Ed Felien wrote: When Sabri was negotiating with Central Neighborhood Improvement Association for the purchase of 401 East Lake, the previous owners had a rehabilitation grant in place from the City for $60,000. Sabri said he didn't want the grant, but the neighborhood association urged him to take it. They got $8000 of the grant for administrative costs. Observers at the meeting say David Piehl echoed the common sentiment in the room by saying, "Take it. It's the frosting on the cake."
David Piehl writes: I think you mean 301 E Lake. Ed is right in that roughly $60,000 of NRP money was attached to that property to become a "business incubator" dating back to an unfunded proposal by Urban Ventures to develop the building for that purpose. The development Sabri proposed qualified under the same criteria. I don't specifically recall making the statement attributed to me, but if I did I would have said it's FOR the frosting on the cake, rather than that it IS the frosting on the cake. That reflects my ongoing sentiment that public money should be used to get results that couldn't be achieved without the help, i.e. a rehab to a higher standard than would be economically feasible otherwise. Ed further writes: The origin of the remaining $25,000 grant is even more interesting. The City offered loans to businesses to rehab their properties on Lake Street that after a few years were forgiven and became grants. David Piehl writes: That would be the building next to 301, which is 315 or 317 E Lake, I think. The program was a CNIA NRP Facade grant, not specifically a city program. I don't believe the story that Brian Herron tried to use this money to lure Basim astray, though Basim might enjoy the alibi. Basim generally promotes his projects as not having public money - but that simply isn't true. Not so long ago Basim was seeking $800,000 of EZ money as a grant to build a motel. After the scandal erupted, one public official commented that "the public sentiment is such that Basim Sabri is not likely receive any additional public funding". Since that time, Basim is correct promoting his projects as "privately funded. David Piehl Central __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
