If the developers would better prepare themselves for entering the natural
habitat of architects, lawyers, artists, material scientists, et al they
would be far less likely to get scratched up.
Architecture is often left to the carpenter. Texans having no experience
with snow and ice or rivers are called waterfront experts. Concern for the
site, the block, the neighborhood, ... is always secondary to the financial
success of the project. City employees have to do as they're told. Etc.
The developer wants to make money, fair enough, but the neighbors want and
deserve "value," also. They have to live with it for decades (for the
well-built ones) and often know more about the entire situation than the
driving forces do. (Being ignorant of the complex financing involved
should not diminish the importance of a neighbor's concerns.) There are so
many things that cannot have a price tag attached to them, so they go
unnoticed and unvalued by those in it for the money.
The "concentration/density of people" argument is a weak one - most of us
expect that in a city, need it in our neighborhood, and welcome it,
especially senior housing. But come down and look at the new apartment at
St. Clair & 35E - hardly remarkable, compared to Superior Street Cottages.
Mendota Homes near Stewart? Unfinished streets/sidewalks and sinking into
the ground. Upper Landing? Hopefully the best is yet to come, and the
water fountains turned on. Island Station? "Prepared developers."
(Fingers still crossed - proof in the pudding.) Grand & Oxford? Little
concern shown for "place." The new place on Grand near Kent? Could've
been a great place. Bonfe's? Some details helped, but it's still
doubleplusunspecial. Seventh Street Landing? Not bad, not bad at all, and
no more expensive than others.
Of course I'm biased, but it's all about the architecture and materials.
If St. Paul would stick to local designers and materials, we'd all be
better off (and the developers would get more "points"). What's wrong with
using Cold Spring granite instead of Brazilian marble? It's almost as bad
as bringing water from Fiji to the land of sky blue waters, or outsourcing
jobs to India, or telling Iraqis what's good for them. If we charge
out-of-state students higher tuition at the U of M, doesn't it stand to
reason that we should expect more from out-of-state developers?
We need a full, wide range of housing choices, not just one block of
"affordable housing" and then 6 blocks of $400,000+ condos. $500/month
rental, $1000/mo, $1500/mo, $100,000 homes, $150k, $200k, $250k, $300k,
$350k... the whole spectrum.
Looking at a 1985 map, it appears this senior project is very near a
hospital (Good Samaritan?), so there's something to be said for that.
Where's the nearest pharmacy? Can they get Canadian Viagra there, eh?
We have a senior building (non-descript but beautifully maintained) at the
end of our block and it sure is nice to have them around.
If there was a box on my income tax for "Do you want $25 to go toward
subsidized housing?" I would check it twice. I'd be curious to know more
about what churches are doing with regard to housing the poor. They seem
to be the driving force behind a lot of immigration so must have a private
plan of their own. Any private/public sector insight appreciated.
AMH
Tobacco Road
Andrew M. Hine
Corporate Research Materials Laboratory
3M Center 201-1W-28
St. Paul MN
55144-1000
USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: (651) 733-1070
Fax: (651) 737-5335
Lab 201-W110
Tim Erickson
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "St. Paul Issues Forum"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent by: cc:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [StPaul] Midway - Senior
Housing Project
orum.org
08/02/2004 04:17
PM
I just ran into a neighbor who is spearheading an effort to block the
construction of a 5 story senior housing development just a block
away from my home.
The building would be in the middle of a residential neighborhood on
a block kitty-corner to Hamline Park (at the corner of Thomas and
Simpson).
Does anyone know anything more about this development?
Do all new apartment building automatically run into neighborhood
opposition?
While I understand the concerns about a 5 story building (it is a
little tall), I'm concerned about what appears to be a default
position of city residents to oppose anything new in their
neighborhood.
I'm guessing, that this development might be connected to the Mayors
"Housing 5000" plan. Does anyone know, what steps the city is taking
to encourage or possibly subsidize projects like this one. Is this
project being promoted by the city? If so, then how?
Who else has experienced a situation like this in their neighborhood
in the last 1-2 years?
Best wishes,
Tim Erickson
Hamline Midway
Thomas Ave.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
=================================================
Tim Erickson http://www.politalk.com
St. Paul, MN - USA 651-643-0722
[EMAIL PROTECTED] iChat/AIM: stpaultim
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