GV Uses Eminent Domain to Expand Downtown Campus University Offers $2.34 Million to Purchase Vacant Warehouse for Future Site of Business School
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Grand Valley State University ScholarWorks@GVSU Volume 44, July 8, 2009 - June 7, 2010 Lanthorn, 1968-2001 10-22-2009 Lanthorn, vol. 44, no. 17, October 22, 2009 Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lanthorn_vol44 Part of the Archival Science Commons, Education Commons, and the History Commons Recommended Citation Grand Valley State University, "Lanthorn, vol. 44, no. 17, October 22, 2009" (2009). Volume 44, July 8, 2009 - June 7, 2010. 15. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lanthorn_vol44/15 This Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Lanthorn, 1968-2001 at ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Volume 44, July 8, 2009 - June 7, 2010 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Best West Michigan <&mni) mile? €antfjonr%>haunts, B6 Celebrating 41 years of serving the Grand Valley State University community Grand Valley State University www.lanthorn.com Thursday, October 22, 2009 GV uses eminent domain to expand downtown campus University offers $2.34 million to purchase vacant warehouse for future site of business school By Lauren Fitch The GVSU Board of Trustees Because GVSU is a public stands on the property, with a 2009 GVL Managing Hditor voted unanimously on Friday to university, it has the right to exercise State Equalized Value of $751 ,(KX). purchase the property for $2.34 eminent domain and has exceeded Mclxrgan said GVSU has been There’s no place like home, and million from Ed DeVries Properties, the fair market value in its offer to talking with DeVries Properties for Courtesy Photo / Google Images Grand Valley State University has Inc. through eminent domain. DeVries Property. the past 10 years about plans for the Safe levels: People around the world decided to use legal action to make Under the Michigan constitution, “Eminent domain is not old warehouse and became more have united to promote safe levels of the property at 38 Front Ave. in the eminent domain policy allows something we do lightly or often, ” serious in their negotiations within carbon in the earth's atmosphere downtown Grand Rapids the new government groups to purchase said Matt McLogan, vice president the last couple years. home of the Seidman College of private property for public use at fair of University Relations at GVSU. Michael DeVries, president of Students to join Business. market value. An old A&P warehouse currently the development firm, previously proposed a remodel of the building and offered to work with GVSU on international the renovations. McLogan said DeVries ’ presentation confirmed GVSU’s effort to prevent suspicions the existing building was not fit for its classroom purposes. The ceiling height and interior global warming support structures do not meet GVSU classroom standards and the By Molly Waite whole building is too close to the S-curve of U.S. 131, according to a GVl. Staff Writer press release issued by GVSU. Scientists estimate the A couple weeks ago, GVSU made concentration of carbon in the an offer to buy the property from atmosphere to be roughly 390 DeVries and reaffirmed it in writing parts per million, considerably last Thursday, McLogan said. higher than the estimated safe “We very mucji hope they will level of 350. accept,” McLogan added. In an effort to reduce carbon DeVries said he received an offer emissions and climate change, from GVSU on Monday and has students from Grand Valley begun the process of going through State University and other the “very detailed ” offer since then. local universities will come “We’re still disappointed and together from II a.m. to 3 p.m. perplexed over the offer,” DeVries on Saturday for 350GR Global said. Climate Awareness, part of the Tom Butcher, university counsel, International Day of Climate said the only other time GVSU has Action. used eminent domain was to acquire The event will include a march the property where the DeVos to Calder Plaza at 12:30 p.m., the Center is currently located. He said 350GR Human Aerial Photo at Courtesy Photo / Google Images the parties reached an agreement 1 p.m. and a Critical Mass Bike Intended site: GVSU has chosen to use its nght of eminent domain to purchase a former P warehouse that now sits vacant in Ride at 2 p.m. oHne Seidman School of Business -^, See Eminent, A2 downtown Grand Rapids from Ed DeVries Development Inc. The site-irmtended to be use* Danielle Ostafinski, 2008- 09 president of the Student Environmental Coalition, helped organize the event. “The 350 Day of Action is a University earns more than call from citizens to world leaders at the UN climate negotiations this December in Copenhagen, deposits from Pepsi deal Denmark, to produce a bold, just and binding treaty based on climate science, ” Ostafinski said. Contract with Pepsi rakes in around NASA scientist Dr. James $400,000 for GVSU; not without strings Hansen has researched global warming for a large part of his career. By Lauren Fitch and down to cost and still made fiscal He was Jenna Brackett sense years later. “Climate “The primary reason was the the first to GVL Staff dollars, and then we also looked at publicly change is the testify to For the past 10 years, drinking what students prefer, ” Doxey said. issue of our the U.S. Pepsi has paid off for Grand Valley “It was not a popularity contest. Congress time. It is our State Unviersity students, to the We didn ’t go out and say, ‘What that global GVl I Eric Coulter tune of about $6,465 for the 2009- would you prefer?’ because we civil rights warming Tough times: During these hard times more students have been visiting the Student 10 school year. would have probably had 50-50 is a real movement Employment Office. The employment rate for 16- to 24-year olds is at an all-time low. GVSU signed the original for Coke and Pepsi .” and serious contract with Pepsi in 1999 for five Under the Pepsi contract, issue. years with five one-year extensions Pepsi gives GVSU $167,500 in DANIELLE Hansen ayailable. In 2004, GVSU decided sponsorship plus 55 percent of OSTAFINSKI College-age employment and his to re-sign the contract for an all commissions from vending FORMER SEC colleagues additional 10 years, putting the machine sales, which adds about PRESIDENT have used expiration date at June 30, 2014. $166,000 more. According to the many methods to determine the rate hits 70-year low The “cola wars” were an issue 2009-10 budget, other sources of dangerous quantities of carbon for many universities in the ‘90s revenue kick in additional money in the atmosphere. They, along By Lauren Fitch Because she could not secure a as Pepsi and Coca-Cola competed for a total of $425,099 for GVSU with other scientists and climate GVL Managing Hditor traditional teaching job, Gibbons to sign exclusive contracts. gain. change experts, discuss the need will have todoan additional program Michael M. Doxey, director of In turn, GVSU covers After spending five years to return carbon concentration next summer. As a consequence, Business Services at GVSU, said installation and maintenance earning her undergraduate degree levels to 350 ppm as soon as she will receive her certification in the decision to choose Pepsi came costs on vending machines and in psychology for special education, possible to avoid devastating August instead of June. provides a budget to Athletics, Kelly Gibbons now seeks a second She said of the eight people in Alumni, Student Activities, climate change. endorsement for special education The Association for the her program, five now have jobs and Minority Affairs' scholarship fund through the graduate program at three are working as and Recreation to provide those Advancement of Sustainability Grand Valley State paraprofessionals. groups with Pepsi products and in Higher Education began the University and works “It's all about In the previous year, advertisement. Athletics received American College and University as a paraprofessional getting experience 15 of the program’s the bulk of this fund with $310,(XX) Presidents Climate Commitment. for Hudsonville High GVSU President Thomas J. You have to get 16 graduates found total. School, a position Haas is among the commitment ’s teaching jobs. Doxey stressed that almost all requiring no formal it any way you 657 signatories. “The job market the money is going toward student training. can even if it's “Colleges and universities is rough especially in support. “It’s all about must exercise leadership in their taking a job you're Michigan,” Gibbons GVSU profits about $6,465 per getting experience, ” communities and throughout said. “With the year from the Pepsi agreement. Gibbons said. “You overqualified for.” economy the way it “We talked to Coke (again in society by modeling ways have to get it any way KELLY GIBBONS is and people being 2004),” Doxey said. “But they to eliminate global warming you can even if it’s GVSU GRADUATE STUDENT laid off, companies didn't seem interested, and they emissions and by providing the taking a job you're knowledge and the educated have their pick of couldn't match financially what overqualified for." graduates to achieve climate workers with experience. ” Pepsi was offering.” Gibbons ’ graduate program neutrality," as stated on the Gibbons is not alone in her In exchange for Pepsi’s required her to get a teaching job, Presidents Climate Commitment struggle, as the House Education sponsorship, GVSU must only and she began searching for one last and Labor Committee reported sell and promote Pepsi soft drinks Web site.