It's called, simply, the Master Plan, and its name represents its scope. Grander in scale than any single construction project, the plan amounts to nothing short of the proposed transformation of the USC campus — and, if administrators have their way, the identity of the surrounding community.
The Master Plan would:
- Expand the USC campus north of Jefferson Boulevard, into the area known as the University Village and the USC-owned Cardinal Gardens and Century Apartments. USC would redevelop the land into housing and university buildings, and lease the land to developers. The school hopes high-end retailers and restaurants will flock to the area.
- Transform Jefferson Boulevard, currently a major throughway, into a two-lane, pedestrian-friendly street lined with stores and restaurants.
- Allow the university to guarantee housing for four years for undergraduates and one year for graduates. Currently, USC guarantees two years of housing for undergraduates only.
- Coincide with the ongoing transformation of the "Figueroa Corridor" area, and the construction of a light rail line, which will run along USC's campus, west along Exposition and North along Figueroa. Three stops will serve USC.
- Not begin construction until at least 2011. USC must wait until the City approves most of the plan — a process that could take years, not months — and until their lease on the University Village expires at the end of 2010.
So how does the surrounding community, and the City of Los Angeles, view the Master Plan?
- The community: Suspicion. Many community members are already angry at USC because of what they see as a lack of foresight on the university's part. Because USC doesn't have enough housing for its student, dozens of developers have swooped in to charge rates that only students can afford, forcing out longtime residents. The community also remembers USC's last master plan, in 1961, which used eminent domain to seize community land (USC has pledged not to use eminent domain this time around). Finally, some community members are angry that the school wants to turn the mixed-use University Village into what they believe will be a USC-only high end-retail zone, and cause major gentrification in the area.
- The City: An opportunity. Los Angeles has been trying to reshape the area south of Downtown for years, the Master Plan may be their way in. Set to coincide with the City's own revamping of the "Figueroa Corridor" area and the ongoing transformation Downtown, most city officials are very enthusiastic about USC's plan.
Walking through the Master Plan with USC Vice President for Capital Construction Curt Williams.
Transforming Jefferson Boulevard
Improved Public Transportation
