Preservation Magazine, the award-winning publication of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has written a short article about the Planada Apartment building, which the University plans to destroy this fall, most likely to make way for new construction. While I don’t oppose growth, a human-scaled mixed-use neighborhood has largely been eradicated in the Medical Campus to be replaced with parking structures and massive new buildings. The University could easily grow and also maintain a healthy neighborhood in the medical campus by incorporating commercial and residential space in the gigantic buildings now under construction. While the students in the Hill Dorms used to have a party store very near the Planada Building, the University purchased the property and tore it down. The University could incorporate space on the ground floor of whatever building or parking garage they build for stores and restaurants, which were clearly utilized by Hill Dorm students.

Professors and students at the Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning suggested exactly that when asked by B. Joseph White to brainstorm ways to improve north campus – their designs included a walkable layout of mixed-use buildings, and even a “street” of businesses and apartments not unlike the one that is nearly destroyed on the medical campus!

> Preservation: “University of Michigan to Demolish 1929 Building”
> Goodspeed Update Planada Website

The University announced a new admissions policy today, one that involves hiring 16 additional people to review applications. The new policy is expected to cost $2 million for the first year, and involves a short essay about diversity. Also, there is no minimum GPA or test scores, and, according to the University, no points for anything. From the Detroit News article: “Students are ecstatic they’re continuing to use race,” said student Monique Perry, who is from Detroit, black, and who was awarded 20 points for race when she applied to U-M. “We’re hoping it will work effectively.”

> Freep: “Diversity still important in U-M admissions process”
> DetNews: “U-M to ask applicants about diversity and finances”
> Official U-M New dmissions Policy Site

The company that hosts comments is having technical problems, they will be unavaliable until further notice.

The first day of freshman move-in went smoothly, if the ‘News is to be believed: “U-M residence halls welcome first wave of newcomers”

Freshmen quips: “If the school year runs as smoothly as this, I’ll be impressed.”
…
“I like to mingle,” she said, adding that she liked having home an hour away – not too close and not too far. “Any time I get homesick or feel like getting yelled at, I’ll just go home,” she joked.

And a family from Texas wanted to find a “good Mexican restaurant.” Good luck, and let me know where you find it. Tios is ok, but not really Mexican, I’m not sure what Sabor Latino is aside from cheap. Banditos and the Prickly Pear are both excellent in my opinion, but “California-style Mexican” and “Southwestern” respectively.

Student Ghetto Break-ins 2.0

While these aren’t technically within the bounds of the traditional ‘ghetto’ – roughly bound by Hill St., Packard, and South Forest, I hope we can be flexible:

“Intruder fondles sleeping woman

100 block of Lake Village Drive, 2:45 p.m. Monday. Unknown method of entry; video games, a Sony PlayStation, Game Cube and Xbox taken. Total value: $1,230. “

> From today’s AA News Crime Beat

I think it bears repeating, or at least consideration: Powerpoint is evil.

Think Ann Arbor might be high on the list of Michigan cities with the lowest car ownership? Think again – Ann Arbor is 108th, with only 9.5% claiming no vehicles. Then again, the statistic might be slightly off because it polls “households” …