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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008
Student Senate will discuss a bill tonight to open their Student Advertising Program to student organizations with selective membership.
KU Endowment may spend more
SCIENCE
Medical center may face fund cut in 2009
Only organizations open to all students can use the program right now. If passed, the groups with selective membership will be able to advertise for free in the Student Senate ad in The University Daily Kansan.
President Bush's proposed budget for 2009 could lower the amount of grant money some University of Kansas researchers receive.
The budget allots increased spending for some federal agencies but not for biomedical research.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 8A
STUDENT SENATE
VOLUME 118 ISSUE 94
CAMPUS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Free ad space for all groups discussed
FULL STORY ON PAGE 3A
The KU Endowment Association could be forced to spend more of its funds. A proposed federal mandate that would tax universities' endowments if the universities did not spend more than 5 percent of the funds has the University worried.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 4A
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THURSDAY 389
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index
OREAD INN
Figuring out finances
BY ANDY GREENHAW
agreenhaw@kansan.com
Lawrence City Commission passes plan to reimburse a portion of development costs
Lawrence city commissioners brought the Oread Inn one step closer to reality last night.
Commissioners voted unanimously to put together a plan to use the increase in tax revenue — new money the hotel brings to the city — to reimburse some of the estimated $11 million that project developers are required to invest into public improvements.
In order for the Oread Inn to go up at the north entrance of campus, the project developers, led by the Gene Fritzel Construction Company, must invest a projected $5 million into basic improvements of the area and $6 million into a new underground parking garage.
Developers agreed to both of these as long as the city would reimburse $5 to $7.1 million of the project using the increase in tax revenue the hotel is expected to bring to the city.
Matthew Gough, an attorney representing the Oread project's interests, said the specifics of the reimbursement plan would be decided at a future meeting.
"The only thing that's official tonight is that the city has adopted an ordinance to form the tax incremental financing of the project," Gough said.
Without the commission's decision to look into some sort of reimbursement plan, project developers wouldn't be able to afford
All five commissioners also voted to rezone the area for planned commercial development and voted in favor of the demolition of the structures located at 1140, 1142 and 1144 on Indiana Street and 618, 619 and 620 on West 12th Street.
the $37 million project, and the Oread Inn would have become a dead issue, said David Longhurst, a representative of the development company.
While the meeting included minor discussions about the number of floors the hotel should be allowed to have, no development plans for the project were officially approved.
City manager Dave Corliss said the public would get a chance to comment on the official redevelopment plan in a future meeting.
Dissenters outnumbered
The main topic was the tax incremental financing of the project.
supporters at the meeting as some Lawrence residents voiced concern about how the project would be financed.
Allen Ford, professor of business at the University of Kansas, said he was concerned that people associated with the Oread project were assuming numbers they couldn't predict.
"One of the biggest assumptions is that this project will experience a 1 percent growth every year," Ford said. "I don't think anyone would make an investment in a restaurant, hotel or anything that assumes that it will have a 1 percent
it will have a 1 percent growth every year."
people associated with the project said the Oread hotel would offer.
"I believe this to be a valuable project that creates a very healthy payroll" said Deplore. "And what the heck, it's going to enhance the neighborhood for free."
**Tikz** is a **raster** design of the planked vector of the south side of the Oracad Inst.
LAWRENCE
Bars, traffic raise safety issues
Neighborhood near campus could be unsafe
BY RUSTIN DODD
dodd@kansan.com
A young man darted across the street at the corner of 14th and Tennessee streets at approximately 11:45 p.m. on Saturday. With a "Dont Walk Sign" flashing, the man headed for the SafeBus parked on the street corner.
The man was a mere five minute walk from the corner of 13th and Kentucky streets
— the intersection where former University of Kansas student Ryan Kanost was killed in a hit-and-run accident while crossing the street on Sept. 23, 2006. On Monday, Josh Walton was convicted of two misdemeanors: vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an injury accident. He'll face up to two years in a county jail
"People tend to forget there are cars that are driving along those streets, too."
According to crime statistics from the Lawrence Police Department's Web site, the Oread Neighborhood experienced fewer cases of DUI arrests during the first few months of 2007, compared with 2006. In 2006, 27 DUI arrests were made in Neighborhood Area 10B - the location of the Wheel, the Hawk and The Bull, as well as Kanoat's death.
Nearly 18 months later, pedestrian safety in the near-campus Oread Neighborhood, commonly know to students as the "student ghetto" is still a concern among University students. The neighborhood covers the area from Ninth and 17th streets to Missouri and Massachusetts streets, excluding campus. Three popular bars – The Wheel, The Hawk and The Bull – increase the heavy pedestrian traffic, and the neighborhood contains multiple one-way streets.
ASHLEY BLANCHAT Wichita sophomore
sentence and up to a $5,000 fine.
allows, specialized enforcement is used to address certain issues? Fellers said.
Sergeant Paul Fellers, a Lawrence Police Department spokesperson, said the number of officers on duty depends on the number of officers available.
"While 14th and Ohio is a popular area, officers are responsible for the entire city of Lawrence. Occasionally when manpower
"It is unsafe because drunk people, in general, will walk across the street, and not pay attention." Christine Peterson, Topeka junior, said.
"The police department continues to focus as many resources as possible to deter and arrest impaired drivers," Fellers said. "The Police Department appreciates and will respond to
Through June of 2007, only seven DUI arrest had been made. Statistics from July to December 2007 are not currently available on the Web site.
This map depicts the Oread Neighborhood, more commonly known as the "student ghetto." Three popular bars and the site of a hit-and-run accident in September 2000 are outlined.
Graphic by Bryan Marvin/KANSAN
reports from the public regarding individuals driving under the influence."
Nazar Kanchwal, Chicago freshman, and DeMario Luttrell, Des Moines, Iowa, freshman, stood on the corner of 14th and Ohio streets Saturday. "I feel like when you're in a group of people its safer than when you're alone," Kanchwal said about walking around the neighborhood at night. "I wouldn't walk around alone, but I would walk around in a group."
Lutrell said the number of drunk students leaving the area bars can lead to problems.
"If people are stumbling out into the streets and stuff, it can be dangerous." Luttrell said.
The heavy pedestrian traffic in the Oread Neighborhood can cause trouble for cars as well. Many Greek organizations have designated drivers programs to prevent drunk driving. The Gamma Phi Beta sorority designates members for SADD - Sisters Against Drunk Driving - duty on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Ashley Blanchat, Wichita sophomore, said she's done SADD duty about five times.
"It gets stressful," Blanchat said. "People tend to forget there are cars that are driving along those streets, too."
With three bars in a one block radius, Blanchat said dropping people off and picking people up can be a headache.
"There's no safe place to drop people off!"
Blanchat said. "People get annoyed when you
stop, and they try to go around you as people are getting out of your car."
Peterson said some of the safety responsibilities fell to the pedestrians.
"People don't pay attention, they just sort of glance for cars," Peterson said. "But people don't know how fast cars are coming. If people would follow the crosswalk it'd be safe."
— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld