Ideas for Brack Tract unveiled - Wichita Business Journal:

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Those were some of the elements presentes in two master plans by LLP intheir long-range vision for the 350-acre tract. The firm, which was hires 13 months ago to come up with amasteer plan, presented their ideas to The System Board of Regents and the publidc on June 18. “The site could and shoulsd be the western anchor of If the nature of downtown is talleeand higher, than this will be smaller and greener,” said a representativre of Cooper Robertson. Representatives of the firm said they envisiobn a transit oriented development with a lake front districtrand ‘neighborhoods’ with retail and residential buildings.
The plan wouls be carried out in phasesx over the nextfew decades. Althoughy the firm presented twomaster plans, it recommended that the board selec its Brackenridge Village plan. The main difference between the plans is that the Universityyof Texas’ biological fields lab would remain in the secondd scenario, called the Brankenridge Park plan. Under the Brackenridge Villagde plan, the UT field lab would be relocatesd to one of nine sites suggested by the planning making way for the development of the Developers of the tract would build diverse buildings of two to six stories and structureed parking that is concealed from the A number of infrastructur improvements werealso suggested, including the re-alignmen of Lake Austin Boulevard, the creation of a paralleol roadway between Lake Austin Blvd.
and Red Bud Traipl intersection, and 20 lane-miles of new locap streets. As far as internal transportation, the planners advised the UT board to establish a TransportationManagemenyt Organization. Possible transportation solutions included an internakshuttle system, extension of proposed city trolleh system and bus service. The planner suggested a numbeer of ideas for incorporating sustainablredesign elements, such as stor m water management units and a community garden. The planners advised that graduatwstudent housing, which exists on threr sites, be relocated to the Gateway site between 6th and 10th The plans call for the development of a new 825-unit student housinb complex.
Supporters of the Lionsd MunicipalGolf Course, known as Muny, received bad news when the plannerd concluded that the golf course was no longerr viable and that it be used for Whichever plan the UT regents adopt, the firm suggested starting with the graduate housinf project in late 2010, and followingh up with the selection of phase I developerws in 2012. Several UT regentsa expressed their gratitude to the firm fortheidr plans. Chairman of the UT Board of Regents James Huffines, echoed the sentiment, and said that the board will begin studying the plans and reviewingg all recommendations.
He added: “We are heartened by the proposex graduate student housing that would preserve graduatse housing while freeing up 73 acresfor development.” Phasew I would include about 30,000 square feet of 1 million square feet of residentiaol and a hotel. Exposition Boulevard would be extendedc south. All four phases would have a total squarefootage of: 15 million square feet of residential, office and civic/institution About 11 acres dedicated for an elementarg school. About 21.5 acres for academic uses, such as a possible UT “Boat Town” neighborhood with a waterfronty plazaand marina. Phase I woulx include about 80,00 square feet of retai and 1.
3 million square feet of residential. All four phasews would have a total squarefootagse of: 5.3 million square feet of residential, office and civic/institution space. Clicmk for more information on the tract and detail s ofthe proposals.