Student Union Update

NFL Draft factoid

 

Florida State has produced 4️⃣5️⃣ 1st-round #NFLDraft picks, the 11th-highest total of any program in America #NFLNoles | #NoleFamily pic.twitter.com/QGHljt8YKB

— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) April 25, 2022

Iowa State leaving AAU

 This topic comes up often due to Big 10 requiring AAU for membership.

Our Members

Iowa State leaving AAU

For what it's worth, the only AAU-eligible university in the ARWU top 150 that is not already in AAU is Arizona State. Same is true for the THE research university ranking -- every US AAU-eligible university in their top 150 other than Arizona State is already in AAU.

Last go around, Syracuse left voluntarily and Nebraska got voted out. Now, Iowa State is leaving voluntarily but maybe there are other schools that are being discussed. The announcement stresses how research funding has shifted from agriculture to medicine in the 65 years since ISU was first admitted to the AAU.

There are basically two separate divisions in AAU- the small private division and the large public division. Each gets judged accordingly so Iowa State and Princeton aren’t really competing for the same spot. Iowa State departing probably creates an opening for another large public.

The medical school issue is a red herring. Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Maryland, MIT, Oregon, Princeton, Purdue, Rice, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz -- that's more than 20% of the AAU membership -- don't have medical schools.

If someone wants to argue about "new AAU standards" requiring medical schools, that still doesn't fly. Georgia Tech and UC Santa Cruz are two of the newest AAU members, and neither has a medical school.

And (this should go without saying) having a medical school can only help a university in research rankings if the medical school has a strong research component -- i.e., a lot of researchers who focus on research, win a lot of competitive grants, and rarely if ever teach medical students.

The issue that AAU appears to have focused on is *competitively awarded* research grants. Maybe noncompetitive grants that are given to a university by a government entity or a private corporation were once given the same weight as competitively awarded research grants, but not so much anymore. Also, noncompetitive grants are much less likely to lead to peer-reviewed published research, and that would also make such grants far less valuable in university research rankings.

The pecking order based on metrics are:

1. NC State
2. Cincy
3. VT
4. Georgia
5. ASU
6. USF

But metrics don't get you the votes needed to overcome a blackball. NC State got blackballed by a conference member in 2010.

Of the 65 or so votes you need to get 3/4 to get in - that's 49 votes, meaning if you lose 18 votes you are toast.

There are 7 main groups that tend to vote together:

1. The NE/Boston Group
2. The NY Group
3. The Ivies
4. The Big 10
5. The West Coast Including PAC schools
6. True Southern Schools
7. Chicago/Pittsburg Schools

Lose any of the first 5 groups and you are dead. The only thing more difficult than becoming the third school from a particular state, is becoming the fourth.

This also tells you a little something about the pull of Senators Grassly and Earnst.

Based on the chart when UNL got kicked out a decade back, here are the non-AAU schools and their rank (note that 2 are rated above any AAU members). Note that many of these 25 listed are specialty schools or highly dependent solely on their medical school and so would not be admitted.
1 Rockefeller U.
2 UC-San Francisco
31 Georgia Tech (since admitted)
31 Yeshiva U.
37 Dartmouth (since admitted)
37 Boston U. (since admitted)
40 UAB
43 Tufts (since admitted)
43 UM-Baltimore County
49 Utah (since admitted)
52 UC Santa Cruz (since admitted)
55 RPI
57 Wake Forest
59 Miami
61 UI-Chicago
62 Cincinnati
64 Colorado St.
67 Oregon St.
68 George Washington U.
69 New Mexico
72 Wayne St.
72 UC-Riverside
76 Alaska-Fairbanks
76 VCU
79 Vermont

Where are these rankings?

https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2021

https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/profiles/site?...ce&ds=herd

My guesses on who are on the hot seat,
1) Tulane (ARWU rank #601-700, Private, Southern, admitted 1958, #116 in R&D funding per NSF)
2) Oregon (#301-400, Public, Western, 1969, #154)
3) Buffalo (#301-400, Public, Eastern, 1989, #62)
4) Brandeis (#301-400, Private, Eastern, 1985, #185)
5) Stony Brook (#301-400, Public, Eastern, 2001, #98)
6) Mizzou (#201-300, Public, Midwest, 1908, #74)
7) Kansas (#201-300, Public, Midwest, 1909, #70)

Most anxious to start lobbying,
1) University of Miami
2) Arizona State
3) Virginia Tech
4) British Columbia
5) NC State

https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/profiles/site?...ce&ds=herd

Check it out for yourself. You’re now behind FSU.

With NCAA Embroiled in Chaos, Notre Dame’s Swarbrick Calls Division I Breakup ‘Inevitable’

 The chaos that has was started years ago is boiling if not raging.  Everything the ACC avoided dealing with is here and staring us in the face.  This interview clearly shows the mess that failed leadership in the ACC, NCAA, etc has brought.

Don't think this ends well.  What amazes me is not a single conference commissioner has ever proposed a solution.  Even if it is shot down, nobody seems willing to try.  The ACC especially just seems insistent on two things 

A)  Ignore the problem (which has been the case most of the last 10 years.  Everything this site has indicated will happen has and the ACC and their fan base just REFUSED to even try to see it.  now it's here.  

B)  Refuse to see the urgency and react accordingly.  It just won't do it.  The ACC solution is just suck the blood out of the few $ producers in the conference as long as it can get away with it.  That is it.

When the ACC dies, it will be a death that needed to happen.  It has failed at every level, refused to look at reality, and refused to react to what reality is presenting.

With NCAA Embroiled in Chaos, Notre Dame’s Swarbrick Calls Division I Breakup ‘Inevitable’

In a wide-ranging interview with SI, the only athletic director who is part of the College Football Playoff Management Committee said the fracture lines within the 130-member FBS could leave two disparate approaches: schools that still operate athletics within a traditional educational structure, and those who tie sports to the university in name only.

“There’s always been sort of a spectrum—and I want to stress that everything along the spectrum is valid; it’s not a criticism,” Swarbrick said. “On one end of the spectrum, you license the school name and run an independent business that’s engaged in sports. The other end of the spectrum, you’re integrated into the university in terms of decision making and requirements, and some follow that.

And when those contractual obligations begin to run out, that’s when big changes could occur.

“Absent a national standard, which I don’t see coming, I think it’s inevitable,” Swarbrick said. “Mid-30s would be the logical time.”

The Southeastern Conference media rights deal runs through 2033–34. The Atlantic Coast goes through 2035–36. The Big Ten is in its negotiation window now, with Fox Sports positioned to be the major stakeholder. The Pac-12 and Big 12 are next on the clock.

Should the schism come, Notre Dame would be among those that still tied its athletics to the educational mission of the school and answered to its president and academic administration. Others could essentially be spun off while retaining the school name and branding. A theoretical example (not proffered by Swarbrick): Oregon Ducks Athletics, Inc.

Where the 130 schools fall along that spectrum would be up to individual institutional choice.

The expectation is that the Big Ten and SEC will continue to leave the rest of the Power Five conferences behind in terms of revenue. The widening gap will place more stress on the current landscape, leading some schools to move away from their existing conference affiliations—and possibly leading some leagues to boot longtime members that don’t bring as much to the revenue trough.

“We’re going to have these two conferences that have so distanced themselves from anyone else financially,” Swarbrick said. “That’s where I see it starting to break down. There are so many schools trying to get out of their current conference, and they can’t get there.”

Asked which schools could be looking to move, Swarbrick answered, “None that I’d share.”

The SEC’s destabilizing acquisition of Texas and Oklahoma played a role in halting progress toward a 12-team College Football Playoff, a concept Swarbrick helped bring to the table last June. He, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby formed the subcommittee that came up with the plan.

After initially being hailed as a welcome expansion in many circles, the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 eventually expressed concerns and dug in as unified opposition. That led to a series of unproductive CFP meetings that Swarbrick described as, “the single oddest thing I’ve ever been through.”

The market forces of conference realignment—triggered anew by the stunning agreement last summer for Texas and Oklahoma to leave the Big 12 for the SEC in 2025 at the latest—plus unprecedented player compensation and movement leave college sports at a crossroads. Amid unprecedented instability and change, Swarbrick and others are searching for the best path forward.

“I’ve been toying with a whole bunch of concepts, most of which probably don’t work,” said the 68-year-old Swarbrick, who has been the AD at Notre Dame since 2008. “But we’ve got to get something advanced that people will react to.

“My goal was to steer this to a safe harbor—that may be a pipe dream. Especially take the word safe out of it. I’d like to take a real shot at trying to facilitate something people will at least consider nationally. See if we can make any progress. I’d hate to leave without trying.”

Swarbrick offered no specifics on his potential plan for how college athletics should proceed. But he did identify several areas of acute need.

Asked if the current Name, Image and Likeness landscape is sustainable, the answer was a blunt no. Recruiting inducements were not the original idea, but that’s what NIL has become in many instances.

Does Swarbrick see NCAA Enforcement having any chance of reining it in?

“No. I hate to be so pessimistic, but it’s been a lot of years of not seeing them have any,” he said. “I can see a lot of that [rules compliance and enforcement] being transferred to the conferences.”

Swarbrick predicts that the current NIL marketplace will severely damage Olympic sports, as investments and donations continue to tilt toward revenue-producing sports.

“I hate to see that,” he said. “It’s going to be interesting to see how the federal government approaches it. If all of this revenue is disproportionately coming to men, even if you didn’t set it up, how does Title IX analyze that?”

With the NCAA looking increasingly to Congress to create uniform NIL legislation, Swarbrick would like to see the politicians work through the already existing framework of the 1978 Amateur Sports Act.

“The Olympic system then was every bit as broken as collegiate sports is now,” Swarbrick said. “Use that bill as the vehicle. Just amend it to address some of the key issues here, and by doing so protect the Olympic sports.”

But the lawmakers Swarbrick has spoken to aren’t overly receptive to the idea, and some of them seem less hopeful than NCAA members that Congress will perform an intervention.

“I was talking to a Republican senator and he said to me, ‘I keep reading that you all say we’ll finally be able to get something done when Republicans get control of the house and the senate and the presidency,’ “ Swarbrick said. “But it’s going to be a much more Libertarian Congress. They’re going to be unwilling to participate just on anti-regulatory grounds.

“We’re not getting [reform leadership] from the NCAA. It’s going to have to come from elsewhere. It’s interesting to see how challenging it is to get the university presidents to work together. It’s not that they’re resistant to it. They’ve just got too many things going on.”

Former Florida State basketball player Scottie Barnes wins NBA Rookie of the Year

 

Former Florida State basketball player Scottie Barnes wins NBA Rookie of the Year

Barnes, who was drafted fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors, was named NBA Rookie of the Year Saturday morning. He's the first former Seminole to be named the sole NBA Rookie of the Year and just the second overall, joining Dave Cowens, who was co-Rookie of the Year in 1971.

Relative value of each school in the ACC

 

Relative value of each school in the ACC

Statefan Wrote

I ran an interesting experiment sort of a rough calculation of the relative value of each school within the context of the ACC. Having a great football program in a great TV market/state is better than having a suck program or being the 4th program inside the same footprint. I did the same for basketball and then looked at it from an 80/20 football basketball split. I used 14 as a base since there are 14 schools. That means the worst football program for the league got 8 points for being 14th that and the best got 112. Basketball's best got 28 points and the worst got 2.

On an 80/20 split I got

1. Florida State - 120 points (2nd Football, 7th Basketball)
2. Clemson - 116 Points (1st Football, 13th Basketball)
Tie 2. Miami - 116 (3rd Football, 5th Basketball)
4. VT - 110 (4th Football, 9th Basketball)
5. UNC - 106 (5th Football, 2nd Basketball)
6. NC State - 86 (6th Football, 8th Basketball)
7. Syracuse - 78 (8th Football, 4th Basketball)
8. Pitt - 74 (7th Football, 10th Basketball)
9. Louisville 64 (10th Football, 3rd Basketball)
Tie 9. BC 64 (9th Football, 12th Basketball)
11. UVa 50 (11th Football, 6th Basketball)
12. Duke 36 (14th Football, 1st Basketball)
13. GT 32 (12th Football, 11th Basketball)
14. WF 18 (13th Football, 14th Basketball)

Again the above is based on the last 5-6 years and the market they play in as well their actual results. It shows that football really is the be all, end all. The biggest problem Wake has is so much direct competition in the local DMA and adjoining DMA's. They have to compete with NC State and UNC football. That have to compete with VT and UVa football. They have to compete with Clemson and SC football and they have to do it at a small school that also has NFL football in the adjacent DMA. Wake has more value in the SEC or Big 10 or B12 if they are the only NC school in those leagues.

Duke basketball does not make up for a lack of Duke football and Duke football has all the market issues that Wake Forest has in addition to direct DMA competition from NC State and UNC. Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, and BC can suck at football for a while because they play in as the only ACC entry in their DMA, and adjoining DMA's. GT faces all four professional sports and Georgia in their DMA, and Clemson, Auburn, Tennessee, Florida State, and Florida in surrounding DMA's. GT has become more valuable to the Big 10 than it is for the ACC.

One thing that immediately comes to mind is that a lot of older ACC folks have not internalized the collapse of basketball so here are those same rankings in a 50/50 football, basketball split:

1. Miami 110
2. FSU 105
Tie 3. UNC and Syracuse 90
Tie 5. VT, Duke, and Louisville 85
8. Clemson 80
Tie 9. NC State, Pitt, and UVa 65
12. BC 45
13. GT 35
14. Wake 15

This is why basketball schools with success have an outsized sense of self within the context of the league. Cut free of the NCAA we could likely increase the basketball side of the equation to 30/70 basketball to football, but right now the NCAA is stealing those funds.

JRsec

Only 2 stats matter much:
1. Revenue Generation
2. Viewership

There are 9 ACC schools which generate more annual revenue than N.C. State which is lower than 48th position nationally.

FSU, Louisville, Clemson, Miami, Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Pittsburgh all finished in that order in the top 48.

In Football Viewership Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Louisville all finish in the top 48. N.C. State is 49th.

So in the 2 stats that matter most:
FSU, Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech and Louisville make both lists. Duke, North Carolina and Virginia acquit themselves well enough since a post NCAA will see more than a doubling of hoops revenue, and they have the bonus of AAU / and/or State Flagship status. And because their only deficits were football viewership.

Student Union Update

 

FSU Student Union

The Student Union’s history and construction process 

The demolition of the university’s previous student union began in May 2018. Four years later, construction is winding down and students at FSU have something to look forward to.

The decision was made to replace the Oglesby Union as the university’s enrollment continued to increase. The original union building of the university opened in 1952 when Florida State University maintained an enrollment of less than 5,000 students.

With the university now having an enrollment of more than 40,000 students, the new union is being built with a goal to "transform" the campus.

The new facility will include a food market, the new FSU Grill, campus store, conference space, meeting rooms and gathering spots of all kinds for campus activities. 

The union was initially expected to be built by fall 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic and numerous weather events, including hurricanes and tropical storms, took a toll on that plan. 

The ongoing pandemic led to labor shortages, supply chain issues and an increase in the cost of building materials, such as steel and concrete.

Originally the project was estimated at about $100 million, but over the years the price tag has increased by about $44 million.

"The impacts made by COVID intangibles and the unprecedented challenges have complicated decision-making, the ability to get sub-contractors to hold their pricing, and the availability of transportation for material deliveries," Farnum-Patronis said.

Work is currently being done on the finishing touches and to install custom fabricated handrails, roof plaza pavers and food service equipment – all things that should be completed soon, according to the project's construction manager. 

"Due to delivery delays generated by COVID impacts, components necessary to the operation of building life safety systems have not arrived yet," Farnum-Patronis said. "Installation of these devices is critical to the achievement of building acceptance and occupancy."

Landscaping and irrigation are being completed at the same time.

The new union is expected to be open and invite in students ahead of the upcoming fall semester. 

Annual Fund, football season tickets Update

 

Annual Fund, football season tickets Update

Alford said FSU has sold 18,000 season tickets with a renewal rate of nearly 68 percent, its highest mark since 2016.

Additionally, Alford and Seminole Boosters Inc., where he served 18 months prior to replacing retiring David Coburn as Vice President and Director of Athletics, are working diligently to rebuild the Annual Fund.

The fund, which currently has 8,389 donors with a goal to reach 13,500, provides athletic scholarships to more than 500 student-athletes. There's also an emphasis on connecting with 45,000 local FSU alumni, of which a mere 2% donate to athletics. 

His management style also recently raised eyebrows when veteran women's soccer coach Mark Krikorian suddenly resigned on March 29. The three-time national champion coach announced his decision through the local media and not through FSU's communication channels.

Alford's leadership staff is undergoing changes, too. Vanessa Fuchs, the department's veteran associate athletics director, left to become the new CEO of WeCOACH. 

Regardless, Alford is determined to give FSU's student-athletes, coaches and the department the tools and resources to be successful. Agenda items include:

- Resurfacing fields in soccer, softball, and baseball. 

- Adding video boards to softball and soccer.

- Examining adding premium seating to softball and looking to update the volleyball locker room.

- Added sixth court to beach volleyball for practice and competition.

- Modernizing the basketball office recruiting path.   

ANNUAL FUND NUMBERS 

2015: 14,434

2016: 15,033

2017: 13,805

2018: 13,320

2019: 11,662

2020: 9,448 *Due to COVID-19, donors could receive a refund or roll-forward their purchase).

2021: 12,007

2022: Currently 8,389 with a goal of 13,500

MORE ON 2022 MEMBERS

- 1,165 members have singed up for 2022 who were not members in 2021

- 2,029 members live in the Tallahassee area (2022 goal is 3,500)

- More than 2,000 local members have not yet renewed for 2022 but were members in 2021

SCHOLARSHIP COSTS BY SPORTS 

Athletic scholarship are one of the largest areas costs supported by Annual Fund donations. Below are those costs by team for this fiscal year. This includes tuition, room/board, books, and cost of attendance. It’s also important to note, the university does not provide discounts or waivers for student athlete tuition. The athletic department pays full price.

Baseball: $557,262

M. Basketball: $782,038

Football: $4,029,229

M. Golf: $158,583

M. Swimming: $446,886

M. Tennis : $227,761

M. Track: $626,274

W. Basketball: $810,006

Softball: $538,929

W. Golf: $249,361

W. Swimming: $724,557

W. Tennis: $398,738

W. Track: $959,048

Volleyball: $540,633

Sand Volleyball: $248,728

Soccer: $618,930

TOTAL: $11,916,961

Cost of Scholarships

 

Each NCAA D1 football program is allotted a max of 85 scholarships
Those scholarships cost $4,029,229 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?

Who's ready for some @FSUFootball this weekend?! pic.twitter.com/aLep9cGB1V

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) April 7, 2022

Each NCAA D1 women's soccer program is allotted a max of 14 scholarships
Those scholarships cost $618,930 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost for @FSUSoccer through Annual Membership donations?#GoNoles | #OneTribe pic.twitter.com/EYhu8YfhaB

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) April 6, 2022

Each NCAA D1 men's basketball program is allotted a max of 13 scholarships per team
Those scholarships cost $782,038 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost for @FSUHoops through Annual Membership donations?#GoNoles | #OneTribe pic.twitter.com/qAXuttnCdN

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) March 31, 2022

Each NCAA D1 women's basketball program is allotted a max of 15 scholarships per team
Those scholarships cost $810,006 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?

It's a great day for @fsuwbb & @CoachBrookeFSU! 🏀 pic.twitter.com/m7Cg0Yyi5q

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) March 30, 2022

Each NCAA D1 swim & dive program is allotted a max of 9.9 scholarships for men & 14 for women
Those scholarships cost $1,171,443 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost for @FSU_Swimming through Annual Membership donations?#GoNoles | #OneTribe pic.twitter.com/xC6UZDlFdr

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) April 4, 2022

Each NCAA D1 track & field program is allotted a max of 12.6 scholarships for men & 18 for women
Those scholarships cost $1,585,322 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?@FSU_Track Relays start today! Go Noles! pic.twitter.com/bFif3CGaH3

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) March 24, 2022

Each NCAA D1 women's volleyball program is allotted a max of 12 scholarships per team
Those scholarships cost $540,633 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost for @FSU_Volleyball through Annual Membership donations?#GoNoles | #OneTribe pic.twitter.com/vQaPJt9gps

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) April 1, 2022

Each NCAA D1 beach volleyball program is allotted a max of 6 scholarships per team
Those scholarships cost $248,728 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?@FSU_BeachVB fight hard this weekend! pic.twitter.com/SW266VeB4y

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) March 25, 2022

Each NCAA D1 women's tennis program is allotted a max of 8 scholarships per team
Those scholarships cost $398,738 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?@FSU_WTennis plays at home this Saturday at 12 PM! pic.twitter.com/HGhJKKJcuh

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) March 29, 2022

Each NCAA D1 men's tennis program is allotted a max of 4.5 scholarships
Those scholarships cost $227,761 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?@FSU_MTennis plays at home this weekend on Friday & Sunday! pic.twitter.com/CGyGptCGir

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) April 5, 2022

Each NCAA D1 men's golf program is allotted a max of 4.5 scholarships per team
Those scholarships cost $158,583 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?

Go Crush it at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational @FSUGolf! pic.twitter.com/VB4pnPV3hh

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) March 28, 2022

Each NCAA D1 women's golf program is allotted a max of 6 scholarships per team
Those scholarships cost $249,361 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?

Great tournament this weekend for @FSUGolf! pic.twitter.com/w9mj0QQd3E

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) March 27, 2022

Each NCAA D1 baseball program is allotted a max of 11.7 scholarships
Those scholarships cost $557,262 per year

💡 𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 Seminole Boosters funds that cost through Annual Membership donations?

Play hard tonight @FSUBaseball! ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/Iau2DTkQYi

— Seminole Boosters (@SeminoleBooster) March 22, 2022

Now is the time for Tallahassee to leverage CollegeTown’s economic benefits

 

Now is the time for Tallahassee to leverage CollegeTown’s economic benefits

What was once several city blocks of warehouses and empty lots is now one of the most popular destinations for college students and young professionals in Tallahassee.

The story of how this older section of the city transitioned into a premier urban location called CollegeTown is complex. But its history also points to avenues for improving the value of this thriving part of Tallahassee. 

Starting with the revitalization of the Gaines Street corridor, the CollegeTown area was initially envisioned by developers as a place where students and alumni could come together. CollegeTown does precisely this by providing a wide range of amenities – making it a favorable place for students to live, eat, and play.

Within walking distance of Florida State University’s campus and a short drive from Florida A&M University, CollegeTown’s location is its most sought-after amenity.

Since CollegeTown’s completion in 2013, property values have skyrocketed.  In the years prior to the development, combined warehouse property values in the area were all less than $1 million.

Those numbers are much higher now according to our analysis in the DeVoe L. Moore Center in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy at Florida State.

According to the Florida Department of Revenue, the value of the land that houses popular restaurant Madison Social, is around $1.8 million. The Catalyst Apartment building is worth about $32 million, and the building that rents to Urban Outfitters is just over $1.8 million.

Total property values in the CollegeTown area in 2019 exceeded $861 million, nearly double its worth of $489 million in 2006.

The development makes great use of space by incorporating a variety of mixed-use buildings. Property owners use these buildings to their advantage with three different phases of “CollegeTown Apartments” above commercial spaces for restaurants and shops. Mixed-use buildings help provide different income streams for investors with the ability to collect commercial and residential rent. These mixed-use buildings also increase property value.

Clearly, CollegeTown has made a sizable return on investment for all parties involved in its development.  

While CollegeTown has had great success socially, economically, and aesthetically for the city of Tallahassee, incorporating a few additional elements could improve it as a regional destination for families, students, and alumni. 

For example, the introduction of a park would accentuate the walkability of the area while creating visual appeal and a pet-friendly area for residents. This addition could increase the property value of surrounding buildings and apartment rental prices. 

Attracting national retail brands following in the college student demographic, such as Lululemon or Sephora, would complement the local boutiques that are already present and add more demand to the retail market for college students. 

These improvements could further increase community engagement and make CollegeTown a go-to destination for visitors and strengthen an already crucial asset to Tallahassee. 

Most Viewed 2021 Regular Season College Football Games

 

Most Viewed 2021 Regular Season College Football Games

• 15.9M Ohio State @ Michigan
• 10.4M Bama @ Auburn
• 9.3M Michigan @ Michigan St
• 8.9M Clemson vs Georgia
• 8.3M Bama @ Tex A&M
• 7.9M Bama @ Florida
• 7.8M Notre Dame @ Florida St
• 7.7M Oregon @ Ohio St

— College Football Hype (@CFB_Hype) April 4, 2022