Annie Young wrote:
> Ventura Village- Franklin Avenue is not the only haven for the drugs and > prostitute's. Bloomington Avenue is also out-of-control these days. Chris responds: In fact, concentrated drug activity stretches from Nicollet/ Franklin all the way down to Bloomington Ave, with Stevens Square and, in particular, the Third Ave/19th Street intersection (just a block from Franklin) another traditionally "favored" area. Activity on Third may have slowed somewhat with the Third Avenue bridge under reconstruction, but once that re-opens (or has it already?- been a year since I've lived there) things will be booming again. This sort of blight has existed in that area for years, whether in good times or bad, warm weather or cold, but during bad times in warm weather, it's particularly bad. The "party" in the Franklin / Chicago area, a nightly freak show during the spring/summer months, makes travel-by-bike in the evening seem like running a gauntlet. The cops are a conspicuous presence, however, the arrangement between cops and denizens seems to have settled into a peaceful co-existence now. Clearly, to a certain degree, the activity is tolerated. Apparently prettified store facades, a reconstructed thoroughfare and antique-style street lamp posts doesn't scare much away. Perhaps If they can't get rid of the blight, they should try to gentrify that, too. Classier crack whores and GQ drug runners. There's the solution! Chris Beckwith Ward 6 _______________________________________ 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
