Park Point at RIT
Encyclopedia
Park Point at RIT is a commercial enterprise on the northeast corner of Rochester Institute of Technology
's campus in Rochester
, New York
. The property is being leased to Wilmorite Properties. Park Point at RIT is a $72 million dollar
project and is expected to bring in $10 million in tax revenue during the first ten years of operation.
Although tenants were allowed to move in and shops began opening on August 15, 2008, the grand opening of Park Point at RIT was held on September 27, 2008, with a concert called Simone Square Bash 2008.
In the Winter of 2005, RIT announced a plan for 'College Town'. College Town was envisioned as "a commercial venture that would bring a variety of shopping, dining and housing to a 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) parcel on the northeast corner of campus." Initially, the area was designed for use primarily by RIT students and faculty; but as time progressed, the idea of College Town expanded to include not only RIT and other college students, but to also incorporate recent graduates and the local community.
According to a statement from Wilmorite, the firm expects that the housing will largely be taken not only up by students from RIT, but also by students from Monroe Community College
, University of Rochester
and other area colleges
.
Although RIT originated the idea for the project, the implementation and operation of Park Point is being carried out by Wilmorite Properties. Wilmorite Construction was responsible for construction of the complex.
Construction of Park Point was originally planned to start in Fall of 2006. However, the project was delayed by concerns about the wetland
s in the proposed area. RIT worked with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
and the United States Army Corps of Engineers
to overcome the concerns. RIT created an equal amount of wetlands in the southeast corner of campus to offset the loss of wetlands due to the construction of Park Point.
Construction began on Monday, April 30, 2007 with the clearing of trees and brush in the area, although the official groundbreaking was on June 22.
In addition to the construction at Park Point, the project also caused minor disturbances to local traffic for brief periods of time. These were mostly attributed to bringing utilities to the area as well as the paving of new entrances on John Street and Perkins Road.
, was originally intended to be sold to Wilmorite, but RIT instead chose to lease the land to Wilmorite.
The area contains 32 buildings, 31 of which contain apartments. The buildings are divided into three groupings; the block of buildings along Jefferson Road
, the block of buildings along John Street, and the buildings around Simone Square at the intersection of the two streets. Simone Square is a small mall
, the southwest end of which has a fountain
and an open-air stage
. All buildings around the square have apartments from the 2nd to the 4th floors, excluding Barnes & Noble..
Slightly west of Park Point is a small Radisson Hotel which is not associated with Park Point.
Academic Superstore anchors the commercial portion of Park Point, also doubling as RIT's new campus bookstore. The store is two stories tall, totaling half of Park Point's 80000 square feet (7,432.2 m²) of commercial floorspace.
When the Barnes & Noble at Park Point opened, the store became the official bookstore of RIT. Campus Connections, the school's old bookstore located in the student alumni building, closed at the same time. However, because these items are not available at Barnes & Noble, the computer and photography departments of Campus Connections remain open, and were renamed the Digital Den.
In addition to the normal assortment of books found at a Barnes & Noble, the store sells all textbooks required for RIT classes. There is also a significant number of additional books relating to subjects in RIT's curriculum, such as computer science
and electrical engineering
. The store also stocks and sells art supplies and equipment marketed to art and design students in RIT's College of Imaging Arts and Sciences.
The Barnes & Noble at Park Point also sells RIT clothing: RIT t-shirt
s, jersey
s, hoodie
s and numerous other branded items, dormitory supplies, and minor conveniences. There is also a cafe serving Starbucks
products inside the store. There are a few booths in Starbucks itself, and picnic tables can be found around Simone Square. Since it is a Barnes & Noble Cafe serving Starbucks products, they do not accept Starbucks gift cards, but do accept Barnes and Noble gift cards.
The official Grand Opening of Park Point was held on September 27th, 2008 in Simone Square with a free concert called Simone Square Bash 2008.
On April 25, 2009, 10fest, a free concert promoting the release of Glacéau Vitamin Water 10 was held in Simone Square. The concert featured a performance by Christina Milian
at sunset.
There has also been a small student rally at Park Point over RIT's refusal to issue commuter parking passes to students living at Park Point. RIT students who rent an apartment at Park Point are considered to be 'On-Campus' for purposes of acquiring a parking pass. Therefore, they are ineligible to receive parking passes for the various academic parking lots around campus. A student rally was held in Simone Square in which students peacefully planned a course of action: formal petitioning via RIT's Student Government. RIT acknowledged that parking has become a problem, citing a deficit of nearly 1,100 parking spaces during the fall of 2008. In the mean time, more shuttle bus service to Park Point will be provided, with future emphasis placed on creating, among other parking improvements, additional parking spaces and more bike paths on campus.
Buses from the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority make stops at Park Point as both campus shuttles and city routes.
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
's campus in Rochester
Henrietta, New York
Henrietta is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Rochester. The population was 42,581 at the 2010 census. Established in 1818, the town is named after Henrietta Laura Pulteney, Countess of Bath, daughter of Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet, a major British...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The property is being leased to Wilmorite Properties. Park Point at RIT is a $72 million dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
project and is expected to bring in $10 million in tax revenue during the first ten years of operation.
Although tenants were allowed to move in and shops began opening on August 15, 2008, the grand opening of Park Point at RIT was held on September 27, 2008, with a concert called Simone Square Bash 2008.
History
For several years, RIT had been looking for ways to add new housing to campus for students. As early as October 2003, rumors spread through RIT's student body about expanding an existing complex, or perhaps a new student housing project.In the Winter of 2005, RIT announced a plan for 'College Town'. College Town was envisioned as "a commercial venture that would bring a variety of shopping, dining and housing to a 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) parcel on the northeast corner of campus." Initially, the area was designed for use primarily by RIT students and faculty; but as time progressed, the idea of College Town expanded to include not only RIT and other college students, but to also incorporate recent graduates and the local community.
According to a statement from Wilmorite, the firm expects that the housing will largely be taken not only up by students from RIT, but also by students from Monroe Community College
Monroe Community College
Monroe Community College is a two-year college of the State University of New York, located in Monroe County, New York. The college has two campuses, one in the town of Brighton and another, the Damon City Campus, in the City of Rochester...
, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
and other area colleges
Rochester Area Colleges
The Rochester Area Colleges is a consortium of higher education institutions in the Rochester, New York metropolitan area. Founded in 1970, Rochester Area Colleges has numerous area public and private colleges as members, and provides numerous collaborative working opportunities for colleges and...
.
Construction
Construction of Park Point was originally planned to start in Fall of 2006. However, the project was delayed by concerns about the wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s in the proposed area. RIT worked with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
and the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
to overcome the concerns. RIT created an equal amount of wetlands in the southeast corner of campus to offset the loss of wetlands due to the construction of Park Point.
Construction began on Monday, April 30, 2007 with the clearing of trees and brush in the area, although the official groundbreaking was on June 22.
In addition to the construction at Park Point, the project also caused minor disturbances to local traffic for brief periods of time. These were mostly attributed to bringing utilities to the area as well as the paving of new entrances on John Street and Perkins Road.
Property
Park Point is situated upon a 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) plot of RIT's campus. The land, owned by the RITRochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
, was originally intended to be sold to Wilmorite, but RIT instead chose to lease the land to Wilmorite.
The area contains 32 buildings, 31 of which contain apartments. The buildings are divided into three groupings; the block of buildings along Jefferson Road
New York State Route 252
New York State Route 252 is an east–west state highway south of Rochester in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 33A in Chili and the eastern terminus is at a junction with NY 64 and NY 96 in the village...
, the block of buildings along John Street, and the buildings around Simone Square at the intersection of the two streets. Simone Square is a small mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, the southwest end of which has a fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
and an open-air stage
Stage (theatre)
In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience...
. All buildings around the square have apartments from the 2nd to the 4th floors, excluding Barnes & Noble..
Slightly west of Park Point is a small Radisson Hotel which is not associated with Park Point.
Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & NobleBarnes & Noble College Booksellers
Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, Inc. operates bookstores at more than 600 U.S. colleges and universities. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers is a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc., which acquired it in 2009. It was formerly a separate company, and Barnes & Noble chairman Leonard S. Riggio...
Academic Superstore anchors the commercial portion of Park Point, also doubling as RIT's new campus bookstore. The store is two stories tall, totaling half of Park Point's 80000 square feet (7,432.2 m²) of commercial floorspace.
When the Barnes & Noble at Park Point opened, the store became the official bookstore of RIT. Campus Connections, the school's old bookstore located in the student alumni building, closed at the same time. However, because these items are not available at Barnes & Noble, the computer and photography departments of Campus Connections remain open, and were renamed the Digital Den.
In addition to the normal assortment of books found at a Barnes & Noble, the store sells all textbooks required for RIT classes. There is also a significant number of additional books relating to subjects in RIT's curriculum, such as computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
and electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
. The store also stocks and sells art supplies and equipment marketed to art and design students in RIT's College of Imaging Arts and Sciences.
The Barnes & Noble at Park Point also sells RIT clothing: RIT t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, jersey
Jersey (clothing)
A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn...
s, hoodie
Hoodie
A hoodie is a sweatshirt with a hood. The characteristic design includes large frontal pockets, a hood, and a drawstring to adjust the hood opening. They are sometimes worn with sweatpants. Some hoodies have zippers on them to allow easy removal much like a jacket...
s and numerous other branded items, dormitory supplies, and minor conveniences. There is also a cafe serving Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
products inside the store. There are a few booths in Starbucks itself, and picnic tables can be found around Simone Square. Since it is a Barnes & Noble Cafe serving Starbucks products, they do not accept Starbucks gift cards, but do accept Barnes and Noble gift cards.
Simone Square
The focal point of the property is Simone Square, named in honor of Dr. Albert J. Simone. Dr. Simone was RIT's eighth president, and was involved with the project during his presidency. While discussing the College Town project, Simone had said, "We're doing this to increase a sense of community on RIT's campus. That way, students can have a place to release their energies after a hard day on campus and still be together with their classmates and see faculty and staff in a social setting."The official Grand Opening of Park Point was held on September 27th, 2008 in Simone Square with a free concert called Simone Square Bash 2008.
On April 25, 2009, 10fest, a free concert promoting the release of Glacéau Vitamin Water 10 was held in Simone Square. The concert featured a performance by Christina Milian
Christina Milian
Christine Flores , better known by her stage name Christina Milian , is an American singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and model....
at sunset.
Dining & shopping
The following shops and restaurants occupy Park Point:- Barnes & Noble @ RITBarnes & Noble College BooksellersBarnes & Noble College Booksellers, Inc. operates bookstores at more than 600 U.S. colleges and universities. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers is a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc., which acquired it in 2009. It was formerly a separate company, and Barnes & Noble chairman Leonard S. Riggio...
, which also doubles as the RIT's campus bookstore - Lovin' Cup, a coffeeCoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
café, wine bar and music bistro - Abbott's Frozen CustardAbbott's Frozen CustardAbbott's Frozen Custard is a frozen custard franchise founded and based in Rochester, New York. The franchise has stores throughout New York state along with four stores in Florida and one store in Massachusetts....
, a frozen custardFrozen custardFrozen custard is a cold dessert similar to ice cream, made with eggs in addition to cream and sugar.In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires products marketed as frozen custard to contain at least 10 percent milkfat and 1.4 percent egg yolk solids. If it has fewer egg yolk...
shop - Wok With You, an AsianAsian cuisineAsian cuisine styles can be broken down into several tiny regional styles that have roots in the peoples and cultures of those regions. The major types can be roughly defined as East Asian with its origins in Imperial China and now encompassing modern Japan and the Korean peninsula; Southeast Asian...
fusionFusion cuisineFusion cuisine combines elements of various culinary traditions while not being categorized per any one particular cuisine style, and can pertain to innovations in many contemporary restaurant cuisines since the 1970s.-Categories and types:...
restaurant - Paradiso Pizza, a New York styleNew York-style pizzaNew York-style pizza originated in New York City in the early 1900s. It is known for its large, wide, thin and foldable shape. The traditional toppings were tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, with any additional toppings placed with the cheese. It is traditionally hand-tossed and light on sauce...
pizza parlor - T.C. Riley's, a sports pubPublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
- A fitness centerHealth clubA health club is a place which houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.-Main workout area:...
, free for tenants - An M&T BankM&T BankM&T Bank is an American commercial bank that was founded in 1856 in western New York, and today remains headquartered in Buffalo at One M & T Plaza...
branch
Housing
Apartments are leased fully furnished, and are available in 15 different layouts, including: singles, doubles, triples, quadruples, and quintuples. Prices vary from $600 to $1,200 per room per month.Relations with RIT
Although RIT created the concept of an RIT CollegeTown, Wilmorite properties was responsible for construction and now the operation of Park Point. The housing at Park Point is not associated with RIT's own Housing Operations, but is instead conducted by Wilmorite. Additionally, although RIT has its own Public Safety department, Security for Park Point is provided by Wilmorite's own Wilmorite Security.There has also been a small student rally at Park Point over RIT's refusal to issue commuter parking passes to students living at Park Point. RIT students who rent an apartment at Park Point are considered to be 'On-Campus' for purposes of acquiring a parking pass. Therefore, they are ineligible to receive parking passes for the various academic parking lots around campus. A student rally was held in Simone Square in which students peacefully planned a course of action: formal petitioning via RIT's Student Government. RIT acknowledged that parking has become a problem, citing a deficit of nearly 1,100 parking spaces during the fall of 2008. In the mean time, more shuttle bus service to Park Point will be provided, with future emphasis placed on creating, among other parking improvements, additional parking spaces and more bike paths on campus.
Buses from the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority make stops at Park Point as both campus shuttles and city routes.