College's Makeover Of Downtown Leaves Residents Sour

A $40 million gift from a wealthy alumna helped Wells College transform the small town of Aurora, New York into a postcard perfect setting. But while enrollment is up, residents say the change hasn't been good for them.

2 minute read

December 8, 2007, 11:00 AM PST

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"After a five-year makeover at the hands of the founder of the American Girl doll collection, this village of white clapboard and faded brick on Cayuga Lake practically glows, with freshly painted homes, refurbished inns and markets selling dried organic cranberries and cheese made from sheep's milk.

It was an act of philanthropy by the woman who began the popular line of historic dolls and books, Pleasant T. Rowland. Ms. Rowland, an alumna of Wells College here, gave $40 million to her alma mater to revitalize Aurora's diminutive downtown and to help reverse the college's declining enrollment. The money did just that, but not without earning Ms. Rowland enemies: a group of residents who resented her for making the historic village, in their eyes, too fancy and artificial, about as authentic as a dollhouse.

"The thing that a lot of people lament is that it has torn the village apart," said Anna Baxter, 29, who moved to Aurora from New York City with her partner, Rufus Bates, a furniture maker, to open Grove Gallery, where the paintings cost from $250 to $3,500.

On the outside, the village of 750 in the Finger Lakes region could not be more placid, with the white caps of Cayuga framing a timeless streetscape. But tensions fester, despite the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought to derail some of the work. On some of Ms. Rowland's visits to town from Madison, Wis., where she lives and presides over the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation, some residents have cursed her to her face."

Friday, December 7, 2007 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight