Cornell Competes with Off-Campus Housing Market
by William F. Olney
Nearly one year ago in an open letter to Cornell University President Hunter Rawlings, (Ithaca Journal dated Nov. 11, 1996), Mayor Alan Cohen expressed concern over Cornell's competing with the local economy. At the time Mayor Cohen cited several examples where Cornell has crossed the line in adversely affecting our local economy. Downtown book stores, health facilities and transportation were all areas cited as examples of town/gown competition. "The university's stated intent to provide better service and more amenities to students, faculty, and staff is producing negative effects on the local market. I do not accuse the university of malice, but of some disregard of the actual impact of its economic activity."
Mayor Cohen goes on to say,
"Ezra Cornell founded a great institution on East Hill, but he also envisioned an institution that was an integral part of the greater community. Faculty, staff and students were to live in town together with other community members, rather than be cloistered on the hill."
"Going beyond that objective serves to injure local enterprises, and to deprive students of the desire and opportunities to expand their familiarity with life in Ithaca."
Cohen concludes his open letter by saying, "The concerns that I have expressed in this letter directly affect the livelihood and quality of life of our local merchants and the community at large. I urge you to look into this matter and address Cornell's role in the Ithaca economy."
Seeking relief from these economic pressures for the past several years, landlords and downtown business owners were encouraged with Mayor Cohen's initiatives. We instinctively knew, however, ill wind was just around the corner. Not surprisingly, there was never any response to Mayor Cohen's open letter.
On October 8, 1997, Hunter Rawlings announced the university's seven-point on-campus housing plan. "New residential space will be constructed on North Campus, and West Campus will be renovated and improved."
Residential housing has been a controversial topic on campus since Cornell's first president, Andrew D. White initially opposed setting up dormitories on campus. In the President's Report on Residential Housing at Cornell dated October 8, 1997, President Rawlings presented his seven point plan to the Board of Trustees.
1. All freshmen will, as soon as possible, be housed on North Campus. West Campus and Collegetown will be reserved for sophomores, juniors, seniors and a few graduate students.
2. Since there is not enough housing on campus as a whole to fulfill the Trustees' principle of guaranteeing on-campus residences for all freshmen, sophomores and transfers who desire it, I will recommend to the Board of Trustees that Cornell construct new residential space.
3. We will improve the living and learning environment on West Campus by making it architecturally and programmatically attractive to upper-class students.
4. In order to accommodate all freshmen on North Campus and to provide them with a high-quality first-year experience, every undergraduate residence hall on North Campus must have a substantial proportion of freshmen living in it.
5. I am committed to the full implementation of the Fraternity and Sorority System Strategic Plan developed by fraternity and sorority members together with alumni, faculty and staff and released in January 1997.
6. We expect to implement this residential housing initiative between now and the year 2001, when the new residential housing space should become available.
7. Resources necessary to implement this comprehensive plan will not be drawn from other sectors of the university.
As for the 22 specific recommendations of the RCSC committee, Rawlings says "... while helpful, are limited in scope and incremental in approach. I believe major changes are needed."
A recent poll of 397 students by The Cornell Daily Sun student newspaper found nearly 65% opposed Rawlings' latest housing plans. Three out of four respondents said they were against allowing freshmen to live only on North Campus, according to the poll. Next fall, about 2,000 freshmen will live on North Campus and 1,000 on West Campus.
Jean Reese, interim director of campus life said in a quote from The Ithaca Journal last week (December 4, 1997), "We hope that students will be pleased with the greatly increased availability of rooms in Collegetown and in the Gothic buildings on West Campus that are traditionally viewed as among the most desirable by upper-class students."
Cornell houses 41% of its student population which is about half that of other Ivy League universities. Cornell's goals are to provide a more integrated on-campus student life experience, guarantee on-campus housing for all freshmen and transfer students, and provide state-of-the-art housing facilities.
However, downtown business and landlords in particular have some grave misgivings. "Every bed-unit which Cornell builds takes one away from the city" explains Mark Goldfarb. Difficult to measure, the vacancy rate has slowly grown over the years. A 5% rate is considered normal. Anything above that causes real economic concerns for the city. Landlords begin to sell their properties at depressed prices and businesses fold or move elsewhere. Property assessments decline and that has an adverse effect on city and county revenues. Eventually, taxes must go up.
On the flip side, some feel this may be good for Ithaca. Landlords will be forced to lower their rents, improve their properties, and in general, be more competitive. Individuals living outside the city may now move in owing to lower costs. Nearly 70% of the city's work force commutes from outlying areas.
At the November LATC meeting a committee was appointed by Mark Goldfarb to provide further input into this matter and set an official position.