Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1962 [PAGE 328]

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1961]

UNIVEHSITY OF ILUNOIS

325

expressed in the Supreme Court opinion, A copy of the Opinion has been filed with the Secretary of the Board for record.

The Legal Counsel discussed this Opinion and explained the implications of a possible request for a rehearing by the Appellees or an appeal by them to the Supreme Court of the United States. He subsequently submitted in writing a report of his presentation, a copy of which is also filed with the Secretary for record.

CHICAGO UNDERGRADUATE DIVISION HARRISONHALSTED STREETS SITE STUDIES

(31) Director C. S. Havens of the Physical Plant presented this report, illustrated with maps of the area. Since the previous meeting of the Board of Trustees, architectural and engineering studies of existing utilities which would be affected in the redevelopment of the area, traffic, and parking facilities have been completed. Director Havens described the land use in the area surrounding the site. The city of Chicago has tillered to reroute its utilities in the major portion of the area which would be needed for immediate construction of buildings for the University's Chicago Undergraduate Division. It is estimated that rerouting the Commonwealth j-jlison Company's utilities and distribution system in the area would cost from 515,000,000 to $25,000,000, and three to five years would be required to accomplish this. The cost of relocating the Vernon Park sub-station in the area would be in excess of one million or one and one-half million dollars. Construction over the utilities is possible if certain clearances are observed. It is obvious that the cost of relocating the Commonwealth Edison Company's installations is prohibitive, and relocation of other utility installations would not be justified except for minor actions as the site planning may require. However, the Vernon Part sub-station would probably prove to be a major restriction in site planning. A traffic transportation and parking analysis made by Barton-Aschman Associates, Inc., as a part of the study of the Harrison-Halsted Streets site, indicates

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1'arking spaces for 5,600-6,600 automobiles would be needed to serve an enrollment of 23,000 students and the staff to teach them; 80 to 90 per cent of the campus traffic would approach the site along, or through, the north and east boundaries of the site by way of expressway routes and street system; Assuming that future scheduled highway improvements are completed which would relieve non-University traffic pressure on the adjacent expressway ramps and interchanges, existing ramps and bridge are adequate for access to, and exit from, the expressways; The added University traffic will require possible street widening (including Halsted Street), intersection improvements, realignments and rush-hour parking restrictions; Relocation of Halsted Street does not seem feasible; and The Harrison-Halsted Streets area is highly accessible by public transportalion. Site planning studies for building relocation are being developed and should lie completed within two weeks. Following the completion of the site planning studies, the next step is to evaluate the Harrison-Halsted Streets site in comparison with the Garfield Park site. This procedure will require the receipt of information from the city of Chicago and from the Chicago Park District conrerning such questions as the relocation and closing of streets, the phasing on the land to be purchased and the cost of such land. The time required to complete the valuation studies is dependent on when this additional information is received.

This report was received for record.

HEARING O F STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES FROM T H E CHICAGO UNDERGRADUATE DIVISION

Mr. Robert Snape and Mr. Dennis Sherman, students at the Chicago Undergraduate Division, appeared at the meeting requesting to be heard on behalf of a larger delegation of students. On motion of Mr. Swain, the request was granted.