Gap Smaller Between Downtown and USC, but Students Still Missing the Boat

I feel your frustration, though in a different sense – I’m a grad student that teaches SC undergards. More generally, I wish that more SC students would step out of themselves for a sec to look at the wealth of opportunities and amusements the world looks around them. Unfortunately, what SC students consider as important – their “world” – is rather circumscribed.

On the other hand, I can’t at all claim that it’s easy to look at the bigger picture when you’re 17-18…

The new “Expo Line” light rail system can be a social bridge to bring more pedestrian activity, and link Downtown to USC and Exposition Park. Hopefully, the Expo can bridge that distance gap and be useful students, faculty, and tourists to help alleviate parking problems on campus.

We need to present this to the Expo Line planners so that they can understand how important it is, not just to get people from point A to B, but to plant the seeds of life in a barren Figueroa Corridor.

you left out an important piece of the article….where it mentions that, now 21 and a senior, he has given DT another chance and is now living at Metro 417, and loves it. He even recruited fellow mates to join him as well.

i think that illustrates eric’s point exactly - he made friends outside of his college experience, whereas matt wants to bring his campus experience to downtown by moving in with friends and convincing other friends to move into another unit in the same building, you know, like a dorm, only located downtown.

“but there was no critical mass. Most of the parties were on campus”.

They need to stay there as well. from what I’ve taken in here in my building, it’s just a stop on the line for most of the college peeps. They want the “hip” factor of being able to say, yeah, I live in a loft in Downtown and try and keep the dorm style atmosphere, totally not cool. this is my first time in a big complex 300+ units and i’ve been amazed at the things i’ve seen so far especially in the trash chutes? Anyway, I myself love being here, it’s home sweet home.

the expo line should run down fig instead of flower, or at least jump the 110 before the expo park turn. i personally wouldnt want to walk from usc’s housing concentration to the coliseum to catch a ride.

I agree, they picked the easiest less crowded street to run on without thinking of the campus as a whole. There are many parking structures near the future Expo stops and Galen Center should be within walking distance. But you’re right it’s not near any housing or the main campus buildings. Hopefully some developer will see this and fill in the residential void near the stations.

What would you say the majority of students think of DT? Are students not interested to connect the bridge btwn USC and DT? Do you think DT emanates a stigma and that’s why students don’t make an effort to acquaint themselves with DT?