Continue the progress

Eight years ago the University could not find a developer who was willing to take on projects in the areas that surround campus. Students did not feel safe venturing off campus. Penn was still struggling to find its niche in West Philadelphia. And the University was just beginning its climb in the U.S. News and World Report ranking of the best universities.

Today, Penn is a very different place -- and much of the change can be attributed to the work of Penn's Facilities and Real Estate Services, which Vice President Omar Blaik has led for the last eight years.

On Friday, Blaik announced that he will step down from his post and start his own firm to help urban universities develop the communities around them -- much like he did at Penn.

Judging from Blaik's work at the University, his firm should do just fine. During his tenure, areas both on and off campus have blossomed. Just one example is the corridor along 40th Street, which has become a haven for students.

Blaik has also made efforts to make campus more friendly to West Philadelphia residents, designing buildings that present an open face to the community rather than an inward-looking one.

He was also vital in bringing major retailers to the community while still retaining mom-and-pop stores that maintain the neighborhood's character.

Blaik's departure leaves a gaping hole in President Amy Gutmann's administration at a critical juncture in the University's long-term planning.

In less than 11 months Penn will take control of 24 acres east of campus along the Schuylkill River known as the postal lands. What administrators choose to do on those 24 acres will have a significant impact on the future success of the University.

With such a giant project looming, a replacement is needed -- and fast.

Blaik's emphasis on retail and integration with the community are ideals that students appreciate, according to a recent survey by the Undergraduate Assembly and Graduate and Professional Students Assembly. As Gutmann replaces Blaik, she could choose to go in a new direction. But at a time like this, continuity is crucial and a change in philosophy would likely be detrimental.

Blaik's contributions to Penn's development during the past eight years have been phenomenal. Gutmann needs to make sure that his successor will both lead this institution along the path that Blaik has blazed and also improve upon his legacy.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.