Syracuse University South Campus Urbanism Study

INTRODUCTION

Two miles south of the main Syracuse University Campus, South Campus features apartment-style living for approximately 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students, along with a series of commercial and recreational services.  1 

This project attempts to document existing conditions on South Campus: site conditions, program, transportation, and density to provide an urbanism analysis based on new urbanism principles, LEED neighborhood design principles, and black space design principles.

This project is supported by the Syracuse University Renee Crowne Honors Program and the Net Zero Living Lab at Winding Ridge.

FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATION

What makes good urbanism? In this analysis, good urbanism is defined as design that seeks to address three key areas of concern: quality infrastructure, sustainability, and social equity. 

Quality Infrastructure focuses on the built environment and community-supporting systems such as transportation, waste management, and community programming. The 10 principles of New Urbanism, developed in the late '70s and early '80s, attempts to address urban sprawl and create a framework for the development of happy and healthy communities.  3  Areas of interest from this framework include walkability, mixed-use and diversity, green transportation, sustainability, and quality of life. Areas that are not important are increased density, traditional neighborhood structures, and mixed housing. Due to South Campus's unique residential population of university students and interest in retrofitting and supporting existing buildings and infrastructure the most relevant areas of this framework are the sections that focus specifically on improving the quality of life of students and encourages sustainability.

Sustainability is defined as a neighborhood’s ability to reduce and reverse its contribution to global climate change, protect and restore local ecosystems and natural resources, and enhance individual human health and well-being. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Neighborhood Design Certification Guide will be used as a tool for evaluating sustainability.  4  Areas of interest focus on walkable and open communities, parking reuse, and energy efficiency. Currently, South Campus is not home to wetlands, endangered species, or any other environmental factors that may be of concern as it is an already developed site. As a result, much of the focus is on improving existing buildings to be more energy and resource-efficient and exploring the possibility of on-site renewable energy systems.

Social Equity in design can be defined as design that is developed through a people-first, bottom-up approach. People first design seeks individuals at the margins, makes critical connections within the community, and aims to amplify joy and excellence in the communities we create. At times social equity may require reckoning with our past and acknowledging the structures that may create, maintain and uphold inequity in our communities. The Black Space Manifesto provides a framework to think of key questions such as: is this community a space that is welcoming to everyone? And what are the needs and wants of the individuals in the community?  5 

With these three guiding frameworks and principles in mind, this analysis hopes to find areas of improvement on the South Campus development and suggest possible solutions to serve as a catalyst for new conversations and changes in infrastructure.

SITE

HISTORY

Located on the former land of the Onondaga nation, South Campus first saw permanent development in 1959 when postwar prefabricated housing was replaced with Skyhalls 1, 2, and 3. From 1959-1999 South Campus saw an increase in development including the Skytop Apartments, Slocum Height Apartments, and a series of commercial and administrative buildings.  6 

Zoning

The South Campus Area is currently zoned as a Planned Industrial Overlay Development Zone. This “provide(s) alternative zoning regulations in industrial zones that permit and encourage design flexibility, conservation and protection of natural amenities, critical areas, and innovation in developments to those regulations found in the underlying zone. It is intended that a planned industrial development (PID) may result in a mixed use environment of higher quality than traditional single use industrial development by use of a design process that includes within the site design all the components of a mixed use neighborhood, such as open space, circulation, building types, a variety of uses, and natural features, in a manner consonant with the public health, safety and welfare. By providing an opportunity to develop or redevelop industrial zoned sites to incorporate mixed residential, commercial and light industrial uses together on the same site, open space amenities, convenient access to commercial needs and work opportunities, and efficient residential densities can be provided.”  7  Its is also noted that the lower portion of South Campus lies in the Town of Dewitt, but for the intent of this analysis, the entire South Campus area will be understood as a PID zone.

Boundary 

For the scope of this project, the site boundary of South Campus is defined by topographic and natural boundaries, major roads, and the distinction between non-university and university property. This boundary allows for a closer investigation of the implied and visible boundaries that students are feeling compared to the boundaries defined by zoning and property lines. This boundary also serves to draw a distinction between program that is near South Campus and supporting the student population and program that the school is directly providing to support students. (Tops vs Goldstein Student Center)

PROGRAM AND FOOD NETWORKS

Currently, South Campus features two main hubs of services. The main hub, the Goldstein Student Center is where a majority of residents go to for laundry, and small conveniences.

In the smaller hub located at 161 Farm Acre Road, there is a food pantry, vegetable garden, bee colony, and compost center. Located beyond the South Campus boundary is the Tops supermarket, which is where a majority of South Campus students shop for food; however, this supermarket is not affiliated with the university and therefore should not be considered a part of South Campus.

In the smaller convenience store there is a limited selection of fresh produce and dairy and pantry products. Currently, the price of a gallon of milk is $4.45 while the average price for a gallon of milk in Syracuse is  $2.62.  A dozen eggs cost $3.95 at the market compared to the Syracuse average of $1.43. Although there is most likely a reason for the inflation of these prices it is hard to say these food items are affordable for a college student.

A potential solution to improving the affordability and quality of fresh foods available on South Campus may be through connections with existing networks in the community. For example, the  Syracuse Cooperative Market  provides healthy, organic, local, and alternative food products to the community of shoppers and owners as well as conventional food products. They hold two locations in the city of Syracuse one relatively close to South Campus and one in the downtown area. A third location on South Campus is would provide students with greater access to fresh and affordable foods.

Collaboration with  SOFSA , the Syracuse Onondaga Food System Alliance may also be beneficial, as the organization works closely with local food supply chains and is committed to providing food to underserved communities which South Campus may be categorized as. Although second and first-year students are required to have a dining meal plan, one can easily imagine the large barrier that comes with having to take the bus to the nearest dining center especially on weekends when classes are not in session.

Topography and Site Organization

The topography of South Campus is relatively hilly and lacks stretches of flat land between housing units and commercial programs. As a result, walking routes are determined by existing paths and roads which are tailored to the automobile experience (long, winding, and not gridded.) “Shortcuts” through the hills for able-bodied students are possible during summer months, but relatively impossible during harsh winters. Development is also difficult to do on sloped terrain, making the densification of South Campus challenging as well.

Generally, the organization of South Campus can be described as a series of housing units surrounding cul-de-sacs connected to larger roads. The main commercial building, Goldstein student center is located towards the center of the site. Placing commercial uses toward the center of the site is good practice, however unsuccessful on South Campus because the walking distance from the furthest unit is 0.8 miles. If the average walking time of one mile is 15-20min then the walking time of 0.8 miles, 12-16 min is unacceptable according to new urbanist principles which recommend a maximum of 10 min or 0.5 miles of walking. Because Goldstein is already too far to walk from the furthest residential unit, it is also hard to recommend any additional development that attempts to meet student needs be made past Goldstein.

SMALL ISLANDS

Due to the spread-out nature of South Campus and the many hills and slopes located in critical areas for connection, it may be better to perceive South Campus as a series of smaller islands. Island F focuses on apartments on Farm Acre Road, Chinook Drive, and Small Road. Island S focuses on apartments on Slocum Drive, Island G focuses on the Goldstein Student center and dormitories (Skytop 1, 2, and 3), and Island W focuses on Winding Ridge Apartments. As one can see between Island F and S there is a topographical barrier that makes cross circulation incredibly difficult. This barrier continues between Islands F and G, making access to Goldstein difficult and far, especially to students located on the northern portion of Island F. By separating major residential areas into island groups, it can be easier to imagine how a series of smaller buildings may be constructed on each island to meet the needs of students in smaller pods, rather than a singular, off-center building that attempts to meet the needs of everyone.

DENSITY

To build on the idea of implementing a smaller series of program within the islands, it is important to look at the current density of South Campus and specific areas where new development can be made.

At first glance, the density of South Campus is incredibly low. The buildings are spread far apart due to the suburban planning first implemented. Upon closer look, there are some areas of South Campus that are incredibly dense and use open space effectively while other areas do so less. Slocum Drive is an example of good density and open space. Buildings are organized in a circular form, enveloping a shared private open space. In contrast, at Winding Ridge, the open space is random, and the buildings are organized irregularly. This creates hard-to-use patches of space and reduces walkability between buildings. In the space between Small Road and Farm Acre Road, the density of the buildings is higher, but it is hard to say that the buildings were built in an organized manner, and there are still patches of awkward open space.

One theory for this organization is car culture and the reliance on vehicles, the buildings are very much organized to be aligned with the streets and are in a relatively sprawled manner where it is difficult to see into other units. This purposeful disturbance of sightlines does align with the original goals of creating a neighborhood feel where each resident gets a backyard and privacy, however, in this instance, it is extremely unsuccessful as the said back yards are not active spaces and the inability to see your neighbors may add to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Compared to the residential housing to the East, which features a row of housing with clear open spaces (front and back yards) South Campus lacks clarity to its open space, ownership is muddied and the awkward sizing of the open space makes them hard to enjoy. By clarifying open space and the use of said open space, South Campus will be able to create a stronger sense of community as open spaces become civic and recreational centers for smaller groups of students.

PARKING

Much of the open space mentioned previously is used as parking space. Currently, one-sixth of the total area of South Campus (drawn from the boundary previously defined) is dedicated towards parking. Using ArcGIS Geoprocessing tools, the following table was created, which shows that not only is there 262,324 square meters (64.8 acres) of parking but there is also more parking than residential and commercial building footprint. Moreover, of the 1,601,843 square meters (395.8) of land, 1,188,432 square meters (293.7) acres is open land.

Parking is one main perk of living on South Campus, many students enjoy the freedom of being able to drive their own cars. However, it can be said that when the amount of parking surpasses the amount of "building" on a site, the level of parking may be excessive. Large parking lots are also detrimental to the environment as they create massive amounts of heat and reduce the permeability of rainwater.

Parking reuse, therefore, may be a good idea when considering how South Campus can reduce the amount of parking and how can it implement smaller satellite programming within each island as mentioned previously.

TRANSPORTATION

Students owning individual cars not only adds to the total carbon footprint of the campus but is also counter-productive to the extremely robust transportation system the university has in place. Currently, the university provides free bus and trolley shuttles to and from main campus. On the average weekday, there are 349 combined bus and trolley trips and on the average weekend, there are 128 combined bus and trolley trips. The number of trips, 349/128 far exceeds the LEED ND recommendation of 60(weekday trips) / 40 (weekend trips). It is also important to note that due to the scarcity of available parking spots on campus, a majority of students living on South Campus use the bus and trolley system to go to classes daily. Exceptions include students who have classes downtown in the warehouse.

It is also important to note that although the transportation system is robust, during peak times in the evening and morning, the bus becomes extremely crowded.

Another challenge the transportation system on South Campus faces is the lack of safe and accessible bus stops.

The images above show the two typical types of bus stops on South Campus. The bus stop on Skytop Road, a simple orange sign with the safety blue light. This bus stop is incredibly difficult to spot and lacks basic necessities such as a bench or a roof covering to protect from the extreme snow Syracuse sees for roughly half of the year.

The bus stop located at Winding Ridge is much better as it provides a roof, but considering the number of students who utilize the bus system, the size of the enclosure is questionable.

The second challenge South Campus faces is in terms of safe transportation is walkability. Currently, many roads on South Campus lack basic sidewalks. Although as seen previously many able bodies students do cut through the lawns, however, cutting through lawns at night may be incredibly dangerous as they are not well lit. Not to mention, that there should be no reliance on cutting through nonpaved areas of grass in the first place as this system is not accessible to all students.

The images above illustrate the lack of sidewalks on South Campus. As we can see, the sidewalks were designed for individuals who are parking their cars and then going into their homes. There is a dire lack of sidewalks along major roads, and one can begin to see the inherent danger and difficulty a student will face walking anywhere on South Campus. This challenge becomes even more difficult when one begins to think of the students who will be carrying heavy loads of laundry to the Goldstein student center on laundry days.

HEALTH

South Campus also lacks relatively any type of health services, both mental and physical. Currently, the university offers a plethora of support systems, but many of those opportunities are located on the main campus. Although the pandemic has introduced virtual forms of communication and health services, the students on South Campus deserve equal access to these services in a manner that is convenient to them.

Currently, the travel time from the relatively furthest unit, 231 Winding Ridge, to the Barnes Center, the main health hub, is roughly 22 minutes by bus. One can imagine that this distance to health services may further alienate students from receiving the help that they may need and one can imagine the additional burden that may come to students who are required to attend weekly appointments.

It is also important to note that because of the relative freedom allowed to students living on South Campus and the lack of frequent room inspections, underage drinking and drug use is relatively common. Although increased supervision may be a way to reduce the amount of underage drinking and drug use, what would be more important is adequate health services. The University already features a robust system of maintaining student wellness, the issue lies in extending those services to South Campus residents in a more accessible manner.

It is also important to note that South Campus lacks a space to practice religion which may be important to a diverse set of students.

SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS

Current Sustainability initiatives at the University are coordinated by the  Sustainability Management team , located in South Campus, along with many other organizations including but not limited to the Campus Sustainability Committee, the Campus as a Lab for Sustainability Program, the Syracuse Center of Excellence, and the Environmental Finance Center.

Sustainability can come in many shapes and forms, such as efficient waste management, rainwater, and greywater reuse, pollution reduction, and energy efficiency. Looking to the LEED-ND principles we established earlier, energy efficiency and infrastructural energy efficiency are some of the top priorities for South Campus.

Currently the energy use in residential buildings is as follows.

Using energy information gathered from 480 Winding Ridge, we can begin to infer the total residential energy use. Currently, there are 129 residential buildings similar to 480 Winding Ridge, making the total residential energy use per year roughly 3,068,781 kWh and cost $281,994

The energy use in Skyhalls 1, 2 and 3 are calculated separately as they are larger dormitories. Yearly they consume 37,360.1 kWh and cost $21,759. This amounts to a total of 3,106,141 kWh and $303,753 a year

Currently, the Net Zero Lab at Winding Ridge is working towards retrofitting 480 Winding Ridge to reduce energy consumption and expansion of the program will lead to an overall reduction in energy use.

As mentioned previously there are many organizations working to improve the sustainability of South Campus but from an urbanism and community planning standpoint, it is imperative that South Campus reduce the parking footprint and implement activated greenspaces potentially with a diverse set of native plant species.

Currently, the greenspace on South Campus is mainly green lawns, which consume immense amounts of water and require constant upkeep. Implementing local species of plants would not only attract birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife but also reduce the burden and costs of maintenance. For a list of  plants native to Central New York .

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

In order to gain student input during the planning process, the following survey was crafted and will be distributed in the fall of 2021. The survey hopes to investigate general sentiments towards South Campus and learn more about the student experience. Key questions focus on the perception of safety and food accessibility as well as feelings of isolation or loneliness.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

Additional Documentation includes

 Night Bus Route and Experience on South Campus 

Goldstein Student Center Interior Photos