SOUTH MILLENNIAL CAMPUS MASTER PLAN Greensboro Center for Innovative Development A joint Millennial Campus of North Carolina A & T State University and University of North Carolina at Greensboro October 2006

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF SOUTH MILLENNIAL CAMPUS, AS SEEN FROM THE WEST

SOUTH MILLENNIAL CAMPUS MASTER PLAN Greensboro Center for Innovative Development A joint Millennial Campus of North Carolina A + T State University and University of North Carolina at Greensboro October 2006

ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN OF PHASE I OF SOUTH MILLENNIAL CAMPUS

Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION

1

1. PLANNING CONTEXT

3

1.1 Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 1.2 Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 1.3 Goals and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 2. PHYSICAL PLANNING BACKGROUND 2.1 Local and Regional Context . 2.2 Site Character . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 University Contexts . . . . . . 2.4 Site Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5 Design Principles . . . . . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

7 . . . . .

. . . . .

3. MASTER PLAN

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. 7 .10 . 11 . 12 .14 17

3.1 Development Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 3.2 Site Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 3.3 Phasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 4. SUSTAINABLE ECOLOGICAL DESIGN

43

5. FULFILLMENT OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES

49

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

51

MASTER PLAN OF PHASE I OF SOUTH MILLENNIAL CAMPUS AND ITS SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

October 2006

Executive Summary The South Millennial Campus is a joint endeavor of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Located less than four miles from downtown Greensboro and the two campuses, the proposed research park will benefit the Universities, the city and the region. The design goals of the South Millennial Campus are to: • Create a physical environment that fosters intellectual exchange and creativity. • Provide facilities to showcase the products and research of the Universities. • Plan for flexibility, growth and private investment over the long term. • Create a plan that is sensitive to the natural environment and surrounding land use patterns. The Master Plan accomplishes the design goals by using the site’s natural features—most notably, the stream, hills and valleys—as the organizing framework for development. The result is a linear development pattern with two rows of buildings

to the front of the site and parking to the rear. Buildings and parking lots step down with the topography to echo the landscape, and buildings feature green roofs in the “step-down” areas. Development is clustered in the southern portion of the site to preserve the existing forestland and protect Buffalo Creek, its wetlands and the surrounding floodplain. In addition, the use of vegetated buffers around the site edges preserves views and reduces impacts to the site’s natural systems. South Millennial Campus is organized around a central plaza which moves with the site’s topography and features. The plaza has various amenities to encourage its use and thereby promote interaction and collaboration across buildings. The center of the plaza corresponds with the highest point in the Campus, making it its topographical and programmatic heart. The development program for South Millennial Campus will construct approximately 450,000 gross square feet of new office, laboratory and retail space across nine two-storey buildings. A second phase of development may extend to the northern side of the parcel. By using sustainable planning and design principles, South Millennial Campus will reduce its energy use, protect its surrounding natural resources, and be a model of sustainable design for the Piedmont Triad region.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

October 2006

THE FUTURE SITE OF SOUTH MILLENNIAL CAMPUS, AS SEEN FROM EAST LEE STREET

INTRODUCTION

October 2006

Introduction The South Millennial Campus is a joint endeavor of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Located less than four miles from downtown Greensboro and the two campuses, this proposed research park will benefit the Universities, the city and the region. It will create synergy between the Universities, enhancing their research capabilities and benefiting students. It will be a place that converts innovative ideas into long-term investments, forming partnerships with the private sector and creating quality jobs for the region. Finally, it will be a new gateway for the City of Greensboro, a place that blends bold architecture with sustainable design. The South Millennial Campus Master Plan will make this vision possible by directing the park’s physical design and implementation. It describes the context and vision behind the plan and illustrates the physical design for the buildings and infrastructure. Its design will create a place that respects the site’s existing natural character and strives to protect its integrity for the future. The leadership at Greensboro Center for Innovative Development (GCID) have shepherded the planning process for South Millennial Campus. They have been assisted by Brown Jurkowski Architectural Collaborative (BJAC) of Raleigh, North Carolina in association with Sasaki Associates of Boston, Massachusetts and George, Henry, George Partners of McLean, Virginia.

INTRODUCTION

October 2006

1

AERIAL VIEW OF SOUTH MILLENNIAL CAMPUS SITE, NC A&T PROPERTY AND THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONS

2

PLANNING CONTEXT

October 2006

1 Planning Context

NC A&T State University

UNC Greensboro

NC A&T and UNCG are innovative state institutions with respective strengths in engineering and the social sciences. In 2003, NC A&T and UNCG announced that they would form a strategic partnership to create two research parks: one on a portion of its agricultural research land (South Millennial Campus) and the other at a former school for the deaf (North Millennial Campus). Having agreed to the partnership, the universities formed the Greensboro Center for Innovative Development (GCID), a non-profit corporation, to oversee the planning and development process for the parks on behalf of the two Universities. Throughout the planning process for South Millennial Campus, the GCID convened regular meetings with a designated core group which included the Executive Director of the GCID, representatives of the facilities departments of both NCA&T and UNCG, and representatives of the planning team noted above. The team began the process with an all-day interview session in April 2006 to solicit input on the vision and goals for the project from various project stakeholders from both universities. Stakeholder attendees at the interview session included provosts, deans, researchers, administrators, and other staff from both universities.

2006. At the conclusion of this session, they reached a clear consensus about which design alternative should be developed further, and the team presented a refined design in July 2006 along with the Draft Master Plan. The South Millennial Campus Master Plan represents the conclusion of these stakeholderbased efforts. To supplement the design team’s planning efforts, the GCID commissioned a financial and fiscal impact analysis for the site. The study found that the Greensboro region’s affordability and skilled workforce are critical assets for the new park. It also noted that the other high-profile research parks in the Piedmont Triad and Raleigh-Durham Triangle regions—including Research Triangle Park in Durham, Piedmont Triad Research Park in Winston-Salem and Centennial Campus in Raleigh—represent opportunities for collaboration as well as competition. As a result of this and other studies, the GCID has determined that South Millennial Campus will distinguish itself from other research parks by using academic scholarship, intellectual curiosity and applied problem-solving to attract industry and improve the human condition.

The planning team then conducted research on trends in research parks; investigated the regulatory, environmental and educational underpinnings of the proposed site; and drew up preliminary design scenarios. They presented this information to the project stakeholders in a working charrette session in June

PLANNING CONTEXT

October 2006

3

ROLLING TOPOGRAPHY AT THE SOUTH MILLENNIAL CAMPUS SITE

4

PLANNING CONTEXT

October 2006

View of East Lee Street from the Campus site, which connects to downtown Greensboro and the two campuses

A sign in the nearby Gateway Garden welcomes visitors to Greensboro

The natural environment surrounding the Campus has many features worth preserving

1.3 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1.1 MISSION The mission of the South Millennial Campus is to be a catalyst that enhances the research enterprise for NC A&T and UNCG while promoting community through economic and cultural development.

2. An Environment Conducive for Start-Up Growth — Create facilities that will enable start-ups to grow and work to create a community that values and supports high-tech/high-growth start-up companies.

The long-term success of South Millennial Campus depends on its ability to foster connections within and between NC A&T and UNCG. It also must create a unique sense of place that distinguishes it from other parks in the region.

1.2 VISION

3. Attraction of Appropriate Industries — Work with the economic development community to attract appropriate companies to South Millennial Campus that will complement start-ups and support University goals.

Given these factors, the design goals of the South Millennial Campus are to:

The South Millennial Campus will link NC A&T, UNCG and the Piedmont Triad to the State of North Carolina and beyond by creating an effective bridge for the educational and research enterprise. The vision for the Campus is to support: 1. Translational Research — Transform university knowledge and ideas into commercial applications.

4. Education and Training — Provide space and support for new and innovative educational programs and interdisciplinary partnerships. 5. Accountability — Foster an organizational culture that is accountable in every way and transparent to the Universities and other stakeholders.

• Create a physical environment that fosters intellectual exchange and creativity. • Provide facilities to showcase the products and research of the Universities. • Plan for flexibility, growth and private investment over the long term. • Create a plan that is sensitive to the natural environment and surrounding land use patterns and has a bold architectural expression.

PLANNING CONTEXT

October 2006

5