USC is proposing to redevelop a large section of land already owned by the University, which they say is currently under-utlilized. USC would like to build new student housing there as well as corresponding mixed-use development projects including multi-story parking garages. The idea behind the development plan is that it would allow more students to live closer to campus, thereby reducing traffic in the area. It will also open up more housing options away from campus for non-student residents of the area.
While we appreciate a good urban master planning effort, the traffic reduction and housing unit distribution isn’t what caught our eyes, or the eyes of Sean McKeon, who sent the links over to us.
What caught our eyes is that it looks like USC has placed a field on top of one of the parking garages in The Village… and it’s not just any field. It’s DEFINITELY a lacrosse field. You can see the creases and restraining lines. No doubt there.
Now we know better than to think that what we see in the drawing will certainly come to pass, as development plans, especially larger ones like the USC project, often change a hundred times before completion. It’s possible that the field is just a representation of “a” field, and not a lacrosse field. Maybe the architect went to a lax school? Who knows. I looked through the development plan and found no mention of a lacrosse field as a requirement or covenant of project completion. So this is far from guaranteed. In fact, adding a lacrosse field might have never been discussed, and is just there by chance.
Of course, USC is adding a women’s team in 2012… so don’t sleep on the Trojans! Maybe the field is for them. Maybe not?
So while we can’t say for certain that ANYTHING is going to change at USC, it is pretty cool to see a lacrosse field in their development plan and just think… What if?
