UConn Looks to Storrs Center to Strengthen Ties With Mansfield

The  is hoping the new Storrs Center project will strengthen its ties with the Mansfield community as the two entities work toward making the project a success.

“[Students] are looking forward to having a vibrant downtown," said Jim Hintz, UConn director of off-campus student services.

"I think [Storrs Center] definitely is another opportunity to enhance the relationship between the town and the university and community members and students," he said. "I think there’s a lot of opportunity to work together.”

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Last month, at , Alexandria Roe, director of planning for UConn, said the university's student population had grown from around 16,000 in 1990 to 28,000 today, and that students were "very excited" about the project given UConn's predominantly rural environment.

Hintz told Mansfield-Storrs Patch that despite UConn's current surroundings, he still believed Storrs was a college town given the size of the university.

"But I think [Storrs Center] will give it a little more of a feel of having entertainment options and shopping and dining," he said.

When completed, the $220 million project will give Mansfield new retail, restaurant, office and residential development.

“The combination will be a good option for students to give them a kind of social outlet and something to do within the town of Mansfield itself," Hintz said.

“I think it will definitely make it more attractive and more vibrant for newer faculty and even existing faculty," Hintz said, citing the lack of "quality rentals" in the market. "I think there’s a lot of excitement around having a venue for students, faculty and staff to live very close to campus,” he said.

In addition to giving students the opportunity to live, work and play alongside members of the community, .

“Given its proximity [to campus] I think students will feel that they can walk to the dowtown area as opposed to taking a vehicle or having to go farther down to the [East Brook] mall area all the time, or even outside the area to do their shopping or entertaining friends and family," Hintz said.

And in anticipation of additional commuter traffic, Hintz said the university has linked its transportation system to the downtown project.

"You’ll see several UConn bus stops in the new downtown for folks to ride," he said.

The university is also and has plans to add a Co-op store in the new retail center.

Meanwhile, .

“I’ve been in the community five years now and I’ve seen other downtown areas and college towns really do quite well, and it isn’t just about students in that town," Hintz said.

"It’s community members and families and senior citizens all enjoying all a downtown has to offer," he said. "My hope and belief is that will happen here in Mansfield."