Al_4_State]

I guess I don't see why that is a thing people want, to show the kids where you hung out during college? Or do you mean to go there on game nights and then walk to the game? Or I guess maybe because it's harder for places to survive only being used by college kids?

I kind of don't mind having Campustown be for college kids mostly, although Macubana ******* owns, and then the rest of the city is basically for everyone. I pretty much avoid Campustown from September until May for the most part.

It doesn't really bother me either, but I think a lot of people DO want to be able to come back around where they hung out in college without being in a spot that's 100% college kids.

Campustown is kind of like Hampsterdam in The Wire to me. It's a section to just let 18-22 year olds do their thing and everyone else stay out of the way.

That said, I find both Es Tas and Welch Ave Station to be places I can go enjoy a good meal, a few beers, and have games on TV without feeling like some old out of place weirdo when in Ames.

 

[3TrueFans]

parents coming to see their kids would probably enjoy a walkable restaurant close to campus they could take them out to instead of getting in their car and driving to Duff

similar for basically any adult visiting campus for business not wanting fast food, dining hall or bar.

There are some places in Campustown that are fine for that, Macubana, Bar la tosca, Beaudalaire, I think there's a Field house bar & grill but I've never been there.

 

[Nor'easter]

I've been to a lot of away games too, and never really came to this conclusion. I think other campus districts are nicer for alumni and adults, but I don't think any of them would have been any more of a draw to my 21 year old self, who is their main market.

That said, I don't understands why Ames' Campustown can't be more appealing to the alumni crowd. Most campus districts feel a lot more like downtown Ames than they do Campustown, and IMO downtown Ames is pretty nice.

IMO, ISU alums have a weird fetish about whining about Ames. It's a pretty nice college town and all of us had a great time there. Most visitors leave with a positive impression too. WAS and Es Tas are absolutely awesome college sports bar dives, and really the only thing that Campustown is truly missing from a student experience stand point is a live music venue on par with what Peoples was.

TLDR Campustown could and should be better, but it's not anywhere near as bad as people on this board like to paint it.

I think it all comes down to the fact that campaustown and downtown Ames exist as separate districts in Ames. Most college towns the size of Ames only have one major central business district so it has to appeal to both college kids and working adults. Plus now we're getting CyTown so that'll further dilute things.
Also I think most alums when they're back they're back for football games or basketball games? So they're just tailgating (football) and then leave and maybe don't spend much time in Campustown.
Campustown looks like a shell of itself even from 5 years ago. Literally looks like it was shelled and bombed with that empty lot on Lincoln Way.
Cyclone fanatic should crowd source a bar there and only sell Ames Lager.

 

[ISUTex]

UNI has to battle the Hill vs Downtown thing, too....
The Hill has a few nice places to hang, but the downtown has really morphed into a bar/entertainment district. The old downtown CF used to have nice small shops and businesses with a few bars sprinkled in... now it's mostly bars and restaurants. My fave is the Blue room with the old Orange Crush sign out front. God Bless the dives!

Is Toad's still downtown? I remember back in the 90's there was a biker bar downtown that you really didn't want to go into. Can't remember the name.

 

[Al_4_State]

The Hill is dead. Two okay bars (The Octopus and Cooper's), two college bars (Social House and Sharky's) and then a bunch of tattoo shops, tobacco shops and Sub City. I don't even know if it's savable anymore.

Main is much better. Shout out Cypress Lounge and The Landmark in that dive bar vein!

The Octopus is alright. I've stopped there before a UNI basketball game. Are the Library and OP gone? I never minded them back in the day either.

 

[cyclonedave25]

Was Charlie Yoke's that last bar that was in there? I think it was Headliners before that.

Speaking of Headliners, I still have my mug from that place and I still use it every day.
I graduated in 2009, so you could say it’s a high quality plastic mug.

 

[MJ271]

He wanted an alley or something right? I don't know anything about city design or whatever but I suppose that's a fairly different use case from a parking entrance.

For pedestrians, a parking entrance with a garage door probably does increase safety some, too, because it's more clear when cars are entering and exiting.

 

[cycloneG]

agree just making the point that anywhere "nice" in ames requires getting in car or bus if departing from campus

There's kind of a reason for that. College kids trash places. Does anyone remember the deterioration of Mojazz? Nice bar when it first opened. Dive bar within three months.

 

[Die4Cy]

When I left Cy's the last time after having a few beers with friends after a game the guy at the door said, "thanks for stopping by, Pops."

It can be true and still hurt a little.

 

[3TrueFans]

I don't really want to go where college kids go at this point in my life, and thinking back to when I was in college I think I preferred Campustown being a place that wasn't full of old people.

Maybe CyTown will be the happy medium between Downtown and Campustown people are looking for.

Although wanting to come back as like a 30 year old dude and hang out with a bunch of college kids is kind of weird, that part of your life has come and gone.

 

[Havs]

I do worry that Ames has too many "districts" already, between Downtown, Campustown and Somerset. Add in the fact that a lot of iconic places for Ames aren't even located in any of those districts, like Provisions, Hickory Park, West Towne Pub, etc. and the whole development/entertainment pattern of the town just feels disjointed at best.

 

[Al_4_State]

I don't really want to go where college kids go at this point in my life, and thinking back to when I was in college I think I preferred Campustown being a place that wasn't full of old people.

Maybe CyTown will be the happy medium between Downtown and Campustown people are looking for.

Although wanting to come back as like a 30 year old dude and hang out with a bunch of college kids is kind of weird, that part of your life has come and gone.

You live in Ames, right? The crowd that is interested in this is generally people who live elsewhere and are back in Ames on a very rare basis to attend a game or campus event or whatever. The idea of occasionally reminiscing about youth, especially if meeting up with the people you shared it with, doesn't seem that weird to me. These people aren't seeing reminders of their college experience every day the way someone who lives there would.

It's a way of temporarily reconnecting with a time in people's lives that they typically view fondly. Many met their spouses or made lifelong friends in those places.

For most people it's not part of some extended pathetic attempt to remain young as much as it is an occasional sentimental return.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

The Octopus is alright. I've stopped there before a UNI basketball game. Are the Library and OP gone? I never minded them back in the day either.

The OP moved to Main Street and The Library got sold and doesn't appear to open regularly anymore.

 

[ISUTex]

UNI has to battle the Hill vs Downtown thing, too....
The Hill has a few nice places to hang, but the downtown has really morphed into a bar/entertainment district. The old downtown CF used to have nice small shops and businesses with a few bars sprinkled in... now it's mostly bars and restaurants. My fave is the Blue room with the old Orange Crush sign out front. God Bless the dives!

Is Toad's still downtown? I remember back in the 90's there was a biker bar downtown that you really didn't want to go into. Can't remember the name.

 

[3TrueFans]

You live in Ames, right? The crowd that is interested in this is generally people who live elsewhere and are back in Ames on a very rare basis to attend a game or campus event or whatever. The idea of occasionally reminiscing about youth, especially if meeting up with the people you shared it with, doesn't seem that weird to me. These people aren't seeing reminders of their college experience every day the way someone who lives there would.

It's a way of temporarily reconnecting with a time in people's lives that they typically view fondly. Many met their spouses or made lifelong friends in those places.

For most people it's not part of some extended pathetic attempt to remain young as much as it is an occasional sentimental return.

Ok, I get that, but I also don't think it would make sense to cater more to those people that are coming back just once in a while rather than the kids that are their all the time. Obviously there's nothing that says you can't go back to Welch Ave, but yeah it may feel weird if you go there on a Friday night.

I do think there are some good local spots like the ones I mentioned that are in Campustown and are totally for everyone, but I think it makes sense that the bars are geared for 21 year olds rather than alumni.

 

[Al_4_State]

The OP moved to Main Street and The Library got sold and doesn't appear to open regularly anymore.

I've seen the Main Street OP and didn't realize it was a move (assumed just a new location).

I went to a UNI basketball game in February of '23 and that's the last time I've been on the Hill. None of this surprises me.