I am interested in the idea of a mixed use development on one block as
proposed by Lisa McDonalds. Could Lisa or someone post more detailed
information as to the configuration of such a development. I am picturing
something like: - retail shops on the ground and skyway levels, - library on
levels 3 thru 10, - office and or residential on levels 11 thru 30. All done
in very interesting and tasteful architecture of course, and probably called
something like "The Library Building". I can understand the desire to want a
stand-alone landmark monument, but as long it provides all the services, I,
for one, am ok with a mixed use building. Anyone have any rough guesstimate
of the financial difference between the two different concepts? --- Dave
Stack, Harrison
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> From: McDonald, Lisa
>> .... you need to have TIF for a downtown libary. The issue is whether
it is one, two or four blocks. Given the state of our general fund it sould
be on the same block as the library. So it's self-contained. The unfortunate
thing is that everyone wants a stand alone civic Carnagie Mellon kind of
library. Unfortunately we can't afford that in terms of the cost to our
general fund. Every dollar that's in a TIF ditrict doesn't see the light of
day in the general fund for at least 15-20 years. It behooves us to make
this district as tight as possible in order to protect our general fund and
I for one will fight to keep it on the same block as the library, whether it
is additional office or housing. I believe you can make mixed use work with
good architecture and we just don't have the luxury right now of tying up
more than one block in a district.
