Karen: I haven't driven by 4th and Lake for a long time, and I did so last night. CNIA spent almost a million dollars on that corner and it had drug dealers living upstairs and they never got the storefront rented out, so it was a terrible eye sore. That corner looks wonderful now, and I think for much less money than CNIA spent (I realize that CNIA is not the development corporation, even though CNIA board members comprise the development corporation.) I don't know what Basim committed to CNIA, but he DID follow through in occupying that corner in a very timely manner. Without his development, we would still be waiting for the CNIA bureaucacy to get the corner developed, and the drug dealing and prostitution would still be rampant from the neighborhood organization's building. I don't agree with everything that Basim does, he is a very hard person to work with and I don't like all of his tactics, but when he does something good, say so. I personally DO believe that there are people that are getting very nervous about the minority developers that are "taking over" the inner city. Lake Street has turned into many Latino businesses, much of this thanks to Basim Sabri. I have seen Mortenson and Krause just a couple of developers (that are not of color, and not immigrant) in the city, handling several projects at the same time and I haven't heard the concern or seen the scrutiny I am seeing over Basim. Something to think about. Matthea Smith Powderhorn Park 9-4 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! 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
