I was in attendance at the initial public hearing for this project in the Planning Commission. I've also been in attendance at a number of City Council committee meetings where this project was the topic.
I have also walked this area numerous times from Dunn Brothers on University to the bridge. >From a personal point of view I would not be interested in living at that location under almost any circumstances. I understand the concerns of Metal-Matic. Imposing an overlay on this industrial land is a toe in the door. It will be just a matter of time before pressure is exerted to change zoning throughout this little corner of Minneapolis. It is just a matter of time before someone starts complaining about noise pollution which is of little concern to people at present. The city will lose employment and employment of a kind which is in short supply in Minneapolis. People who work at Metal-Matic and could afford market rate units in the building would not be around to rent. Only the prized white collar workers of downtown need apply. Given that the U of M steam plant will be around for another four or five decades the likelihood that the surrounding property is easily marketable seems to be negligible. Not only Metal-Matic, Marcy-Holmes, and the U of M oppose this plan. So do all the nearby businesses. The need for housing is indisputable. Whether this is the place is questionable. In my mind just a few blocks makes a great difference. If for instance the project was planned for property now occupied by United Rental(I think that is the name)on the corner of 6th Av Se and 2nd St SE backing up to Dunn Brothers and Cafe Alma we're talking a another story. This of course would require vertical construction to achieve the necessary number of units. I think this plan might win approval of Marcy-Holmes given the concerns they expressed. Then again it might change the marketing of the building away from families to singles and empty nesters but families possibly living in these apartments seem more like a cynical ploy by the developers than reality. The U of M would drop their opposition. United Rental which also voiced disapproval would probably go for the deal if they could move near to where the present plan for apartments is situated. Metal-Matic? I don't know. But if the people who own on the blocks between University and 2nd St SE don't complain about noise or truck traffic now I can't see how this would be any different. These are all hypotheticals I know but throughout the parts of the process I have seen I've been struck by the lack of long range policy and planning in evidence. Unless of course the plan is to further bollux the city! Now the city is up against it because of decisions made under the gun by the departing council and I'm sure the threat of lawsuits on the part of the Stone Arch Partners hang over the city's head. The only recourse to stop this plan in its tracks is to offer no help to the developers and i think even that opportunity has passed. Tim Connolly Ward 7 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax http://taxes.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
