A Quick Comparison of the Costs Related to Wauwatosa vs. Downtown for the Expansion of UWM
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008| Costs | Wauwatosa | Downtown |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Price of Land | $12 million1 | $4-6 million2 |
| Major Infrastructure | $15-20 million3 | $04 |
| Parking Facilities | • $20 million, exclusive use, 1000 car garage |
• Arrangement with other operations |
| Approvals | • Milwaukee County Approval • City of Wauwatosa Approval |
• City of Milwaukee Approval |
| Timing | • Must build infrastructure first • Zoo Interchange reconstruction starts in 2010 |
• Infrastructure already in place • Marquette Interchange done in 2009 |
| Additional | • Underground or structured parking5 • Rehabilitating the Eschweiler Buildings • Unknown soil conditions (burial ground?) • Better transportation between main campus • Students services (housing, cafeteria, etc.) |
• Underground or structured parking • Unknown soil conditions (contamination?) |
| Externalities/Social Costs |
• Environmental Impacts (traffic, stormwater, sprawl) • Student access to higher education impeded |
• None |
Notes:
- This estimate, from a November 17, 2007 Journal-Sentinel article, is extremely conservative for the purchase of 83 acres of valuable County Grounds land: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=687436. However, less than 50% of the 83 acres would be used for UWM buildings and related research, the remaining acres would be for freeway buffers and stormwater management. UWM would be buying land that can’t be used for research. http://www.uwm.edu/CEAS/assets/UWMInnovationParkDraft0907.pdf
- Downtown land sells for approximately $2m/acre. Only 2-3 acres (one city block, no land assembly needed) would be needed for the school in a downtown location because there is no need to build roads, pay for freeway buffers or stormwater management spaces. Plenty of vacant land available, no demolition costs needed.
- Estimated costs for roads, sewer, water, stormwater management and other major infrastructure needed in Wauwatosa.
- Downtown has all major infrastructure in place.
- As shown in UWM’s initial concept for the campus, there is little to no surface parking and it contemplates a 1,000 car underground parking deck: http://www.uwm.edu/CEAS/assets/UWMInnovationParkDraft0907.pdf
