In a message dated 2/3/02 9:52:16 AM Central Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Meanwhile, the houses they can somehow afford to buy and knock down are
NOT affordable -they rent for $1600 apiece. But of course, the loss of
any supply affects the overall market, and the road to the affordable
housing crisis has been paved with destruction.
I believe the ... road to the affordable housing crises has been paved
with destruction of our city's housing stock with no valid reason, a la'
Jackie' and Sharon's Regime. Allowing customers access to off street adjacent
parking can make the block safer and more pedestrian friendly. Shouldn't the
five residential units (folks) above the store have reasonable off street
parking access, too? How about the store employees, should they have to park
around the corner or down the block; in front of someone else's home or
business? The deal would deserve high scrutiny if Government dollars/NRP
money were part of the package. Even then, all steps toward creating a
neighborhood retail zone with ample: egress, access, greenway, lighting,
parking, etc., will contribute toward a pleasant and successful retail node.
And a nice retail node can reflect well on a nice neighborhood.
On West Broadway in North Mpls. we are trying to improve the commercial
avenue and create a Penn/West Bro retail node that fairly considers the needs
of all stake holders in the area. Our main street is a County Road and
artery for suburban commuters to and from DT (speedway). This particular
intersection of the avenue also has 5 corners (bad). Jackie's regime had
given us temporary barriers to thwart backroad travel to and from our
mainstreet for the last 8 years. They looked shabby and hurt some
business's. She offered not much plan for retail improvement, just as there
seemed no plan in her willy-nilly onslaught and destruction of our
neighborhood housing stock. But I know she demonstrated much more vigor in
her demolition initiatives, and more success.
She promoted and prevailed in a neighborhood vote a couple years ago to
earmark $100,000 of NRP money toward acquisition and demolition of my own
three duplexes at Penn/West Bro (still out there). The goal seeming sound; to
create a reasonable configuration of access and parking. She was also trying
to get the City out from under a lawsuit, based on the City's taking of
property rights when her barriers went up, from our corner liquor outlet. The
outlet won, by the way. And, by the way, I made my ambivalence to my golden
parachute a matter of record at the time. My six units have fine cash flow
then and now. Of course they also have bullet holes, but it seemed none of
you commented much when I extolled my bullet hole collection last week. No
one asked for the tour, either. Are there no hobbyists in this assemblage?
(Bullet holes are a great future collectible, and I am on the ground floor on
this one.)
The net effect of the hardware store parking expansion, I believe, will be
a benefit to the community. Support your neighborhood retailer as he supports
your neighborhood.
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