Sen. Jim Brochin (D-Balt.) told members of the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations that he doesn't oppose a proposal to develop a site near the Towson Circle, but expressed opposition to placing undergraduate dormitories away from campus. "I'm going to do everything in my power to stop undergraduates from being there," Brochin, who has taught as an adjunct professor at TU, said. "It doesn't make any sense to me."
But residents questioned how much power Brochin and other state representatives have as Towson University moves forward with a plan to lease student housing off campus. TU asked developers to submit proposals two weeks ago. Heritage Properties is expected to submit a proposal for 600 to 800 beds along Pennsylvania and Virginia Avenues in downtown Towson.
Brochin voiced his concerns about the project to County Executive Jim Smith in a letter last month.
"Our goal is that the future of Towson looks like downtown Bethesda, rather than downtown College Park," Brochin wrote. "We believe the best way to accomplish this would be to specify in writing that housing will be offered to T.A.s, graduate students, married students, honors students, and substance-free students before the general population of juniors and seniors."
Brochin reiterated the message in a meeting with Smith on April 11.
"I told him as emphatically as I could that this was the wrong way to go," Brochin said to the residents. "We agreed to disagree."
Towson's request for proposals does not specify who would reside in the housing development.
Del. Susan Aumann (R-Balt.) said she became concerned about the project when she noticed inconsistencies in the plan.
"Last year, I was told the housing would be for faculty and graduate students," she said. "When Jim [Brochin] and I compared brochures, we found that there were some inconsistencies between the two packets of paper."
At Thursday's meeting, several community members suggested the Request For Proposals was "worked out by the developers and the county executive."
Brochin said he believed Smith was involved with the student housing proposal before the document was released.
GTCCA recording secretary Mike Ertel said the organization's executive board met with Smith two weeks ago.
"We had a pretty productive conversation," he said. "Smith really believes that students need to be in the core of Towson."
Ertel said Smith was aware the RFP was about to be released.
Del. John Trueschler (R-Balt.) said groups like the GTCCA must insist on participation in the development process -- and elected officials must back them up.
"You need to literally be at the table before they get all his stuff worked out and before the ink's dry," he said.
Trueschler said he told a Towson University official that the community must be involved "before this gets in cement."
The student housing development isn't confined to the Towson Circle area. The University's RFP states the housing must be located one mile from campus. It also specifies the student housing cannot be located in a residential neighborhood. Earlier this month Wally North, a resident of the Ridgely Condominiums near the site of the proposed Towson Circle project, sent a letter to the Procurement Office asking the University to amend the proposal.
He wanted the proposal to state that housing could not be located "in, or adjacent to, a current residential neighborhood, including apartments and condominiums." He said the University's response was "basically to go shove it."
Corinne Becker, a delegate from the Riderwood Hills Community Association, said she has heard rumors about a proposal to develop student housing near the Veterans of Foreign Wars building and the Burkshire Hotel and Conference Center.
University spokesperson Susanna Craine said about 50 people attended the University's RFP pre-proposal conference on April 20.
Local resident Donna Spicer told GTCCA members Towson University should be the "immediate target" for a campaign against downtown housing.
"If Towson University doesn't accept the RFP, then this project won't happen," Spicer said.
Members of the GTCCA executive board plan to sit down with senior vice president and chief fiscal officer David Harnage Thursday to discuss the University's intentions.
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