In a message dated 3/9/02 1:32:44 PM Central Standard Time, PennBroKeith
writes:
(I sent this letter out to many key stakeholders of West Broadway
Redevelopment; I now offer it out to the peanut gallery, including the kings
of Kingfield's redevelopment. Have at it, you may help cure your
southcentricity)
<<
I wish to bring your attention to a commercial corridor of our City. This
avenue, West Broadway, has the least business offerings, and neighborhood
amenities, of any of our city's major thoroughfares. It also has the most
potential for development, concentrated growth, and success in serving the
current and future needs of the Northwest quadrant of our City. The simple
question: How do we get there from here?
Although there is no simple answer, any answer must be structured as a
strategy. And any strategy must have a comprehensive plan. The current avenue
has unique assets and deficits. Such a plan must first evaluate and quantify
the existing condition, features, and assets of the avenue. With less and
less government money available to spur neighborhood and commercial corridor
development, we must creatively identify West Broadway's non-monetary assets.
I believe we have substantial non-monetary assets on the avenue. In fact, our
poor avenue is rich. We have a wealth of vacant land both on, and adjacent
to, West Broadway. Both publicly and privately held, this undeveloped land
allows us the supreme opportunity to design and create the infrastructure
which will support and enhance the future West Broadway. Some of this vacant
land is so called "brownfields" and appears as a liability. We may be able to
view these lands as our corridor's future parking nodes, public transit
commuter transfer points and public green spaces. Add public art and you have
a neighborhood landmark/identity builder. Combine all of the above with some
retail amenities and you have a "destination". Yes, there is wealth. But
wealth does not guarantee success.
We must design the egress, access, parking, greenways, pedestrian right of
way, gateways, etc. We must plan for a huge future with huge needs of both
metro wide commuters and local neighborhood main-street shoppers and gawkers.
We must provide for the needs of the main-street retailers and
cultural/educational elements such as our PYC campus and theater. We must do
it now and we must do it in an optimum fashion, and with little money.
I will not offer you that plan most optimal for West Broadway here. That was
not my intent. My intent is to caution and advise. I believe that land held
by the City, County, or State, on or near West Broadway, is held intrust
toward the best public use or utilization. The best public use will be
identified through a comprehensive plan for West Broadway. Dispensing with
these publicly held lands in advance of such a plan will be a diminution of
our avenue's wealth and would preclude future infrastructure enhancements and
reconfigurations. And with very little in return. We cannot afford to
squander the wealth of our avenue through willy-nilly disbursement of public
lands at this pivotal juncture.
To be totally clear I recommended not allowing the privatizing or selling
off, of any public lands on or near West Broadway at this time. As a
corollary, I would recommend not making public, through eminent domain, any
lands now privately held.
I also recommend allowing what I call "interim use zoning". Currently,
neighborhoods adjacent to West Broadway are poorly served by the goods and
services offered on the Avenue. Conversely, there are many vacant store
fronts on West Broadway. It is my observation and opinion that an inverse
proportion exists on our avenue: The less legitamit business, the more
illegitimate business (drug selling, theft, assault, etc.) for West Broadway.
Less new and existing businesses also means less market opportunities for
neighborhood people to participate in. Please review my written article,
which I have included below. I wrote it over a year ago and my learning curve
has been steep since then. I still think it has practical content. Thank you,
Keith Reitman, Toward a brighter West Broadway.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
18. "CAN ''INTERIM-USE'' ZONING BUILD CRITICAL MASS OF ACTIVITY ON WEST
BROADWAY?", topic by KEITH REITMAN/WORLD H.Q./PENNBRO CORNERS, December 10,
2000 1:11 pm CST
"The city of Mpls. has a zoning code defining and limiting the use of every
lot in the city. These rules
help shape our neighborhoods' structure and assets, while allowing for so
called nonconforming uses to relocate to more appropriate locations or simply
disappear thru attrition over time. However, WE GOT GAP ON WEST BRO! What I
mean is that there is so little business activity on West Bro that we may
need some form of interim-use zoning to build up to the higher uses all
vibrant neighborhoods want. Actual market development is a lot like the game
of MONOPOLY. You don't build HOTELS until you have first built 4 HOUSES (you
crawl before you walk). We at PENN/BRO may not be able to have a Family Fine
Dining, Neighborhood Bistro, Bagel Shop or Internet Cafe until we first have
induced some other positive business activities to invest here and operate
here. Of course these businesses must be totally legal and legitimate and
welcome but for Zoning Code. I will give the specific example of a site at
Thomas and West Bro (2600 West Bro) where sits two long vacant buildings, the
very definition of blight as they were historically 2 gas stations. The C1
Zoning here, although reasonable, might still contribute to the delay in
"getting the boards off the windows" and having something decent and
operating on this 1/2 acre+ site. Please think about this issue as it relates
to other areas along the Avenue and add your thoughts here. Thank you."
>>
Keith Reitman, NearNorth
--- Begin Message ---
I wish to bring your attention to a commercial corridor of our City. This
avenue, West Broadway, has the least business offerings, and neighborhood
amenities, of any of our city's major thoroughfares. It also has the most
potential for development, concentrated growth, and success in serving the
current and future needs of the Northwest quadrant of our City. The simple
question: How do we get there from here?
Although there is no simple answer, any answer must be structured as a
strategy. And any strategy must have a comprehensive plan. The current avenue
has unique assets and deficits. Such a plan must first evaluate and quantify
the existing condition, features, and assets of the avenue. With less and
less government money available to spur neighborhood and commercial corridor
development, we must creatively identify West Broadway's non-monetary assets.
I believe we have substantial non-monetary assets on the avenue. In fact, our
poor avenue is rich. We have a wealth of vacant land both on, and adjacent
to, West Broadway. Both publicly and privately held, this undeveloped land
allows us the supreme opportunity to design and create the infrastructure
which will support and enhance the future West Broadway. Some of this vacant
land is so called "brownfields" and appears as a liability. We may be able to
view these lands as our corridor's future parking nodes, public transit
commuter transfer points and public green spaces. Add public art and you have
a neighborhood landmark/identity builder. Combine all of the above with some
retail amenities and you have a "destination". Yes, there is wealth. But
wealth does not guarantee success.
We must design the egress, access, parking, greenways, pedestrian right of
way, gateways, etc. We must plan for a huge future with huge needs of both
metro wide commuters and local neighborhood main-street shoppers and gawkers.
We must provide for the needs of the main-street retailers and
cultural/educational elements such as our PYC campus and theater. We must do
it now and we must do it in an optimum fashion, and with little money.
I will not offer you that plan most optimal for West Broadway here. That was
not my intent. My intent is to caution and advise. I believe that land held
by the City, County, or State, on or near West Broadway, is held intrust
toward the best public use or utilization. The best public use will be
identified through a comprehensive plan for West Broadway. Dispensing with
these publicly held lands in advance of such a plan will be a diminution of
our avenue's wealth and would preclude future infrastructure enhancements and
reconfigurations. And with very little in return. We cannot afford to
squander the wealth of our avenue through willy-nilly disbursement of public
lands at this pivotal juncture.
To be totally clear I recommended not allowing the privatizing or selling
off, of any public lands on or near West Broadway at this time. As a
corollary, I would recommend not making public, through eminent domain, any
lands now privately held.
I also recommend allowing what I call "interim use zoning". Currently,
neighborhoods adjacent to West Broadway are poorly served by the goods and
services offered on the Avenue. Conversely, there are many vacant store
fronts on West Broadway. It is my observation and opinion that an inverse
proportion exists on our avenue: The less legitamit business, the more
illegitimate business (drug selling, theft, assault, etc.) for West Broadway.
Less new and existing businesses also means less market opportunities for
neighborhood people to participate in. Please review my written article,
which I have included below. I wrote it over a year ago and my learning curve
has been steep since then. I still think it has practical content. Thank you,
Keith Reitman, Toward a brighter West Broadway.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
18. "CAN ''INTERIM-USE'' ZONING BUILD CRITICAL MASS OF ACTIVITY ON WEST
BROADWAY?", topic by KEITH REITMAN/WORLD H.Q./PENNBRO CORNERS, December 10,
2000 1:11 pm CST
"The city of Mpls. has a zoning code defining and limiting the use of every
lot in the city. These rules
help shape our neighborhoods' structure and assets, while allowing for so
called nonconforming uses to relocate to more appropriate locations or simply
disappear thru attrition over time. However, WE GOT GAP ON WEST BRO! What I
mean is that there is so little business activity on West Bro that we may
need some form of interim-use zoning to build up to the higher uses all
vibrant neighborhoods want. Actual market development is a lot like the game
of MONOPOLY. You don't build HOTELS until you have first built 4 HOUSES (you
crawl before you walk). We at PENN/BRO may not be able to have a Family Fine
Dining, Neighborhood Bistro, Bagel Shop or Internet Cafe until we first have
induced some other positive business activities to invest here and operate
here. Of course these businesses must be totally legal and legitimate and
welcome but for Zoning Code. I will give the specific example of a site at
Thomas and West Bro (2600 West Bro) where sits two long vacant buildings, the
very definition of blight as they were historically 2 gas stations. The C1
Zoning here, although reasonable, might still contribute to the delay in
"getting the boards off the windows" and having something decent and
operating on this 1/2 acre+ site. Please think about this issue as it relates
to other areas along the Avenue and add your thoughts here. Thank you."
--- End Message ---
