The Lobo Development Corporation has hosted forums since August to give students, faculty and community members input on campus construction plans, but few showed up.
Lobo Development collaborated with American Campus Communities to build student housing on south campus, and now has plans to begin more construction on main campus, according to its website.
But a post on the Lobo Development Facebook page suggests that many students don’t know about what the construction entails or how it affects them.
“It sounds like many students were unaware of this new UNM housing plan,” the post from graduate student Theresa Williams says. “Maybe the planners should have better engaged the students and community from the beginning, and throughout the entire process. What efforts have Lobo Development made to outreach and gather student input?”
A Lobo Development representative responded by saying that it’s “always looking for ways to engage with students,” and cited forums that were held once a week from Aug. 26-Nov. 9.
“Everyone with an interest in campus development is invited to participate: students, faculty, neighbors, staff, public officials and property owners,” the website said.
Kim Murphy, director of UNM Real Estate, said LDC records the number of students through sign-up sheets at each forum, but that the numbers were “incomplete” as of Monday.
Several homeowners in the neighborhood west of Lobo Village construction on south campus said they never heard about the impending construction or community forums.
Steve Mills, Campus Neighborhood Association spokesman, said Lobo Development contacted him with information about upcoming construction projects and the forums.
Mills said he serves as a go-between, relaying UNM Real Estate decisions to the neighborhood members. The neighborhood is situated near Campus Boulevard and Vassar Drive across from the Alvarado dorm and D parking lot, but some neighborhood members wanted more information than what forums offered, Mills said.
“Four or five households actually went down to the real estate office and had a question-and-answer session with Lobo Development because they were unclear on some aspects of the construction,” he said.
Mills said communication between the University Real Estate and the neighborhood is “pretty good,” but he has some complaints. He said he is worried about construction noise, traffic displacement and pollutants.
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“This neighborhood sits right on the edge of the UNM, so anything that happens to UNM happens to us,” he said. “So, there is always a certain level of discontent among the neighborhood about the effect UNM has on us.”
Richard Reid’s house is located across the street from D lot and Santa Ana dorm where the majority of the construction will occur, but he said he didn’t know about it until reading a recent newspaper article.
“Mills sent out some notices about it, but until about a month ago, I had no idea it would be right across the street,” he said. “When I heard that, I went over to the (UNM) Real Estate office and had a briefing with them about the plans.”
Reid said he attended one Lobo Development session, but ACC officials at the event did not present details about the construction, only general concepts.
“At first I thought there was a pretty good turnout at the forum, but then I realized that only about 20 people were not representatives from Lobo Development or ACC who were all speaking from the same perspective,” he said. “I would have thought that there would be more students there.”
Right now, Santa Ana offers 172 beds, but when the construction is done up to 1,000 new beds will be available. Reid said that will increase student density, the amount of trash and pollution.
“I’m not blaming the students,” he said. “I’m just saying that the more people there are, the poorer the quality of life.”
Student Sarah Hoppe said she first she heard about the construction when reading a Daily Lobo article.
“I never heard of any forums, either,” she said.
Another student, Sabrina Contla, said she hadn’t heard of construction plans until reading the Daily Lobo, and she also had not heard of the forums.
Brent McPherson, Lobo Village property manager, said he went to one forum that about 20 other people attended. He said about 10 students, five faculty, and five community members were at the event.
“The great thing about forums is that everyone’s voice can be heard,” he said.
