Provost says CMU has no set plans for Craig Street

With its interesting melange of restaurants and shops, South Craig Street is an ideal place… With its interesting melange of restaurants and shops, South Craig Street is an ideal place for Carnegie Mellon University to expand. But Pitt students need not worry – a full-fledged takeover of the business district by the university is far from definite.

Carnegie Mellon’s plan to expand its campus to include Craig Street is still in the works, and no definite decisions have yet been made regarding how much it will or will not expand in the area.

“There is no plan,” Carnegie Mellon Provost Mark Kamlet said. “There’s no specific proposed expansion.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week reported that Carnegie Mellon hopes to cast Craig Street as a central part of its campus.

But Kamlet explained that while the university is looking to acquire new buildings and promote campus growth, this does not specifically entail expanding onto Craig Street.

“If some building or space becomes available on Craig Street, we would of course take a look at it, but there’s nothing more systematic to it than that,” Kamlet said.

Carnegie Mellon is currently developing its decennial “strategic plan,” which outlines the university’s academic goals and general objectives. Part of the plan deals with campus expansion and “space priorities.”

The university already owns three buildings on South Craig Street.

Should Carnegie Mellon broaden onto Craig Street, its main campus would be better connected to the Mellon Institute and Software Engineering Institute – two buildings located off Fifth Avenue near South Craig Street.

“Even though [the Mellon Institute and Software Engineering Institute] are only three or four blocks from our main campus, psychologically that’s a bit of a distance,” Kamlet said.

Because of the uncertainty of the expansion, Kamlet emphasized that there are no intentions to buy out what Kamlet called a “great group of local businesses.”

But some businesses would rejoice in the University’s presence.

Joe Jordan, the owner of Craig Street restaurant Lucca, claimed that Carnegie Mellon provides the majority of his customers.

“CMU is my No. 1 client,” he said. As for second place, it’s a tie. “Pitt and UPMC are 50-50.”

Jeff Dille, the owner of the Quiznos Sub Sandwich Shop on Craig Street leases his space from Carnegie Mellon. He supports any potential development on the street.

“CMU’s intentions are noble,” Dille said. “I think they are sincere in their efforts to maintain the atmosphere and the ambience.”

If the university obtained new property on Craig Street and student traffic were augmented, local businesses would profit.

“If I had to be [on Craig Street] for class, I’d probably go to Subway more often because our CMU card works there,” freshman Nick Ryan said.

Wendy Byun, a junior, would also visit Craig Street more often if she had a reason to do so.

“If [CMU] makes it part of campus, I think a lot of people will go there more often, like me,” she said.

Craig Hall is the only building on Craig Street owned by Pitt, but Kamlet made clear that Carnegie Mellon is not inclined to start any property conflicts with its neighbor institution.

Pitt has also been receptive toward Carnegie Mellon’s presence on Craig Street.

“Areas of commerce and social activity are extremely important to our students, and we would welcome another one that borders our campus,” Pitt spokesman John Fedele said.

But Pitt junior Grace Giedgowd is not willing to welcome Carnegie Mellon with open arms.

“I don’t think it’s fair because we share the commercial territory,” she said. “I don’t know if it would affect my frequency of going [to Craig Street], I just feel that I might be bitter.”