Functional Uses

Located in the northwest section of the Ross Athletic Campus, the Kipke Drive Area is defined by East Stadium Boulevard on the south, South Main on the west, East Hoover Avenue on the north, and a railway on the east. While a majority of the facilities are for athletic practice and competition, there are also academic, administrative, and support facilities that work with the following units: Athletics; Architecture, Engineering and Construction; Maintenance Services, F&O Operational Support, Human Resources; Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX; Information Technology Services; Environment, Health and Safety; Custodial and Grounds Services; and the Division of Public Safety and Security.

Development Opportunities

Campus Plan 2050 calls for considerable redevelopment in the area. The proposed land use changes accommodate identified and future athletic facility needs, including the demolition over time of all university support buildings in the Kipke Drive Area other than Michigan Stadium and its associated outbuildings, Junge Champions Center, Crisler Center, and Davidson Player Development Center to free up land for future athletic facilities. The plan identifies a number of future development sites for Athletics. Significant large surface parking areas are maintained to support Athletics, daily campus commuter parking, and flexibility for football game day tailgating.

Landscape and Public Realm

Campus Plan 2050 calls for comprehensive redevelopment of the Kipke Drive Area including improvements to the landscape and public realm. The goal is to improve the overall quality and appearance of the context in support of functional and operational needs of Athletics and to contribute to the fan experience. Key recommendations include a dedicated TV fan zone on the east side of Michigan Stadium, which is envisioned as a place for football game day TV broadcasts and associated activities. Located at the terminus of a new proposed pedestrian bridge over the railway, this lawn area is also envisioned as a foreground landscape to Michigan Stadium and as a place for day-to-day programmed activities. Views of the iconic east facade of Michigan Stadium should be preserved and enhanced, especially along the newly established pedestrian bridge corridor. The removal of the existing support facilities complex along Kipke Drive also provides an opportunity to introduce new green open spaces carefully coordinated with new development, allowing for an enhanced pedestrian environment and supporting stormwater management features and biodiversity of vegetation.

Mobility and Connectivity

Redevelopment in the Kipke Drive Area enables reconsideration of accessible pathways in support of day-to-day and game day needs. This includes the proposed non-motorized and pedestrian bridge over the railway connecting to the Ferry Field Area. The integration of proposed BRT services and stops along Kipke Drive also facilitates upgrades to the public realm and allows enhanced connectivity to the remaining large surface parking lots with a commuter parking function.

Sustainability and Infrastructure

Geo-exchange bores are proposed under all major plazas in the Kipke Drive Area and in areas proposed for demolition and redevelopment, including large surface parking areas. Bores in this area are intended to support the energy needs of the Kipke Area with any surpluses potentially diverted to supply other campus needs. To that end, Kipke Drive is designated as a major utility corridor connecting the potential golf course geo-exchange and ground source heat pump field to Central Campus. Existing and new buildings in the area should be planned for conversion to take advantage of available geoexchange and ground source heat pump energy. Solar PV panels are recommended on all future large span athletic facilities, and should be explored in select parking areas.

Installation of the geo-exchange and ground source heat pumps should be coordinated with upgrades to all plaza areas in support of accessibility, public art, and stormwater management goals. In addition to infrastructure adjacent to Allen Creek, stormwater management infrastructure is proposed in the plazas around Michigan Stadium and in other areas subject to demolition and redevelopment over the near and long term