In five years, I predict the following will be on Lake Street, within rock-throwing distance of the Allina headquarters:
Noodles & Company Chipotle Starbucks/Caribou Coffee Walgreen's Bruegger's/Einstein Bagels Good or bad? Depends, as always, on your perspective. Bad if you like the current mix of ethnic-based businesses in the area. Good if you like predictability, uniformity, and efficiency. Consider this, from a Northsider, and think of the many businesses at Lake and Chicago that are discounted by this paraphrasing: "[CM Barb] Johnson recalled how the Chicago-Lake area was once an important, busy corner, but has suffered in recent years with high crime and the loss of businesses. "The only constant there is the hospital," she said. "Thank God they never walked out the door." I'm not a naysayer--just wondering about the final ramifications of it all, including who benefits from any resulting housing. Gregory Luce St. Paul/Selby-Dale ---- Original message ---- >Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 16:04:41 -0800 (PST) >From: Barbara Lickness <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: [Mpls] Allina >To: Chris Johnson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Chris said: > >Meanwhile we are dropping $750,000 in taxes and >millions of dollars in 35W Excess development. > >I say: > >Unless I am calculating this wrong, we aren't dropping >$750,000 in tax dollars. We aren't collecting $750,000 >in tax dollars now on the building, we are collecting >$0. How do you lose $750,000 your not getting in the >first place? This is at least a $100M project from >what I have been told. Not only will there be jobs >when this is over, there will be big time construction >jobs to build it. No, most of them don't live in the >city either but I bet the Subway, Taco Bell, Burger >King and Mickey D's business will pick up during >construction. In addition, there is cement, sheet >rock, mud, tape, flooring, windows, nails, bolts, air >conditioners, heaters, lights and a myriad of other >products that will be purchased to breathe new life >into Sears. It wont just be the economy around Chicago >and Lake that benefits from this project. > >I agree with you Chris that the flyover ramp was a >benefit to both Allina and Wells Fargo. But, adding >nearly 3,000 jobs between Allina and Wells Fargo in a >3 block radius in a beautiful but struggling >neighborhood is also no small potatoes. I was pretty >vocal about my opposition to 35W. My big issue is that >we knew early on that the real intention was to expand >35W and that wasn't being clearly stated in the >beginning. To add another lane to 35W without >accommodating space for future mass transit is >irresponsible. I do believe that the city council >added some language about that in their resolution >approving the project. Other people have their own >reasons for not liking the 35W project. > >Barb Lickness >Whittier > >===== >"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead >REMINDERS: >1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. >2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > >For state and national discussions see: http://e- democracy.org/discuss.html >For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract >________________________________ > >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 Gregory Luce Project 504 1922 25th Avenue N. Minneapolis MN 55411 (612) 521-8888 REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ 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
