I've been made aware of some of the past years history at CNIA but only was able to see some of what goes on in the community last tuesday. First off let me express what i have always felt was/is a limitation in NRP despite the many benefits I see. It is what is commonly referred to as Balkanization. When NRP was created, its main purpose as I understand it was to shift focus back onto the neighborhoods from what many perceived to be, correctly or not, an overemphasis on downtown development at the expense of the outlying neighborhoods. Being the paranoid cynic I am, I also saw it as a means for the dominant DFL to cement their position at City Hall. I spent the hour and a half preceding Tuesday's CNIA meeting walking east on Lake Street from 4th Avenue to Pillsbury and Elroy Place where I wanted to check out a piece of property recently sold by the city. From there I headed back to Blaisdell, walked through the parking lot between Wells Fargo and the Condos on Lake to 31st Street and back to Clinton, then north to the alleys that run parallel to Lake behind the Spanish Mercado, Hirshfield's etc. There is a reason for this geography lesson and itinerary. This is an incredible area that will see tremendous development activity in the coming years if Nicollet can be opened, K-Mart relocated, etc.Right now the stretch of Lake from Pleasant to the freeway might be the most trash strewn area of the city and east of the freeway toward toward 4th though not as bad on the surface faces similar problems. This area touches four different neighborhoods with four different governing boards. It is also represented at City Hall by three different council people. What one neighborhood might decide is best for their neighborhood may adversely affect another and there needs to be some ultimate arbiter or plan or shared vision or whatever that can unite different areas and disparate points of view. Having said this briefly, let me provide my take on what took place at the CNIA meeting on Tuesday. First off, it appeared that a clever politician who had the trust of a large segment of the community, many of whom were recent Latino and Somali immigrants, packed the meeting. That would be Basim Sabri. No problem. That's how the game is played and that I suspect is how the present leadership and board of CNIA came to be sitting at the front table. There was a presentation by Mr.Sabri and Mr.Kennedy, exec. v.p. of Americinn. There was only one artist's conception and that held against the wall by Mr.Sabri. One would think he could afford an easel. He tried to describe the layout but as they say "one picture is worth a thousand words." Basim stated that as the property is now zoned he could put up a strip mall if he wanted. I believe he is correct. He would have to go before the planning commission but we're talking minimal landscaping, etc to get a plan through the commission. It might be a lot less hassle and still make money for him though less probably than if there were a hotel. The point is he could do it and if he did I cannot imagine how much worse that might be for the neighborhood than a hotel. I saw Basim wanting to answer questions and put people at ease even as he seemed to want to throw out the threat of worse possibilities. Most of the people in opposition have legitimate fears of what may come with the hotel though I personally think they are unfounded. The idea that some would prefer to see housing of some sort is commendable given our housing shortgage but where the money will come from at present and how viable it might be in the market given its location is an open question. My sense is that it wont fly based partly on the fact that it has been on the boards before and failed. I saw Brian Herron trying to be the consensus builder. it's easy to see Brian sometimes as wishy-washy because of that but I appreciate him for exactly that quality. if anyone can unite the group it will be Brian leading the effort, with Basim following his lead, and maybe even Zack. I understand what people have been referring to when they speak of dysfunction. The one feeling I had from everyone in the room was a sincerity of purpose, that being to make Central neighborhood the best place for them to live. Despite what everyone sees I think this is a positive environment that could easilyturn away from the divisiveness that was so evident. One thing for the people of Central to bear in mind is what effect possible developments west of the freeway will have on them as well as future developments at Lake and Chicago. I think they can also take pride in the fact that Americinn has confidence in Central. I apologize for the disjointed nature of the post. I was trying to touch on a number of subjects. Tim Connolly Ward 7 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
