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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHE GROVE AT FORT COLLINS - PDP - 16-10B - MEDIA - CORRESPONDENCE (3)COLLEGIAN YOUR TWO CENTS YESTERDAY'S QUESTION: If you had to choose a creature to this to war on, what would N be? ■49%Pterodactyl. ❑ 17% Ent. ■ 13%Manatee. ■ 12%Ostrich. © 9%Rhlnoceros. TODAY'S QUESTION: Who do you wish you could marry? Log on to hitp:/lcollegian.com to 76psopf f voted In tots poll give us your Iwo cents. rhob m meldwft poe.ducfad w Cdleplm.cae andnarwr qw apaNmr ofMwhxee ml wwr who h. charm Is pmlklpNe "He not only won, but he also made the human players look like sloppy meat zombies." What is: The end of the world as we know it -7 By JOHNATHAN I(ASTNER I've long spoken out against computers and how robots will soon doom us all. Popular movies have supported me, showing historical dmumenta- ries such as "Terminator," which illustrated the pain- ful, nuclear Armageddon that occurred in 1997. The recent nerd trouncing on "leopardy" by IBM's Wat- -L. R,.rhernd m respond with an appro- priate answer from a vast. interconnected database, or, in layman:v terms, he is coming to kill you and your children. with his seemingly Infinite knowl- edge and abNity to speak, hes just one gun -arm away from outsmarting and en- slaving us all. How do 1 know this? 1 OPINION Monday, February 21, 2011 1 Page 4 OUR VIEW Don't be fooled by the Grove Fort Collins is in dire need of more student hous- ing, however, the Grove is neither a proper nor re- sponsible way to alleviate this problem. According to data col- lected by the university, CSU enrollment has increased by fewer than 6,000 students in the past nine years, while the amount of university hous- ing provided has increased by only 850 available beds. This means that more stu- dents are entering the com- munity and searching for housing than ever before, de- spite a housing market that hasdt grown to meet this de- mand. Therefore, the Grove, a large 224-dwelling apartment complex right next to cam- pus, seems like both a logical and welcome solution to this housing problem. ASCSU has already jumped on board with the project, and its development company — Campus Crest — has already begun accepting applications from students for August 2011, despite the `...student housing that takes advantage of and abuses students is far from beneficial and isn't something that the CSU community needs." fact that the project hasnt even broken ground. It almost seems too good to be true, and to be frank, it absolutely is. Campus Crest is a nation- wide developer, and its devel- opments across the country are plagued with complaints ranging from slow mainte- nance, thin walls and unfair utility bills. Students at the location in Greeley even had to stay in a hotel for 10 days while they werewaiting fordevelopment to be complete and were un- able to move in despite hav- ing signed binding leases. Student housing is tre- mendously important. But student housing that takes advantage of and abuses stu- dents is far from beneficial and isn't something that the CSU community needs. This is why it's important to take a step back and think about what a development like this can bring the com- munity and whether or not it can bring more harm than good. And in this case, the ver- dict is definitely leaning to- ward harm. The Collegian Editorial Boardis responsible forfeiting the staff editorial, "Our View: and for the views expressed therein. Letters and feedback in response to the staff edilonal an he sent to Iettersibcollegian,com. Madeline Nowy I Editor In Chief Allison Stilts I Assistant News Editor Joel Hefner I Sports Editor editor(acollegian.com newsePcollegium.com sportsfdcollegian.com Jim Sojourner I Managing Editor Matt Miller I Entertainment Editor Alexandra Sias I Design Editor/Copy Chief newsOcollegian.com verve@collegian.com designiecolleglan.cum Jordyn Dahl I Assistant News Editor Chadwick Bowman I Editorials Editor Sam Noblett I Photo Editor news&colleglan.mm letters@collegiartcom photo®collegiaacom The Rocky Mountain Collegian I Monday, February 21, 2011 i RICK LOOMIS I IkUATCIIY-TRIBUNE A near empty boat cruises the Nile River at sunset. Normally the boats are full of locals and tour- ists, blasting loud music as they glide through the watem. Tounsm is down In Egypt because of the revolution. Egypt image I McClatchy-Tribune CAIRO — Social media aren't just for revolutionaries seeking leadership change. The Egyptian police, it seems, wants to be blended too. Facebook and other net- working sites were widely used by anti-govemment activists who drove Egyptian President Hoard Mubarak from power this month. Now the sites we helping to pro- pel protesters into the streets in several other Middle East- ern countries. But in Egypt, where law enforcement is often hated and tested, one police of- ficer is (roping Facebook can do for the forces public image what It did for young protesters, one click of the "Like" button at a time. "Of course we saw the aurrea� or Fnrehnnk In the olice try for new using Facebook "Of course we saw the success of Facebook in the January 25 movement, so we tried Facebook as well to bring the police together," Ahmed Ragab I Egyptian police major streets to demand better pay and portray themselves as victims, Ragab launched the Martyrs Demonstration page to honor police officers who died in the demonstra- tions, announce coming po- Nee protests and drive (tome the message that officers am Egyptians too. When Ragab posted his photo on the page, he chose one showing him in plainclothes rather than In uniform. Though police of- ficers are trvinanther means said during an interview at the Police Club, a trying -to - be -ritzy establishment on the Nile River, restricted to higher -ranking officers only. The choice of Facebook as their platform was made In part because their mes- sage there can reach outside the country's borders, he said. Police are keenly aware of their poor reputation in- side and outside Egypt and want to fix their image on a global scale. Raeab be ieves rl� wss GROVE I Fort Collins in much need of student housing Continued from Page I the new home for the Grove. The developer, which has 27 locations operat- ing nationwide, touts "off - campus, resort -style ame- nities where you can study, eat, socialize and relax, all in style," according to the Grove's official website. According to City Man- ager Darin Atteberry's monthly report in Novem- ber, the project would con- sist of 224 dwelling units in five 12-unit buildings, five 24-unit buildings, two 18- unit buildings, a clubhouse with eight dwelling units, a hospitality center, study lounge, cafti, game room and fitness center. "We always knew it (tire land) would be developed," said Peggy Loorim, who lives in the Wind Trail on Spring Creek neighborhood near the development site. "And we always knew that it could be student hom- ing, but this may not be the piece of land to house this kind of density — these 40- foot (tall) buildings." And Loonan said a pending civil lawsuit against Campus Crest's mars the company's cred- ibility. According to court documents, former York County, S.C. Grove employ- ee Nicole McAuliffe was pressured by her co-work- ers to lease apartments for the 2009-10 school year "regardless of whether the apartment buildings would be ready for occupancy by the beginning of the aca- demic term." Although Campus Crest did not return the Collegian's phone calls, co- founders Ted Rollins and Mike Hartnett defended thew development in opinion piece published earlier this month in th Fort Collins Coloradoan. "Regretfully, today at companies are vulnerable to litigation, but we full reject the claims that have been made and are actively working through the leg process and fully expect successful outcome," Rol Bns and Hartnett said. CampusCrest'strouble finishing projects on time extend to Colorado, too. I 2007, the Greeley Tribune reported that about 60 ten putants In Greeley were p in hotel rooms after The Grove apartment comple In town couldn't open on til 10 days after its origins construction date. And worries about Th Grove don't end with con struction timelines. I.aonan pointed to a culture of com plaint that permeates th online reviews about Cam pus Crest's developments. "I'm concerned abou the product they produce, she said, referring to com pistons from Grove Mai dents on apartment-ratin websites. "We know it's tru because it's virtually th same complaint all the wa across — of thin wags, is sues with appliance, move in day issues." "It's not just from on or two complexes; it's from coast to coast," I.00na added. In their opinion article Rollins and Hartnett Meng nized that some resident do complain but said wit more than 35,000 forme residents, they recognize not every single one w have had a "perfect liven experience." "We operate in a com petitive market where stu dents have lots of option it y al x an and continue to choose our facilities and to renew e their leases for subsequent years," they wrote. I Despite Loonan's con- cerns, some members of surrounding communi- ties like Doug Brobst see the construction as a wel- comed change. a Brobst, a resident of the Rolland Moore neigh- borhood, said that more s student housing will have a positive effect on Bur- n rounding neighborhoods, e where investors are buy- ing homes in established t communities of single- family homes and renting them to college students, often breaking occupancy I laws. "Fort Collins is in dire e need of affordable, attrac- tive -to -students, multi- unit housing to hopefully reverse this trend," Brobst e said in an e-mail to the Col- legian. "Projects like the Grove, if developed proper- t ly, could set a much -needed precedent" Eckerdt also sees the Grove as much -needed g student housing due to the s continued increase of slu- e dent enrollment over the y past few years. Campus Crest has put another hold on planning the development by with- * drawing their appeal to m City's Council's November n denial of their develop- ment plan, so community , members have more Lime to voice their support or s concerns to the city. m h "I just concerned r about what they say and what they do," Loonan said. "They (Campus Crest) g are talking the talk but not walking the walk." Senior Reporter Erin Udell can be reached at s newsCkollegian.cont. EARN UP TO $50 TODAY!ftM PAGE 10 'l Saturday set -back n. Defeat by UNLV means a little more work for men's basketball THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN Fort Collins, Colorado Volume 119 1 No. 108 Monday, February 21, _Ot l COLLEGIAN www.collegian.com STUDENT , � O� the Scrutinyof Grove intensifies S�R�B Apartment project paused amid community pressure By ERIN UDELL ing development slated to there. If theyire lucky, they'll The Aocity Mountain Collegian open in August, hopes to draw break ground by mid- summer, In students with promises of but there's no way it will be Students who've signed "resort -style amenities," but ready by August,"Eckardt said. on to live in the controversial Eckardt and community mem- "1 would encourage anyone Grove apartment complex hers worry about the project who signed a lease with Cam - could find themselves tempo- developer's shaky history of pus Crest to absolutely look for Tartly homeless come August, producing living quarters of odterhousing. Don't make that warns student government's questionable quality and fail- (the Gravel your No. I housing Director of Community Affairs ing to open on time. priority." Chase Eckardt. "There's a lot of students fast summer, Campus The Grove. a student hous- who have signed leases over Crest Communities Inc., a 7 just trust the story. What needs to be shared will be shared." Patrick Sims professor at University of Wisconsin Tale of a e survivor PROS: i CONS: ■ With the number of students going ■ After questionable online ratings, up every year, there is a need for community members are wonied more housing. The project would about the developer's reputation. consist o1224 dwelling units in five ■The complex may not be able to 12-unll buildings, Ave 24-unit build. complete oonstntclon by Its originally ings, two 18-unit buildings and more. i planned date in August North Carolina -based devel- with the intention of making it opment company, leased a section of land on Center Street See GROVE on Page T In the name o LOVE Couples unite for equality in the Rockies By ALEXANDRA SIEH The Rocky Mountain Collegian Known as the"SaUyTal- ly," counting the number of years same -sex couples have been together has be- come a beloved tradition Most people in college have experienced the thrill of a one-night stand .,. and then the awkward en- counters after when you run into them. So where are the worst places to run into your one-nighter7 ................... Awkward one-nighter run-ins DOctm'rZ offficeei Oki) Everyone knows you need to get tested after the one-nighter, but that doesn't mean you want to see them getting tested. Or see some- one picking up tho mnrr....=in".