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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Letter from ISU requesting changing name of Elwood Drive to University Boulevard 7>1 IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY Office of the Vice President for Business and Finance OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 135o Beardshear Hall Ames,Iowa 50011-2038 515 294-6162 December 13, 2006 FAX 515 294-1621 L The Honorable Ann Campbell and Council Members of Ames City Hall DEC 15 '79 P.O. Box 811 Ames, IA 50010 CITY CLERK CITY OF AMES,10WA Dear Mayor Campbell and Council Members: Iowa State University would like to formally request the City of Ames officially change the name of Elwood Drive to University Boulevard to be effective when the necessary signage can be installed. As outlined in correspondence and in copies of the South Campus Gateway Plan previously provided, Elwood Drive and the Highway 30 intersection has become the primary entryway to Iowa State University. There are more than 1.5 million visitors a year approaching from that intersection. This is the major entryway to the university and the community's most frequently visited facilities, including Reiman Gardens, Jack Trice Stadium, Hilton Coliseum, Scheman Building, Stephens Auditorium, and the central campus. Each year thousands of prospective students and their families visit the campus and are significantly influenced by first impressions. The South Campus Gateway Plan is intended to improve the image and impression for visitors (a copy of the proposed gateway structure is enclosed). There are also a number of major improvements to university facilities that will increase visitor traffic. These include Jack Trice Stadium improvements, Hilton Coliseum renovations and expansion, and the new Alumni Center currently under construction. The university and ISU Foundation have begun fundraising for the first phase of the improvements proposed in the South Campus Gateway Plan to be completed as part of the university's sesquicentennial celebration during 2007-2008. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has indicated a willingness to update and improve highway and interstate signage during the coming year. The university would like the street name change to be implemented and included as part of the DOT's signage improvements. As previously indicated there are a limited number of private businesses south of Highway 30 that are not affiliated with the university. We have communicated with them. Most are hospitality or service businesses and indicate this change will be an asset in identifying their location near the university since much of their business is related to activities connected with the university. We anticipate their cooperating and assisting in transitioning to a new street name. The planning for Elwood Drive began in 1969 when the need for a major north-south street through the city was recognized. The university transferred the land needed for the right-of-way at no cost to the City of Ames for the portion between the new Highway 30 bypass and Lincoln Way. Following the procedures that existed at the time the road was constructed at a cost of $710,000, evenly divided by the city and state on behalf of the university. The portion of Elwood The Honorable Ann Campbell and Council Members of Ames Page 2 December 13, 2006 Drive north of Lincoln Way and the Sixth Street relocation were done in the early 1980's as an institutional road funded by the university and state. The university also has provided the adjacent land for the CyRide transit facility and Stuart Smith Park, which benefit the community in this area. The visitor center located along Elwood also serves the total community. Phillip Henry Elwood was a faculty member at Iowa State University from 1923 to 1950. He organized the Department of Landscape Architecture and served as the head of the department for more than 20 years. He was nationally recognized and served on a number of state and federal commissions and completed many professional projects throughout the country. He also played a significant role in campus planning during his tenure. The university intends to continue to recognize his distinguished contributions to Iowa State and the field of landscape architecture and anticipates his name will continue to be recognized in an appropriate way. Since its publication earlier this fall the South Campus Gateway Plan has received broad support. The Research Park and some of the businesses further south have expressed an interest in considering implementing some of the concepts traveling south from the intersection. The private fundraising for implementing the first phases of the plan will be successful and we hope to proceed during the coming year with construction of the first phases of the Gateway project. If the city approves the proposed name change to University Boulevard we recognize there may be some costs associated with changes and signage, and we would work with the city to resolve funding or other issues. We would be pleased to provide additional information, work with the city staff and private property owners that may be impacted, and meet with you to answer any questions. We hope the City Council will support our request to change the name of Elwood Drive to University Boulevard. Very truly yours, Warren R. Madden Vice President for Business and Finance cc: Ahoy C. Brown Geoffroy McCarroll Saftig Schainker A copy of the South Campus Gateway Final Report, 2006, can be found at http://www.fpm.iastate.edu/planning/masterplan/. W RM:00752006.doc