Appearing to substantiate reports that UCSB’s controversial Munger Hall proposal has been scrapped, the university issued a formal “request for qualifications” this week for architectural firms to design a new student housing project at the same campus location previously reserved for Munger Hall. — Santa Barbara Independent
After Santa Barbara Independent Executive Editor Nick Welsh hinted at the end of the infamous "Dormzilla" student housing plan in a scathing editorial in mid-July, UC Santa Barbara's recently published RFQ for the "construction of the UCSB Student Housing Infill and Redevelopment Project" at the cost of up to $750 million appears to confirm a sudden turning point in the history of the hotly contested and breathtakingly window-deprived Munger Hall proposal.
Want to throw your hat in the ring? Submit your design bid by 4 PM Pacific Time on August 18.
7 Comments
OMG this is excellent news. I've occasionally thought about this hideously stupid project over the last few months wondering if it was going ahead, but I never googled it because it makes me so ragey and sad that I couldn't face it.
August 18—is that enough time to come up with anything? The announcement was made July 25. And note the description:
Phase 1 of the Project will be located at the current Facilities Management Site, and Phase 1 project services will include the design and construction of a new residential community housing for up to 3,000 students. . . .
Almost as big as Munger, in the same place. This could have been a time for the campus to define itself. Instead eight years have been lost and they're under more pressure than ever. I'd hate to see them come up with a less than satisfactory compromise, a rush job.
This may be a good time to short stock in the company that makes those LED panels.
But here's my proposal:
Comparisons can be made.
Hilarious, Gary. Just put a reflection of the ocean on one side ;-)
Dick Flacks, who has long been vocal in protest, gives an overview:
https://www.independent.com/2023/07/30/uc-santa-barbara-housing-crisis-the-turning-point/
A private developer has pulled out of another large project, Ocean Road:
. . . it’s likely that Graystar came to see more profit in building or acquiring private student housing than in adhering to University of California requirements for affordability. Why the private-public partnership was sought in the first place, however, is hard to fathom when historically UCSB has been able to finance and build very good employee housing on its own.
So UCSB is really stuck. The only silver lining:
But the positive thing, we can hope, is that this failure helps lay to rest the drive toward privatization of public higher education. The need for affordable housing can’t be fulfilled by relying on the private housing industry and by market forces.
And he notes:
While housing scarcity and inflation grew, UC invested $4.5 billion in the real estate trust of Blackstone — one of the very companies buying up rental properties near campuses, displacing working class tenants, and milking the student market. UC could pre-empt such predatory behavior if it directly invested in its own neighborhood housing and protected its affordability.
Almost read that as Dick Flaps. Good for him vocally protesting the Munger turd.
There is still a place, however, for Munger Hall:
perfect submittal for USP Barstow
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