Educational Segment for KAZU Radio

Aired 12 February 2005

New Development on the Former Fort Ord: Marina's University Villages-I

This is Carrie Mann with Sustainable Perspectives on the former Fort Ord.

This week we're covering the city of Marina's new development called the University Villages.

The Villages will be built on the north-west part of the former Fort Ord. The plan is more reminiscent of a European village than traditional American sprawl. In the planned design for the University Villages, the streets will be pedestrian and bicycle friendly with transit connections. There will be community gathering spaces such as a traditional Town Square for public events and art displays. Around the town square there will be retail and restaurant space at street level with residential units or office space above them. The parks will form a community greenbelt connecting the town center with a business park. This will encourage walking or biking into town. As part of the Arts District, they plan live/work town homes which will incorporate a residence with a ground floor for retail, office or art studio space. They also plan a beach boardwalk linking the town square with the state beach.

While the design of University Villages has done much to diverge from traditional American urban sprawl, the developer - Marina Community Partners - has been criticized for some aspects of the plan such as the amount of affordable housing.

The city of Marina and the developer were good about collecting the community's input early on. If the community stays involved, they may get a development very close to what they wanted.

You can learn more about the University Villages Plan on our website at basereuse.org.

This is Carrie Mann of the Sustainable Base Reuse Institute for KAZU 90.3 fm.

last updated: February 2005