Mansfield P & Z opposes Mansfield Apartment Site | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Mansfield P & Z opposes Mansfield Apartment Site

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Stairmaster said:
Yes, I know that Mansfield Apartments is UCONN's property. We've been over this. The P&Z, Town Council, or whatever municipal entity you want to name's opinions will mean squat when the university builds the new arena. It's happening. I know that and I don't care (aside from a slight sentimentality associated with the Moss Sanctuary, but other such places exist near where I'm living now). My point is, anyone reading this post who wants UCONN to use eminent domain and claim every acre of land within the geographical boundary of the town of Mansfield is a) incredibly stupid considering significant portions of the town are not owned by the university and b) a stinking load of diarrhea.
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That's a gross exaggeration of what was said, much less what anyone actually wants. Simmer down.
 
Mansfield killed the Pfizer Animal Disease Center Building that was to go near horse barn hill. The University of Indiana got the multi-million dollar facility after Mansfield screwed it up.
 
Palatine said:
Mansfield killed the Pfizer Animal Disease Center Building that was to go near horse barn hill. The University of Indiana got the multi-million dollar facility after Mansfield screwed it up.
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So that makes "rolling over Mansfield" acceptable? Bless your soul.
 
Stairmaster said:
I rest my case.
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You're the one who brought up razing childhood homes a mile from campus. :rolleyes:

As I stated above, I'm not a big fan of Eminent Domain. However, UConn is a multi-billion dollar driver of the Connecticut economy and in order for the school to continue to grow and become a world class research institution more change is required, with some of it likely impacting the town of Mansfield. This could include expanding or creating roadways, or optimally adding onto the campus or technology park as well as its infrastructure. UConn needs to fulfill its mission without having one hand tied behind its back at every turn. Mansfield and its residents have profited greatly from UConn's continued growth, with many residents drawing paychecks from the University and/or accessing the many resources the university offers. The council needs to stop being the Harper Valley PTA and, instead, be a partner in UConn's transformation. If not, then maybe a different tack is required. The suggestion of putting the rink at the Depot is silly one (except of course if the town or select local residents stand to benefit financially).
 
Stairmaster said:
Yes, I know that Mansfield Apartments is UCONN's property. We've been over this. The P&Z, Town Council, or whatever municipal entity you want to name's opinions will mean squat when the university builds the new arena. It's happening. I know that and I don't care (aside from a slight sentimentality associated with the Moss Sanctuary, but other such places exist near where I'm living now).

My point is, anyone reading this post who wants UCONN to use eminent domain and claim every acre of land within the geographical boundary of the town of Mansfield is a) incredibly stupid considering significant portions of the town are not owned by the university and b) a stinking load of diarrhea.
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I went to UConn and also had family and friends from the area, including a very enjoyable hours sitting a friend's house while her parents were away. Thus, I did not go into Storrs with a negative view of Mansfield; but, I had issues after 4 years. A couple of examples:
  • Mansfield always complained about drunk students walking along North Eagleville road between campus and Carriage House/Celeron at night; but, refused to let the university put in sidewalks along the road for years claiming it would ruin the rural character of the town. This included periodic tickets for jay-walking. With the only alternate route being the rape trail can't, really blame the students for that choice.
  • When I was on campus, Mansfield PD enforced parking violations on campus. You can imagine how that went. I got a ticket once for illegal parking in a loading zone at hilltop while moving into the dorm at the start of the semester. I asked the Mansfield Cop writing the ticket as what I should do when there are 200+ people moving into a single building all at the same time. His was response something like, ‘that’s your problem,’ and went over to ticket the other three cars next to mine.
  • Mansfield officials always ranted and raved about Spring Weekend demanding that UConn had to do something to stop all of the hooligans, drunk driving, etc. Yet, they made no mention that half the people arrested/fined in the paper after Spring Weekend were high school kids from EO Smith.
  • My senior year during fall finals week in December, I was walking from the library to Hilltop and just turned onto Hillside Road at around 11 PM when a Mansfield Cruiser flashed it lights and me, jumped the curb in front of me and then the cop charged out of the cruiser with his hand on his holster yelling that I had to give him my backpack because he suspected I had alcohol on me. I went off on him saying something along the line of – ‘Its finals week and you saw me leave the library, what on earth do you think I am doing? Plus, I’m over 21, so I can have a beer in my backpack if I wanted to. So, go ahead and arrest me, you have no probable cause. See how far that gets you.’ I kept on walking and he drove off.
Right now, I think one of the biggest issues is that UConn has gone for a mid-major state university that had barely expanded physically since the 1960's with under 20K students on campus in the mid 90's to a major university with close to 30K on a campus that had pumped $2 billion into new facilities all over the place. Granted that is a major change. Plus, it does not help that a lot of Mansfield's central functions (town hall, high school) are adjacent to the campus. That's aid, it is clear that neither are going away and must learn to work together.
 
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Mr. Conehead said:
That's aid, it is clear that neither are going away and must learn to work together.
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I agree 100%.

Side note, I don't think Storrs is paradise. There's a reason I went to school elsewhere, and I don't foresee myself living there again. I just don't like seeing its flaws this grossly exaggerated.
 
No other info...

Tim_Fontenault 4:00pm via TweetDeck (Covering everything UConn sports for @the_dailycampus, @TheUConnBlog, )
A UConn hockey note: I'm told the Mansfield Apartments site is no longer a guarantee. Site near Freitas still in play. Board is discussing.
 
huskymedic said:
No other info...

Tim_Fontenault 4:00pm via TweetDeck (Covering everything UConn sports for @the_dailycampus, @TheUConnBlog, )
A UConn hockey note: I'm told the Mansfield Apartments site is no longer a guarantee. Site near Freitas still in play. Board is discussing.
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this tells me they may be rethinking the seating capacity of the new barn
 
huskymedic said:
No other info...

Tim_Fontenault 4:00pm via TweetDeck (Covering everything UConn sports for @the_dailycampus, @TheUConnBlog, )
A UConn hockey note: I'm told the Mansfield Apartments site is no longer a guarantee. Site near Freitas still in play. Board is discussing.
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Updated Master Plan being presented to BOT this week shows Freitas Ice Forum parking lot as a potential site for new barn.
 
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UCONNJACK said:
Updated Master Plan being presented to BOT this week shows Freitas Ice Forum parking lot as a potential site for new barn.
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Pro - less town politics, cons less visibility and may cause a traffic nightmare on game nights...
 
Just for the record, the people in Storrs opposing any development are not hicks or local yokels. They are educated environmentalist eggheads. The progress of development along State highways in town and in concentrated areas like Rt 44/Rt 195 area and Storrs center, are opposed for the mere fact that they want to have the final say or grind things to a halt. These people who will all be dead in 20 years need to be ignored. They don't like the sewer plan or the water plan and the Tech Park drives them wild. They don't care if the University leads the way through economic expansion that creates jobs for people. About the only thing these folks approve of is the women's basketball program.
 
jdb50 said:
Just for the record, the people in Storrs opposing any development are not hicks or local yokels. They are educated environmentalist eggheads. The progress of development along State highways in town and in concentrated areas like Rt 44/Rt 195 area and Storrs center, are opposed for the mere fact that they want to have the final say or grind things to a halt. These people who will all be dead in 20 years need to be ignored. They don't like the sewer plan or the water plan and the Tech Park drives them wild. They don't care if the University leads the way through economic expansion that creates jobs for people. About the only thing these folks approve of is the women's basketball program.
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The same group that shot down the tech park in the late 80's...that turned into Celeron Square Apt's.
 
UCONNJACK said:
Updated Master Plan being presented to BOT this week shows Freitas Ice Forum parking lot as a potential site for new barn.
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I suppose that's not a bad secondary site. It's on campus, if it avoids the headache of the NIMBYs and doesn't hold everything up it's better for everyone. There's plenty of room there for the building, for parking, for any add-ons to the facility. If thats what it takes to get it done, go for it. Throw 6,000-6,500 seats there with top-notch training facilities, maybe do what ND did and throw in a rink on the side for secondary practice and to host youth leagues, and UConn will be very well set for the long term in Hockey East, and potentially the B1G were that to materialize.
 
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UCONNJACK said:
Updated Master Plan being presented to BOT this week shows Freitas Ice Forum parking lot as a potential site for new barn.
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Does the university own the land behind Freitas and on the other side of Calhoun Way? They would have plenty of space very near the rest of the athletic hub to work with if they do. Build new hockey and soccer facilities on the open land and put parking where those footprints are now.
 
brasssbonanzaa said:
I suppose that's not a bad secondary site. It's on campus, if it avoids the headache of the NIMBYs and doesn't hold everything up it's better for everyone. There's plenty of room there for the building, for parking, for any add-ons to the facility. If thats what it takes to get it done, go for it. Throw 6,000-6,500 seats there with top-notch training facilities, maybe do what ND did and throw in a rink on the side for secondary practice and to host youth leagues, and UConn will be very well set for the long term in Hockey East, and potentially the B1G were that to materialize.
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If they put the barn/team facility near Freitas...they may very well encompass the current ice surface at Freitas as a practice surface. It's already there, and all they would have to do is attach the new barn to it taking up the space of the current parking lot. This would allow the parking lot for the new barn to be a buffer zone and maybe make it easier to deal with the Town of Mansfield
 
In addition to the Mansfield NIMBYs' ongoing endless whining, building near Freitas may add others biatching about additional traffic along Rt 44 to Rt 31 to Rt 275/South Eagleville Road to Separatist Rd to Jim Calhoun Way. It's already a good route to Storrs, but would be used more with a bigger barn on or near the Freitas footprint. On the Google map huskymedic posted, what's the land like in what's referred to as "Separatist Tract" (behind Freitas out to South Eagleville Road/Rt 275)? Flat? Dry or Swampy?
 
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Da_Aisijimo_Gou said:
In addition to the Mansfield NIMBYs' ongoing endless whining, building near Freitas may add others biatching about additional traffic along Rt 44 to Rt 31 to Rt 275/South Eagleville Road to Separatist Rd to Jim Calhoun Way. It's already a good route to Storrs, but would be used more with a bigger barn on or near the Freitas footprint. On the Google map huskymedic posted, what's the land like in what's referred to as "Separatist Tract" (behind Freitas out to South Eagleville Road/Rt 275)? Flat? Dry or Swampy?
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Forest. Designated as park land for the time being.
 
Not sure if I should admit this or not, but I am a life long resident of Mansfield. Born and raised. Yes, from a town resident perspective the town has screwed the pooch on some significant projects. I have grown up a UConn fan and I'm very excited about the future of UConn athletics, especially hockey. I think the Mansfield Apartment proposal is ideal. I could be wrong but aren't the apartments scheduled to be demolished anyway? This could be a great catalyst to do a nice complex between an arena, maybe incorporate some restaurants. It's at the intersection of two main roads which would make it easier to get in and out of. Traffic wouldn't be any worse than games at Gampel.
 
Butch said:
Forest. Designated as park land for the time being.
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The Separatist Tract was my back up location for an on campus stadium. Oh well Horsebarn Hill it is.
 
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Putting the barn at the Mansfield Apts site makes it a convenience walking distance from Storrs Center which should help many of the bars and restaurants before and after games.

Sticking it by the current rink offers much less in the way of an economic pop.
 
FDNY99 said:
If they put the barn/team facility near Freitas...they may very well encompass the current ice surface at Freitas as a practice surface. It's already there, and all they would have to do is attach the new barn to it taking up the space of the current parking lot. This would allow the parking lot for the new barn to be a buffer zone and maybe make it easier to deal with the Town of Mansfield
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UConn would only need to do that if they were going to do an arrangement like the Mullins Center in Amherst (read: attempt to house basketball AND hockey in the same arena) on account of the pressure it puts on the facility to meet the needs of the teams for practice time (needs that, because of the time it takes to do tear downs and re-sets between hoops and hockey, are largely incompatible).

Well, that's not exactly true because UConn is already attempting to manage four teams at Frietas (men's hockey, women's hockey, EO Smith/Tolland/Windham co-op, and the Northeast Icedogs youth program), and it may actually be in their best interest to keep the secondary rink attached so that the youth programs don't get screwed on ice time.

I don't know how BC manages it because I've never been to Conte (whereas I have been to Mullins, and its secondary rink is quite obvious); they do have a dedicated volleyball gym, however, which removes some of the pressure.
 
kingdobbs said:
UConn would only need to do that if they were going to do an arrangement like the Mullins Center in Amherst (read: attempt to house basketball AND hockey in the same arena) on account of the pressure it puts on the facility to meet the needs of the teams for practice time (needs that, because of the time it takes to do tear downs and re-sets between hoops and hockey, are largely incompatible).

Well, that's not exactly true because UConn is already attempting to manage four teams at Frietas (men's hockey, women's hockey, EO Smith/Tolland/Windham co-op, and the Northeast Icedogs youth program), and it may actually be in their best interest to keep the secondary rink attached so that the youth programs don't get screwed on ice time.

I don't know how BC manages it because I've never been to Conte (whereas I have been to Mullins, and its secondary rink is quite obvious); they do have a dedicated volleyball gym, however, which removes some of the pressure.
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King the bold part of your post is why it would be a plus to keep the current ice surface at Freitas. Plus it won't cost them anything to keep it, and they can make money ike you said due to the lack of ice time in that part of the state.
 
Not that I'm against building a new arena next to the current Freitas, but leave it to the town of Mansfield to build a multi-million dollar downtown project and then complain when someone wants to build an arena which would be a major draw to downtown to help the businesses there.
 
Build the new arena on the Hartford campus. Problem = solved!
 
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