Community@Csun Vol. IV No. 1

Community Vol. VII · No. 2 October 2007 Cal State Northridge—The Intellectual, Economic and Cultural Heart of the San Fernando Valley and Beyond Devonshire Downs Groundbreaking Set for Fall 2008 Faculty, Staff Residential Community to Welcome First Residents in 2009 ixty years after it opened as a An on-campus village environment popular harness racing track in which colleagues at work become S and fairgrounds, Devonshire neighbors at home, President Koester Downs is poised to reclaim its glory said, will strengthen both the sense of days—this time as a planned village- community within the university and style residential community for Cal its connections with the surrounding State Northridge faculty and staff. neighborhoods. Nearly 160 two-story, for-sale town To create that village environment, homes on about 15 acres between campus leaders worked with Steinberg Lindley and Zelzah Avenues north of Architects and TGP Landscaping on A preliminary sketch of the Devonshire Downs faculty/staff residential community reflects the Lassen Street are planned for the new values CSUN’s design team hopes to achieve in the townhomes: curbside and streetscape a plan containing intimate internal Devonshire Downs’ $60 million initial appeal as well as an individual look for each unit. pedestrian promenades that provide phase, which will break ground on “a neighborhood experience of open, CSUN’s North Campus in fall 2008. “The presence of Devonshire Downs low-walled porches or front yards It will welcome its first occupants in along the promenades and parkways.” fall 2009. on CSUN’s north campus will greatly enhance Constructed in blocks of three to five The remaining 15 acres at the site attached units ranging from 1,300 – will be developed during the next ten our ability to attract and retain 1,950 square feet, each town home to 15 years, in two or three phases will have a private two-car garage smaller both in size and scope than the high-caliber faculty and staff with alley access. Phase I, ultimately yielding more Generous, energy-efficient window than 400 units, some of which may associated with our university.” space, lofty ceilings, high-grade be rental dwellings. insulation and sound attenuation in “The presence of Devonshire —President Jolene Koester common walls will be features available Downs on CSUN’s north campus will in all of the town homes. Some of greatly enhance our ability to attract only will we provide them with attain - Currently, CSUN’s only faculty/staff the available floor plans can be and retain the high-caliber faculty and ably priced homes, but homes that will dwellings are 31 rental units located in modified to accommodate persons staff associated with our university,” be within easy walking distance to the College Court Townhomes complex with disabilities. said President Jolene Koester. “Not classrooms, labs and campus offices.” on Plummer Street, west of campus. Devonshire Downs continued on page 2. New Residence Halls to Offer ‘Complete College Experience’ Small-Scale Design to Encourage Sense of Community Among Student Residents; First Phase Ready in 2009 elp is on the way for Cal State Housing and Conference Services, When completed, two buildings or leave. Tall walls with gates that Northridge students who would does not expect demand to outstrip will provide living space for 396 will be locked at night also will H like to move into an on-campus supply forever. students beginning in fall 2009. A third enhance student safety, and the residence hall. A $30.1 million housing complex building—a nearly 6,000 square foot parking needs of complex residents At present, more than 400 are on funded by student housing rents is “common program” building—will will be met by maximizing use of the waiting list for University Park scheduled to be built on a 2.8-acre include a recreation room, classroom, the G9 parking structure west of Apartments, the CSUN student housing site between CSUN’s main housing multi-purpose room, storage space, Zelzah, south of Lassen. units located south of Lassen Street for single students and the outdoor office and a reception and security The project represents phase one between Lindley and Zelzah Avenues. track. Groundbreaking is scheduled desk, from which all students and of an expansion outlined in the 2005 But Tim Trevan, director of Student for January 2008. guests will be visible when they enter Student Housing continued on page 2. By Judy Nutter, Director of Community Relations ore than four centuries have Elizabeth I.” This is an exhibit that M passed since the death of explores the many facets of The Elizabeth I, but her life and times Virgin Queen in the context of the still fascinate us. literature, science, medicine, music, The Oviatt Library here at Cal religion, history, agriculture, theater State Northridge is offering a and court life of her era. veritable feast to feed that fasci- When you enter the C.K. and New residence halls will open their doors to CSUN students in 2009. The halls’ small-scale nation: “The Sun That Lights the Teresa Tseng Gallery in the West design will encourage a sense of community among clusters of students who will enjoy Rainbow: The Life and Times of Community Connection continued on page 3. shared living/meeting rooms and study rooms. Supervisor Antonovich Allocates $500,000 for Arts Center Performing Arts Center at CSUN ‘Will Draw Residents from Adjoining Valleys and Across the County’ ounty Supervisor Michael Fernando Valley and its neighboring Antonovich has announced a areas, have the opportunity to be C $500,000 contribution toward the enriched by high quality cultural arts development of the new performing programs and events.” arts center planned for Cal State Large enough to accommodate Northridge. full-scale Broadway productions A collaborative effort between the and operas, the arts center’s main county and the university to improve performance hall will feature access to the performing arts for the advanced acoustical tuning to adapt residents of the San Fernando Valley, for a variety of presentations in the new 1,700-seat venue will join music, dance, theater, films or the county’s Music Center, Center speakers. Theatre Group and the Los Angeles CSUN, California’s leading public Opera to showcase quality music, university in preparing future teachers, dance, theater, film and theater has committed to major arts education productions. and K –12 outreach efforts in the new “This new performing arts center center. is the culmination of a 49-year-old One of the three largest performing dream by CSUN’s founders, who Cal State Northridge’s planned performing arts center is shown here in a conceptual drawing. arts centers in the nation, the Music intended for the campus to be the County Supervisor Michael Antonovich recently announced a $500,000 contribution toward Center of Los Angeles County accom - cultural and economic heart of the the development of the arts center. modates nearly 1.3 million people San Fernando Valley,” said Antonovich. annually to performances at its four “It will be the largest arts venue in President Jolene Koester said the planned performing arts center. major downtown venues. Its Education the Valley and will draw residents university is “very grateful for the “It reflects his strong commitment Division offers a professional develop - from adjoining valleys and across contribution that Supervisor Antonovich to ensuring that the people of Los ment program for teachers. ᭿ the county.” has provided for the university’s Angeles, and particularly the San Devonshire Downs… continued from page 1. The University Corporation and the The entire Devonshire Downs site lease—buyers will own their homes, Three acres of recreational space North Campus-University Park will be elevated, separating residences not the ground underneath—will be within Devonshire Downs will be Development Corporation. from traffic and noise without the paid in monthly installments. A monthly given over to a central village green, Orange groves at the community’s sense of “cutting the community off fee for ongoing maintenance of pocket parks, groves of trees, a swim - two entrances—at Zelzah and Lindley from the world” caused by thick, common areas and infrastructure ming pool, playing courts and a Avenues—will greet residents and obtrusive walls, said Rick Evans, also will be assessed, similar to the community building. visitors, providing them with a associate executive director of The process at other townhome complexes. Pedestrian and bike paths will lead California-style welcome. A leafy University Corporation. Homeowners will be able to sell directly from Devonshire Downs to atmosphere will prevail through- Faculty and staff interested in to other qualified employees of CSUN the South Campus via a shady, tree- out the community, a thoughtful purchasing a home in Devonshire or its affiliated auxiliaries, under lined parkway that will terminate at enhancement generated by the “green” Downs should check the North Campus resale price control terms designed the corner of Lindley Avenue and planting ethic of the project’s Valley- Web site www.csun.edu/northcampus to keep Devonshire Downs homes Lassen Street. From that terminus, based landscaping firm. for the latest information. Highest affordable for future generations of village residents will cross the street “The community’s landscape design priority will be given to recently CSUN employees. to catch the CSUN tram, continue incorporates some of the major themes hired faculty. The housing project was part of walking or resume their bike ride to of the campus master plan, ensuring The goal, said McCarron, is to the Cal State Northridge campus master campus. that the community will be well price the homes at 20 –25 percent plan, developed with full community “One guiding principle was that a integrated with the campus, while below prices in the surrounding participation and approved in March resident should be able to walk in retaining its distinct residential identity,” area, serving buyers whose annual 2006 by the CSU Board of Trustees.

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