Towson University Area example essay topic

Currently in the Towson University area there are no major transportation plans being planned. The York Road cityscape project is just wrapping up but his project does not help the flow of traffic. Its design was to revitalize that particular corridor just south of the University by increasing lighting, security and the overall appeal of the area. The present improvements to widen the beltway have no affiliation with Towson University.

There is a current project which is in the planning stages that will affect the campus and the surrounding community. This plan is the Towson Circle Project. This is a proposal to add new dorm space in downtown Towson, with the goal for students to live close to campus but within the community as well. The Towson Circle Project was submitted a few years ago by Towson University. The goal of the university is to grow 10,000 students in ten years. This is the plan for the first ten years of the new century.

When a goal such as this one comes along, many things must happen. First, there is the need for more beds and dorm space, which is addressed by Towson Circle. Next, there is the need for more classroom and faculty; this is addressed in the University's master plan. Finally, with a more crowded campus area there is a great need for better movement with traffic patterns.

Currently there are no plans to do this, but in an area where traffic is already less than ideal, it is all about to get worse. Within the downtown Towson area about 60% of the total population is senior citizens. When the Towson Circle project was originally presented, the project was supposed to house graduate students and faculty. When the final proposal was submitted earlier this semester, somehow the project changed to house juniors and seniors. The surrounding community was not happy about this development. For them, this meant a noisier environment; essentially a college right next door with even more traffic.

The university wants and needs from the community, the opportunity to grow not just within campus property. President Carat of Towson said, "We need to grow in the community in order to reach our goal". The university wants to attract businesses to the community as well so students move outward in the area. The community is supportive of the university's growth and wants to help them reach their goal of 10,000 students in ten years. They don't, however, want undergraduate students living in the downtown area next to senior citizens. The community also does not want the added traffic from the new dorms.

The citizens would like to see a shift to more of a walking community. They are afraid that everyone will get in their cars to go to class therefore adding to the current congestion on York road. The community is aligned with Towson University in their desire to attract more up-scale and student focused businesses such as Starbucks to the area. The relationship between the University and Community is acceptable at the present time. The only current issue is the miscommunication between who will be living in the Towson Circle complex. There is the realization that both parties need each other and currently progress is being made.

Over my four years here great improvements have been made. I am sure many more will be made to accomplish the desired goals.