The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 4, 1986 - Page. 17 City examines By MARY CHRIS JAKLEVIC The city began looking at ways this summer to prevent crimes in off-campus areas, heavily populated by students. A committee, formed by the City Council in May, planned to begin meeting in mid-August and is expected to recommend improvements in crime prevention in January. The committee was formed, said Councilman Seth Hirshorn (D-Second Ward), in response to students' complaints about thefts and rapes off- campus. Composed of University and city officials, students, and a Detroit Edison power company of- ficial, the committee will examine the effec- tiveness of existing University crime prevention measures such as the Night Owl bus service and the newly-installed emergency phone system. The panel will also examine current city police patrol strategies and city street lighting. Hirshorn said the committee may consider im- provements in current practices as well as new ef- forts such as an escort service. Pron By calling fo representatives t shorn hopes thet together to invest together to find so He said the con environment in w positive and cons we all share. The University to wor concern." The University President for Stu to serve on the co including the Mi Greek system an all have represent D Jen Faigel, forn Women's Issues c would help fund o forts. She feels th o -campus crime motes co-operation the bill alone. r both city and University "Just because (the city and the University) o serve on the committee, Hir- have a study saying "These are the things that are two groups will not only work wrong', that doesn't mean they have a commit- tigate the issue, but also work ment to do anything about it," Faigel said. lutions. Jack Weidenbach, director of University amittee will provide "a positive business operations, said the University would hich we can work together in a refuse to bear the cost of any possible committee tructive way on a problem that recommendations, including improved lighting in re is a need for the city and the off campus areas. k together in common areas of The off-campus area is the city's respon- sibility," Weidenbach said. has appointed Associate Vice Hirshorn said he "makes no such assumption" dent Services Thomas Easthope that the University will not help institute commit- mmittee. Student organizations tee proposals. chigan Student Assembly, the "I think that if we can demonstrate that there is. d the Inter-Cooperative Council a need and we can document what the costs are, atives on the committee. that it is sellable-to the University and to Detroit oubts about cost Edison and to the city," he said. ner Michigan Student Assembly Councilmember Larry Hunter (D-First Ward) chair doubts that the University said, "We've got a lot of work to do in the whole off-campus crime prevention ef- city with crime prevention. This is a good start he city may be reluctant to foot and I think we can go further." . . City growth may worsen housing crunch Daily Photo by CHRIS TWIGG DeeLynn Overmyer prepares a steak sandwich at the Steak Escape, a new restaurant located in Tally Mall on Liberty St. " New resl auranls flavor campus By MARY CHRIS JAKLEVIC New office buildings- are spurting up around Ann Arbor, as the city experiences its biggest development boom since the early 1960s. Some local officials fear the new businesses may attract more young professionals to the city, who will compete with students for off-campus housing and further worsen the already tight housing market. "As the downtown area becomes more attrac- tive for professional people it is bound to result in competition for students," City Planning Director Martin Overhiser said. "There are more jobs coming to down- town ... Some of these employers are going to want to live near where they work," Overhiser said. . He added that even workers at the many office buildings under construction on the outskirts of the city may move near campus because of the cultural facilities and stores in the area. Landlords prefer non-students Jo Rumsey, Assistant Director of the Univer- sity's Housing Information Office, said some lan- dlords may prefer renting to non-students, because they stay longer, wear less on the proper- ty, and are less likely to oppose their landlords, as many students fo through the Ann Arbor Tenants Union. "They can pay more for rent: and they are considered a more responsible group in the lan- dlords' eyes," Rumsey said. Rumsey said an influx of new residents would force students to double up in the rooms they can rent, instead of taking singles, or move a mile or two away from campus, where housing is more plentiful. Also rents may rise because of the in- creased demand. University residence halls were filled to capacity last year, and some double rooms were converted to triples to accommodate the demand for rooms. Off-campus housing was also tight. A survey by the University Housing Office showed a two per- cent vacancy rate in off-campus rental housing. "I still hope someone will add to the housing market," Rumsey said. "The demand for residence halls is intense and it has been for quie some time." No new 'U' housing But a new University residence hall is not likely to be built in the near future. "Ann Arbor is becoming more attractive to people who are 'non-University', which may take away from the housing available to students. But I don't think that at this point it's a crisis situation. It would have to be a pretty extreme case for the University to build a new dorm," said Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor). Several years ago the Board of Regents refused a request from the Housing Office to build a new dorm with the help of a low-interest federal loan program because board members anticipated a drop in the student population at the tail end of the baby boom. The drop did not come, but now the chances of building are even less because the loan program has been discontinued. Housing director Robert Hughes said the University may conduct a study of the student housing situation if students have problems fin- ding housing in the fall. "We anticipate things are going to get tighter;" Hughes said. Building boom The city development boom began around the Briarwood area in the early 1980s with the con- struction of office buildings. Residential developmental proposals followed, and Overhiser. said the Planning Department is now starting to see proposals for commercial projects, such as shopping centers. Most of the growth has taken place in the out- skirts of the city because the campus and down- town regions are already developed. But there ares a few projects underway near campus, such as the Tally Hall shopping and parking center on Liberty Street, which is near completion. Evidence of the explosion is a doubling of the number of building requests which the city reviews. But Julia Goode of the Ann Arbor Tenants Union said she has not yet seen evidence of an influx in non-student renters in the campus area. "I think some developers are talking about a boom that may not happen," Goode said. Daily staff writer Philip Levy filed a report for this story. 'We anticipate things are going to get tighter.' -Robert Hughes, director of University housing By MARY CHRIS JAKLEVIC Hope you're hungry Ann Arbor. That's what many restauranteers are thinking this year, as a horde of new eateries joins the campus area's culinary bandwagon. The numberof food establishments near campus has been rising steadily over the last few years, but this year's boom seems to be the biggest ever. For example, several food counters have opened in Tally Hall on Liberty Street. When completed later this year, 'Tally Hall will contain a cluster of more than 20 small restaurants and a dozen retail stores. Old Ann Arbor favorites such as McDonalds and Mrs. Peabody's cookies, which already have outlets on the northern edge of Central Cam- pus, will open stores in a building on South University and Forest streets. The same site will also house a Little Caesar's Pizza stand. Molly Resnick, leasing agent for Tally Mall, said the new restaurants will just be keeping up with demand. "Like anywhere else, when there is competition the weak are going to suf- fer. But most of these new stores are national chains. They don't come into an area unless the demographics are right," she said. And the demographics are right, according to Susan Stoney, assistant director of the Ann Arbor Conference and Visitors Bureau. "Ann Arbor is a town that likes a lot of diversity," she said. Stoney said the increase in restaurants, a city-wide phenomenon, keeps pace with enormous booms in development and tourism in and around Ann Arbor. Many established restauranteurs say the increased competition does not bother them. They are confident their regular costomers will come back, even after trying the new places. Carol Frank, manager of Cafe Fiore on State Street, said she isn't afraid of the new Tubby's around the corner. "The type of people who buy subs don't come in here," she said. Likewise, the Bagel Factory is con- fident it will stay afloat, even with a McDonald's and Little Caesar's moving in across the street. "Our product is completely dif- ferent. (Bagel sandwiches) are not your average food," said Assistant Manager Beth Kampner. Stoney said the increased com- petition will bring better service, bet- ter atmospheres, and higher quality food. For instance, the Bagel Factory is remodeling and expanding its seating area to attract customers. Stoney said, "Those who can im- prove their service will, and those who can't . .. Some people won't make it. That's what happened to the Pretzel Bell." The Pretzel Bell folded several years ago when comparable restaurants moved into the Main Street area. M7 -" Itl J.,1 S2 la Own or Rent? There are many advantages for you and your parents in owning a house, condo, rooming house or duplex that your parents buy and you manage. Our free brochure spells them out. 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