How can USF get rid of their "commuter" image?

[BoozedUpBull]

Get rid of the golf course and put a stadium on the corner of Fletcher and 46th St.  You could have a strip on the side of the stadium on Fletcher and another on 46th with bars, clubs, restaurants and stores and plenty of parking all around it.

[UsfGoose]

Get rid of the golf course and put a stadium on the corner of Fletcher and 46th St.   You could have a strip on the side of the stadium on Fletcher and another on 46th with bars, clubs, restaurants and stores and plenty of parking all around it.

That would be awesome!.  ..That is walkable from the Greek Village and majority of the dorms. 

[RickUSF]

Get rid of the golf course and put a stadium on the corner of Fletcher and 46th St.   You could have a strip on the side of the stadium on Fletcher and another on 46th with bars, clubs, restaurants and stores and plenty of parking all around it.

I read somewhere that that area is not big enough for a stadium because of a preserve right next to the golf course.  I'm all for tearing down the golf-course tho.  I'm not sure how much money that thing makes, but it wont nearly be the same amount that an entertainment complex would make.

[Paisa el Toro]

Yes, there are wetlands down that portion of Fletcher Avenue that make development of that land near impossible due to the regulations.

I still think that the University Mall will be disposed of, and USF will be the first potential suitor for that property. It's big enough for stadium, parking, and adding an entertainment complex to compliment the stadium. The only issue I have is the surrounding area (suitcase city) would be a serious disinsentive to a university-centric entertainment complex.

[WoolyBully]

Yes, there are wetlands down that portion of Fletcher Avenue that make development of that land near impossible due to the regulations.

I still think that the University Mall will be disposed of, and USF will be the first potential suitor for that property. It's big enough for stadium, parking, and adding an entertainment complex to compliment the stadium. The only issue I have is the surrounding area (suitcase city) would be a serious disinsentive to a university-centric entertainment complex.

That's the most reasonable scenario I can think of. The mall is dying a slow death and it will eventually need to be leveled. USF could use that for a stadium,

but the whole 'strip of college bars/clubs ...that's going to be tough. I don't know how you'd even pitch it, especially up against Ybor City.

[Oldsmobull]

Just run a hose over from the Yuengling brewery that is down the street from campus, and put a tap for students and fans in the USF athletic district with all the new stadia and the Sundome.  That'd be a good start for some fun.  Keep it on campus.  There are enough joints throughout Tampa now to get your head skinned, lining more bars around the outside perimeter of campus would just invite more problems and headaches than USF needs.

[UsfGoose]

Yes, there are wetlands down that portion of Fletcher Avenue that make development of that land near impossible due to the regulations.

I still think that the University Mall will be disposed of, and USF will be the first potential suitor for that property. It's big enough for stadium, parking, and adding an entertainment complex to compliment the stadium. The only issue I have is the surrounding area (suitcase city) would be a serious disinsentive to a university-centric entertainment complex.

That's the most reasonable scenario I can think of. The mall is dying a slow death and it will eventually need to be leveled. USF could use that for a stadium,

but the whole 'strip of college bars/clubs ...that's going to be tough. I don't know how you'd even pitch it, especially up against Ybor City.

Well you're not really try to compete with Y-Bor city.  Just like any strip by a university that is in a major city.  Usually freshman, sophmore, juniors, will go to the bars by campus.  Most people don't start going downtown till you are senior.  I think I mention that in an earlier post.  College bars are going to cater to college kids.  Just like the bars by UCF.. they are not trying to get people from Winter Park to drive over or people who live in Downtown Orlando.... those bars are strictly UCF bars.  .. and they do fine with just the people that go to school at UCF

[Bullpride08]

I think a lot of things are getting convoluted in this thread.  As I've explained to others before being a 'commuter school' is not necessarily a derogatory topic.  A 'commuter school' is normally reserved for urban schools because historically they serviced the entire region with commuter style classes, e.g. offering various hours, and various locations around town to accomodate the urban/commuter part-time student seeking a degree.

Somehow that label has become a derogatory term.  The fact is no college in the country, aside from a few tiny private institutions, can accomodate their entire student body with on-campus housing.  Not even by a close margin....UF can't, FSU can't, UCF can't, USF can't....so by the literal sense all of these schools are 'commuter' schools now because more than 50% of the student body must commute to classes.

With all that being said, I think Goose you're mixing 'commuter' with the idea that USF needs more of a 'close campus feel'.  UCF is a commuter school, make no bones, they actually have a greater percentage of students living off campus, and more miles from campus then even USF (part of the reasoning is they've got a much bigger enrollment then us now).  But UCF because of local land usage allowances has a much more close campus, partying feel.  And USF needs to improve that feel, it has nothing to do with being a commuter...we'll always be a commuter, but it does have to do with the designs of USF and the surrounding land uses. 

USF's biggest issue is they've got this enormous land and all the building and housing started in the middle of campus...which buffered the students and campus from the surrounding land.  It's easy to understand why when Bruce B. Downs, 56th Street, and Fowler Ave take up 3/4th of the sides of campus and virtually all are 6 or 8 lane roads with major medians.  These are like having 3 major highways buffering the campus, and the 4th road, Fletcher, isn't much better.  Many other campuses, UCF included, that have a nice partying/nightlife scenario...there is a lower density area and roadway buffering at least one side of campus...where it's much easier to traverse for students, and easier for commercial to be placed across the street to attract.

To me USF's only chance to ever get some type of true 'USF walk' campus partying lifestyle they'll need to do it on campus or sell pieces along that backside where all the student centers are....but fat chance on that for bars.  USF was doomed to this a long time ago when the design of campus and the roadways were built.  If you look at USF from the sky it looks like a giant racetrack, you could run formula one race around campus easily, and with that giant buffer it will be impossible, so when a student gets it a car literally a drive down Fowler is no harder then driving down 56 or elsewhere.  Good luck changing that.

[Bullpride08]

I think a lot of things are getting convoluted in this thread.  As I've explained to others before being a 'commuter school' is not necessarily a derogatory topic.  A 'commuter school' is normally reserved for urban schools because historically they serviced the entire region with commuter style classes, e.g. offering various hours, and various locations around town to accomodate the urban/commuter part-time student seeking a degree.

Somehow that label has become a derogatory term.  The fact is no college in the country, aside from a few tiny private institutions, can accomodate their entire student body with on-campus housing.  Not even by a close margin....UF can't, FSU can't, UCF can't, USF can't....so by the literal sense all of these schools are 'commuter' schools now because more than 50% of the student body must commute to classes.

With all that being said, I think Goose you're mixing 'commuter' with the idea that USF needs more of a 'close campus feel'.  UCF is a commuter school, make no bones, they actually have a greater percentage of students living off campus, and more miles from campus then even USF (part of the reasoning is they've got a much bigger enrollment then us now).  But UCF because of local land usage allowances has a much more close campus, partying feel.  And USF needs to improve that feel, it has nothing to do with being a commuter...we'll always be a commuter, but it does have to do with the designs of USF and the surrounding land uses. 

USF's biggest issue is they've got this enormous land and all the building and housing started in the middle of campus...which buffered the students and campus from the surrounding land.  It's easy to understand why when Bruce B. Downs, 56th Street, and Fowler Ave take up 3/4th of the sides of campus and virtually all are 6 or 8 lane roads with major medians.  These are like having 3 major highways buffering the campus, and the 4th road, Fletcher, isn't much better.  Many other campuses, UCF included, that have a nice partying/nightlife scenario...there is a lower density area and roadway buffering at least one side of campus...where it's much easier to traverse for students, and easier for commercial to be placed across the street to attract students, the walking type so you can have pedestrian style attractions, e.g. coffee shops, sandwich shops, bars, restaurants, etc.  Also with a 2 or lighter 4 lane road the zoning would be easier as well.

To me USF's only chance to ever get some type of true 'USF walk' campus partying lifestyle they'll need to do it on campus or sell pieces along that backside of campus by 50th street where all the student centers are....but fat chance on that for bars; although that's USF's last chance all those apartments went in there so there's very little land but the wise idea would be for USF to strip off all those student centers, build a mixed-use urban type tower that goes up 2-3 stories with commercial on the first floor, residential above, abuts the street (so it's not restricted to on-campus students) with parking in the rear, and assimilate some of the student centers in with it.  Then USF could allow some bar/night club types in there; but that is highly aggressive and with all the interior land available I would be shocked if USF thought that progressively, let alone allowed for commercial that incorporated a bar/night club use.   USF was doomed to this a long time ago when the design of campus and the roadways were built.  If you look at USF from the sky it looks like a giant racetrack, you could run formula one race around campus easily, and with that giant buffer it will be impossible, so when a student gets in a car literally a drive down Fowler is no harder then driving down 56 or elsewhere.  Good luck changing that.  To go anywhere you're going to have to drive and cross one of those major roads so after that 1 mile or 4 miles doesn't matter any more it's no longer about convenience and more about desire.

[UsfGoose]

I think a lot of things are getting convoluted in this thread.  As I've explained to others before being a 'commuter school' is not necessarily a derogatory topic.  A 'commuter school' is normally reserved for urban schools because historically they serviced the entire region with commuter style classes, e.g. offering various hours, and various locations around town to accomodate the urban/commuter part-time student seeking a degree.

Somehow that label has become a derogatory term.  The fact is no college in the country, aside from a few tiny private institutions, can accomodate their entire student body with on-campus housing.  Not even by a close margin....UF can't, FSU can't, UCF can't, USF can't....so by the literal sense all of these schools are 'commuter' schools now because more than 50% of the student body must commute to classes.

With all that being said, I think Goose you're mixing 'commuter' with the idea that USF needs more of a 'close campus feel'.  UCF is a commuter school, make no bones, they actually have a greater percentage of students living off campus, and more miles from campus then even USF (part of the reasoning is they've got a much bigger enrollment then us now).  But UCF because of local land usage allowances has a much more close campus, partying feel.  And USF needs to improve that feel, it has nothing to do with being a commuter...we'll always be a commuter, but it does have to do with the designs of USF and the surrounding land uses. 

USF's biggest issue is they've got this enormous land and all the building and housing started in the middle of campus...which buffered the students and campus from the surrounding land.  It's easy to understand why when Bruce B. Downs, 56th Street, and Fowler Ave take up 3/4th of the sides of campus and virtually all are 6 or 8 lane roads with major medians.  These are like having 3 major highways buffering the campus, and the 4th road, Fletcher, isn't much better.  Many other campuses, UCF included, that have a nice partying/nightlife scenario...there is a lower density area and roadway buffering at least one side of campus...where it's much easier to traverse for students, and easier for commercial to be placed across the street to attract.

To me USF's only chance to ever get some type of true 'USF walk' campus partying lifestyle they'll need to do it on campus or sell pieces along that backside where all the student centers are....but fat chance on that for bars.  USF was doomed to this a long time ago when the design of campus and the roadways were built.  If you look at USF from the sky it looks like a giant racetrack, you could run formula one race around campus easily, and with that giant buffer it will be impossible, so when a student gets it a car literally a drive down Fowler is no harder then driving down 56 or elsewhere.  Good luck changing that.

Very good points.