UC takes on revitalization

To assist the rising number of students living off-campus due to increasing enrollment, University of Cincinnati President Nancy Zimpher wants to turn the Burnet Avenue area from a "crime spot" to a "prime spot" and make seven other off-campus areas more safe and livable for students.

During her fifth annual State of the University address, titled Great Cities Need Great Universities and Great Universities Need Great Cities, Zimpher announced a "major revitalization project" as part of the Uptown Consortium. She addressed students, faculty and staff at 2 p.m. on Wednesday in the Great Hall of Tangeman University Center.

The Uptown Consortium, a partnership of five of the area's largest employers, is taking a comprehensive approach to seven residential areas near campus, Zimpher said.

"While our focus has been largely on real estate, we have much work to do in making Uptown clean and safe, in meeting the contemporary demands of public transportation and the very real possibility that the street car will come to Uptown in future phases of the plan, and in responding to the educational and service needs of our neighbors," Zimpher said. 

Zimpher declined to elaborate on the cost or other details of the project, but did say that UC's 2008 budget was slashed by $27 million.

The University of Cincinnati is the region's largest employer, has an economic impact of over $4 billion and is responsible for more than 51,000 jobs, according to Zimpher.

UC and other similar institutions are long-term residents of their communities and have organized their actions to accommodate the responsibilities of "anchor institution" status, she said.

"As an anchor institution, if there's one place we need to get it right, it's here in Uptown Cincinnati - in the neighborhoods surrounding our campus - including Avondale, Clifton, Clifton Heights, Corryville, Fairview, Mt. Auburn and University Heights," Zimpher said. "Our university investment in these neighborhoods, backed by our endowment, is substantial, and I would say, necessary."

These neighborhoods face daunting challenges, such as high poverty, high unemployment, low literacy, low home ownership, and safety and transportation issues, according to Zimpher.

"The Uptown Consortium is committed to a five-pronged strategy focused on housing, retail, safety, transportation and neighborhood amenities," Zimpher said.

Approximately 15,000 students are now living within a one-mile radius of West Campus, according to Zimpher.

"While we love the historical reference to UC as a 'street-car campus,' we are becoming by any definition a significant residential campus," Zimpher said.

"[UC is] shaping our nation's future, reaching beyond our campus boundaries to our neighborhoods, our city, our region, our state and our nation," she said.

Zimpher called on the newly formed UC 21 Center for the City and the Civic Engagement Council to improve the ways the university engages in quality of life issues of surrounding neighborhoods.

"Our success in Uptown means not only a higher quality of life for our neighbors, but also enhances our ability at UC to attract and retain highly-qualified students and world-class faculty and staff, who can comfortably call Uptown home," Zimpher said.