new hotel-conference center

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Walking Solution for Hotel/Conference Center Traffic Problems?

Byuclafaculty

We posted the audio of the “scoping” session on UCLA revised hotel/conference center proposal that was held on Nov. 14. There were repeated concerns raised about traffic. The plan evidently calls for all traffic to enter the campus through Westwood Boulevard, southern entrance from the Village. But there is a limited turn-around space in front of the proposed hotel/conference center which must also accommodate various municipal bus lines that terminate there, hired buses that will pick up and leave off hotel/conference guests, and other drop-off vehicles, as well as the entrance to the project’s own parking. Comments from the public…

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Audio of Scoping Hearing on UCLA/Hotel/Conference Center: 11-14-11

Byuclafaculty

This evening (11-14-11), a public hearing was held on the scoping report on the proposed hotel/conference center – primarily an environmental review. See earlier posts on this blog. Most speakers were representatives of neighborhood groups and representatives of local hotels. One retired and recalled faculty member spoke. Major themes were the lack of a business plan, incompleteness of architecture and design features, parking, and traffic issues. The UCLA architect repeatedly stressed that the various designs shown on PowerPoint slides were conceptual, not final. Some of those who made comments noted that it was difficult to evaluate a project without final…

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A modest request for a little more (information on the hotel/conference center)

Byuclafaculty

As a prior post on this blog noted, apparently the powers-that-be have a business plan for the new version of the hotel/conference center but – according to a letter in the Daily Bruin from the chancellor – they are reluctant to release it until some future Regents meeting. See http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2011/11/chancellor-says-we-need-patience.html Perhaps the request below will encourage adjusting the timing: As a prior post on this blog noted, apparently the powers-that-be have a business plan for the hotel/conference center but – according to a letter in the Daily Bruin from the chancellor – they are reluctant to release it. Perhaps the…

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Chancellor Says We Need Patience & Prudence on the Hotel Business Plan: No Plan Available for Now

Byuclafaculty

Chancellor Block says the hotel/conference center business plan – which is the only way to determine the viability of the plan and whether it will end up costing the campus money – can’t be made available now for reasons of prudence. See the letter below. So I guess we are expected to be patient until it is prudent. Letter to the Editor, Daily Bruin, 11/9/11 The proposal to build a $152 million conference and guest center on campus is not one UCLA made in haste. In fact, it is supported by $50 million from alumni Meyer Luskin, a highly successful…

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Scoping!

Byuclafaculty

The report for the scoping review on the newly revised hotel/conference center is now available. Earlier posts on this blog have noted the absence of the report in view of the upcoming session about it to be held Monday, Nov. 14, 7-9 PM, at the Faculty Center. But the report is now online. You can find the report at http://www.capital.ucla.edu/PDF/111108CC2InitialStudy.pdf To attend the Nov. 14 meeting, RSVP by Nov. 9 to mrule@support.ucla.edu Here is an alternative link to the report: Open publication – Free publishing – More ucla Update: Here is the legal announcement in the LA Times: Open publication…

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No Smoking Better Than No Scoping

Byuclafaculty

In case you haven’t noticed the signs near the Westwood Blvd. entrance to UCLA, the health center is going entirely no smoking on Nov. 17. It’s good to have no smoking. But as yesterday’s post pointed out, no scoping is not so good. We are still awaiting the scoping report on the new hotel/conference center plan which is supposed to be discussed at a public meeting next week. http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2011/11/waiting-for-scoping-report.html

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Waiting for the Scoping Report

Byuclafaculty

As a prior post indicated, there is supposed to be a “scoping” report regarding the revised and relocated proposal for a UCLA hotel/conference center. The presentation of the scoping report is scheduled for a week from today. It will take place on Monday, November 14, 7-9 PM, at the Faculty Center. It is getting late to release the report so there can be a public examination of it prior to November 14. We are waiting patiently, but it would be nice to see the scope up on the web. If you are interested in attending the November 14 meeting, send…

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Questions, Answers, & Comments Needed on Hotel/Conference Center

Byuclafaculty

Now that we have arrived at the morning after on the hotel/conference center plan, it is important to consider what we don’t know. We don’t yet have a business plan. So we don’t have yearly projections of assumed revenues and expenditures. We don’t know what assumptions are being made about the demand on campus for conferences and overnight stays. We don’t know how the facility will be operated. Will it be staffed by UCLA employees? Contracted out? There appeared to be an error in the initial press release about assumed future local area competitive hotel rates. What are the actual…

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Hotel/Conference Center: We await details

Byuclafaculty

We now know the general outlines of the hotel/conference center revised plan but the devil is in the details. We know the project is not replacing the Faculty Center. But at least one error in FAQ section – reproduced in the prior post – has been found. The earlier proposal for the Faculty Center site had a projected room rate of $360/day when put on a basis corresponding to what the recent FAQ response says would be $185 before inflation. But the FAQ put that number as $270, not $360. So there is an inconsistency, apparently, that someone will have…