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I haven't responded to this issue because there are so many pieces to address, that I can't do it justice on- line. But here are some of the major points:
-- should LIEP and other City offices be Downtown? I believe they should because the are centrally located, accessible to most people, and mostly connected by skyways, close to bus stops. The inter connection with City Hall and all the other City departments works well, not to mention with other levels of Government.
--is it cost effective to lease rather than own? There is no question, it is less expensive to rent rather than own. This is even more the case when you are talking about new construction. Then factor in the rates lease rates Downtown which are lower than anywhere else for commercial offices and the abundance of unused parking much owned by the City, there's no contest. I challenge anyone to honestly compare the real numbers of these lease proposals to constructing a new building and make a case to build new. Take into account ongoing capital costs, amortize over the same time periods, compare equal quality improvements, and acknowledge inflexibility of not being able to move when there is too much or too little space. These are just some of the issues.
Look at the Stassen Dept. of Revenue building which is largely vacant.
If the City doesn't support all the recent public investment in its own Downtown, how are we going to attract others either in the public or private sector. Don't forget that when the City occupies space in privately owned buildings, other rental rates increase by removing unused space from the City, and the City, County and School District collects more property taxes.
John Mannillo Downtown and Highland Park _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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