Concerning the north-south connector: This street would be a new entry point into north Minneapolis, connecting Dunwoody Boulevard at its exit from I-394 northward to Glenwood Avenue and beyond. In response to Tim Connolly's post, two things warrant mention. 1) There is a cost related to construction of the road. However, construction of the road does not commit the City to future unrelated expenditures, as is implied by Mr. Connolly's post. The City is contemplating moving the pyramids of crushed concrete, the open air storage bordering I-394, and the Impound Lot. And other types of redevelopment are contemplated in the Glenwood Avenue area. But these issues can be evaluated on their own merits. Approval of City investment in these areas is not forced by construction of the new road. City facilities currently in the area can remain in place after construction of the road. Redevelopment requiring investment by the City can be postponed or nixed. 2) The initial purpose for the roadway was as part of an overall plan to better connect the Near Northside (Hollman) project with the rest of the City. But it has the additional benefit of greatly changing the market characteristics of the east Glenwood Avenue area. We have very good evidence that developers are taking a keen interest in investing in commercial development that is complementary to the businesses at International Market Square, and in residential development that would add to the City's stock of both market rate and affordable housing. This is interest on the part of the private market that is likely to diminish greatly without the additional access and visibility the new road is expected to provide. The road also incidentally adds to the market value (and return to the City in taxes) of the Near Northside development. In sum, the City Council is acting appropriately in this fiscal environment when it looks very carefully at each financing decision and its implications. But it is not accurate to say that this decision commits the City to future unrelated financial investments. And consideration of a policy reversal on the road needs to include a good understanding of its implications in terms of foregone commercial and residential private investment and associated tax capacity. Tom Leighton City Planner Seward _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
