Expansion, without the Red Tape

This University Business article by Erin Peterson is subtitled "City officials can help—or hinder—a campus expansion plan. Here’s how to make sure they’re on board with your proposal."

The advance notice is more than just a courtesy—it’s a vital part of the planning process. “We tell [city officials] about a year in advance that we’re thinking about an idea or project,” Bryant says. He says it gives them a chance to voice concerns or issues with the project, which can prevent headaches later on. “The further into design you are, the more [those unaddressed concerns] become disruptive. It’s best for everybody to have all their cards on the table early.”

Early meetings are less about persuading the city to see the institution’s point of view than about creating an open discussion, according to Nels Hall, principal at Yost Grube Hall Architecture, whose clients have included Portland Community College’s Cascade campus and Portland State University. Getting input from community groups, city planning groups, and other constituencies can help you create a plan that will sail through required reviews. “Things go wrong when there hasn’t been initial dialogue,” Hall says. “Your plan shouldn’t be a show-and-tell, where you’re just telling people what you want, because that puts [city officials] in a defensive position.” A college is more likely to build trust if its leaders are “in a dialogue mode, not a selling mode,” he adds.

Advance preparation can also help head off criticism before it starts. At Mount Holyoke, school officials developed a parking management plan for their athletics facilities to allay fears that neighbors had about the possibility of crowded streets on game days.