Wizard Marks writes:
>B. Herron and I were talking about this just a day or two ago. I'm
beginning to >see a picture where Basim has enough friends on the council
that he doesn't need Brian's vote to get what he wants. The one company I
heard who seems to have been interested at one point is a group called
American Hotel or Motel Co. If so, they
>are a subsidiary of Wells Fargo. If so, I'd say the impetus is from that
>direction
>since WF just move their HQ to Honeywell Campus.
>WMarks
----------------------------------
Since this is in Brian's district, what Brian says about this issue WILL
sway others on the council. Brian has the responsibility to clearly state
his position on this hotel. Also worth noting: Basim Sabri has been
holding fundraisers for Brian Herron. I've cced this message to Council
Member Herron. I hope we get some clarification on this matter quite soon.
Hopefully questions will be asked about this at the upcoming DFL
convention this weekend.
>I have not heard any recent positions from any of the council members
regarding
>the motel on Lake Street. I am interested in their positions, as well as the
>positions of potential challengers in the fall elections.
I'd be interested in hearing more from council members (and candidates) on
this issue also. Also, what do the Mayoral Candidates think about this
idea.
>One comment that has been repeated to concerned constituents in the area
is that the developer feels that in this location they can tap into
downtown hotel stays via the bus line. Well, I love my neighborhood, but
as a person who works downtown and occasionally travels on company business
I seriously doubt that people with expense accounts are interested in
staying at the AmericInn on Lake Street vs the array of downtown options.
------------------------------
And I'd have a hard time believing this motel could get on the second level
list of hotel space for large conventions--most of that would go to hotels
near the Airport--and usually there would be shuttles from those hotels
into downtown Minneapolis.
>I've also heard "jobs" as a consideration for the motel; essentially a
>handfull of cleaning jobs in an industry that received a very poor score
on >Diversity from the NAACP.
This argument is rather ironic. Stadium boondoggles have the same
rational--they bring jobs--but they are low paid, low end service jobs with
little opportunity for advancement.
In October of 2000, Kweisi Mfume, president of the NAACP said
>"relatively little progress" had been made by the hotel industry in getting
>African Americans into management positions, or doing business with minority
>vendors. I don't think job availability is currently as pressing as helping
>people get good jobs that already exist - there are many unfilled
positions in
>the metro as well as the specific area noted, and not nearly enough effort
being put into helping people obtain those jobs. (another story for another
time, though) We already have several major employers in the area, and
the fact that those jobs are in our neighborhood hasn't changed the fact
that most are held by suburbanites who commute.
--------------------------------------------
This is true even for the Minnesota Workforce Center on Chicago and Lake.
Part of what brings companies with high wage, high skilled jobs is the
presence of a skilled workforce. I think we have some real opportunities
in Minneapolis in the high tech area, with some of the dot com bust and
energy crisis in California. More cleaning jobs won't lead folks on the
career path that will give them these higher wage, higher skill jobs.
>I hope that Brian Herron and the rest of the council do not support the
motel in this location. While I personally oppose a motel entirely, if one
is built I believe it would only be appropriate to build in a location
where it is
>surrounded by commercial properties and no residential immediatly adjacent
that would be impacted - like the Nicollet Ave & Lake re-development
proposal, for example, or even the Chicago Lake development. This is what
I consider to be more prudent urban planning, with an eye on mitigating
spill-over effects up
>front vs. reacting to them later. To date, everyone I have heard from is
>opposed to the concept, with the exception of the people who will benefit
>financially from this development.
Isn't this stuff always about money?
I would like to hear from council member Brian Herron what his position is
on this motel. It also, more and more makes no sense to me why Brian tried
to stop a meeting former representative Linda Wejcman tried to organize on
this issue. David do you know of some phone numbers of the American Inn
person to call about this to ask questions.
>I think it is interesting that there is such a high degree of secrecy
>surrounding the proposal; it has been extremely difficult to get
information,
>and I don't like the patronizing attitude that some people involved have
>displayed. In November of 2000 I was threatened by an employee of AmericInn
>when I contacted them for information.
It would be really nice to get this person from American Inn on the
Minneapolis Issues List.
>Related or not, the former owners of one of the properties required for this
>proposal received death threats prior to agreeing to sell their house.
This is a very serious charge. Have these death threats been investigated
by the police?
>In my opinion, the handling of this process and the concept itself
qualifies as
>an issue to be addressed in the election process; I would seriously like to
>know what each of the candidates who seek to represent this area think about
>both the process and the concept.
I second this..... Earth to 8th Ward Candidates--do you read us?
>It is also imprtant to note that the idea of a hotel has been presented
several
>times by Urban Ventures over the past six or seven years, and is voted
down by
>the residents every time. Such a use is also inconsistent with current
zoning,
>the small area plan, and the NRP plan.
Oh, the Urban Vultures as they are fondly known by some in the neighborhood.
>I attended the plan review meeting earlier this morning, and the three
parties
>involved are as follows:
>
>John Kennedy of AmericInn (franchisor)
>Mike Fruen, investor (franchisee)
>Basim Sabri (owner of much of the affected land)
>and Urban Ventures as (apparently) facilitators
Basim Sabri is also doing fundraisers for Brian Herron. It's always worth
following the money.
>The proposal calls for zoning to change to C3A or C4 to accomodate the
hotel and some small shops. The parking requirement is 101 spaces, and the
plan currently allows for 116 spaces. Much of the parking is in front of
the building (streetside) and as one member of the review committee termed
it, a "suburban solution in an urban setting"
>
>The hotel itself would have 67 rooms for rent.
>The entire building would have about 27,000 square feet of space.
>
>The plan for the same location that was brushed aside by Basim Sabri last
year
>after he purchased the land would have created at least 30 units of
affordable
>housing, become a center for neighborhood based ethnic art, and provided work
>space for several art-oriented entrepreneurs. I challenge Basim and the City
>officials to consider ways to revive that or similar proposals that
benefit the neighborhood instead of suburban speculators.
Hear, hear, David. I'd like to know this also. I thought city officials
were majorly interested in affordable housing..... So what's this with
opening up this Motel.
Eva Young
Central
8th Ward Voter
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