Mission statement: To better connect the community of University City through means of:

Students
Local business
Homeowners (local residents)

This will be defined as:
Physical connections: roads, paths, transit
Physiological: programs, corridors, scale

Idea is to create a unified network of:
Specific sties
Nodes (series of disconnected destinations)
People (social, and economic)

Reasons:
The university has held its place in the area for close to 45 years, the campus itself has radically changed. Enrollment has increased by thousands, and the building both on and off campus reflect that. At times during this development certain planning issues have left students, business, and the university disconnected. University city has become a collage of uses that have not been integrated. The problems that have risen are traffic congestion, pedestrian fatalities, and injuries, and a lack of culture.

This problem is not unsolvable. We, UDi, believe that if students, local business, University leaders, and local officials can communicate their needs and desires than the overall area can be seen as a future destination. This in turn would help attract students to the area, by making more of a university lifestyle. Ultimately this would enhance the Universities reputation amongst incoming students, thus raising the academic standards. Local business would be able to connect themselves to the students, thus increasing profits. In turn, local residents would feel connected, and value their part of a larger place.
Once University City has made itself an integrated community, it can then be a destination for travelers. After all, local shopping is increasing, Lowes motor speedway, and Concord Mills is an exit away, downtown is merely a car ride, and eventually a light rail ride, and the University itself can be seen as a destination with sporting events, and other various programs. Not to mention the new Chancellors research institute. Business also has a hold on the area with the business research park, and Wachovia.

Thus, the University City is changing. In order to maintain the status quo (of current growth and prosperity) there needs to be changes. These changes would recognize students and the University as an integral part of maintaining the University City as a place.

What the Charrette will look at:

University (inside out, outside in)
In the past the University has grown with only itself in mind. How can we change such development, yet maintain its boundaries.

Transit
Create nodes, direct connections between popular places.
Loops with complete connections
Rail, bus, car, bike, people.
From inter-transit within the UC, or extra-transit, from UC out, or in.

Community
Simple: street crossings, bike and pedestrian paths.
Integrated: program, markets, gardens, community places.