As this University considers consolidating into a single sustainable downtown campus we've been hired to investigate the potential for additional retail and food services. Added retail will do two things for this campus: 1, bring additional revenue to the University, and 2, extend the University brand beyond the boundaries of their campus into the downtown area participating in the urban fabric more than an isolated school. To accomplish this task we conducted a qualitative study as well as sourced a quantitative analysis to support our plan. Finally as we agreed on the potential new retail, how to organize it and the types of places it will make on campus we designed a conceptual master plan to help sell the idea.
In collaboration with the Thomas Consultants, Inc. an in-depth retail analysis was conducted to understand the potential and feasibility of new retail at the City Center Campus. This study helped us plan where to put different types of retail, how to design it into the current campus layout and also how much GLA we could add and support successfully based on student and community trends and patterns. We then diagramed how the retail could work in different locations and paired that with a qualitative study on how to shape the spaces the new retail was to inhabit before designing each individual space.
After completing a detailed analysis of the quantitative study different areas of the campus were selected to highlight the additional retail and the potential spaces it would create. During this exercise outdoor environments were created and enhanced for a more pedestrian friendly campus. Interior spaces were created to adapt to different student sociologies. Key tenants were placed to draw traffic into certain areas. Overall amenities, as well as, landscaping, architectural improvements, wayfinding, and signage are considered in order to extend the vision of more retail into a completely upgraded student and staff experience.
The final step in our process was to create a Conceptual Master Plan in support of the University adding more retail to the downtown campus. This book was to be shared with University shareholders, as well as potential retailers in order to build interest and excitement for a more community focused campus. This book combines the quantitative data with qualitative drawings highlighting the potential for the University. Broken into 4 parts the book clearly articulates the Vision for the university as it participates in the overall downtown plan. The Opportunity for adding more retail and the positive experience it can add to the overall campus. The Strategy for how the additional retail will be deployed and organized as the campus grows over time. Lastly the Benefits for expanding the retail and food services at the University.