The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(01-17-2018 06:32 AM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  

(01-16-2018 11:52 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  VCU, in the middle of the city of Richmond, also expands seemingly at will

This isn't quite what I was saying but the map tells the story. They can go in any direction and it would have continuity. We don't have that ability. It's been said before but if we picked an area to build ODU today. The current site would not even be considered. We'd be in Chesapeake, VB or Suffolk.

Though, between the art museum, the new dorm, the child study center, the stadium project, the recent completion of the cafeteria, practice facility and the education building, they're building quite a bit. So it's not as bleak as some on here would have you believe.

I still cant figure out why they are not building vertically to save space and doing more multipurpose buildings. For example, the new dorm could have been built on top of the new dining hall. The new end zone of the stadium should be the back of a new administration building.

Regarding expansion... I understand why ODU has a difficult time acquiring land, as it's surrounded by private residential areas on three sides, whereas VCU was surrounded by burnt out and abandoned retail on three sides. Its easier to buy up empty retail and burnt out abandoned buildings. The Richmond area also seems to want to see VCU thrive and has embraced it, recognizing its importance to the area, while Hampton Roads continues to be largely indifferent or in some cases even works against ODU. I think the best thing the City of Norfolk could do is encourage the industrial stuff next to campus to relocate to other industrial parks if possible and allow ODU to expand there. They should also encourage the development of the area from the village to Colley Ave where the Wave, Dirty Buffalo, Macks Barge etc are to become a "downtown ODU" or university district with privately owned shops, bars, restaurants and primarily private student housing. Lastly Lamberts Point and Colonial Place should be given incentives to improve their properties and the city should commit to policing them more strongly so faculty and staff will desire to live in those locations. Beautification and safety would go a long way in that regard. And if Im dreaming, one day EVMS and ODU merge, making Colley Ave and Hampton Blvd from campus to the hospital "ODU central" with the whole area of Ghent enthusiastically embracing the school in the same way Charlottesville does UVA or Blacksburg does VT, maybe I'll live to see that day... but its a long shot.