i am definetely going to have a hard time keeping this 2 times a day
rule on this subject anyway. i've been reading the list stuff for about
4 months but haven't really been interested in joining the fray, it
often seemed to be much insider chat, but finally an issue that gives us
a local angle on the greed and power grabbing we see unfolding
dangerously before us on the national and international stage; a land
grab for sites that have become immensely valuable. these forces have
played themselves out on the local scene a couple of times in the last
decade in the arena of affordable housing and race. the best example of
just such a land grab that had devestating impacts of very low income
families of color was the Lakewood Apartment community on the banks of
Lake Phalen. Five years ago when Norm ruled the land he paid one of the
city's favorite developers, Real Estate Equities, owned by Terry Troy
and Keith Jans, you may remember Keith from the time he worked in PED,
ten million of your tax dollars, oh citizens of st. paul, to demolish
the 136 unit apartment building, home to many wonderful families who
could cook great Salvadorian food and replace it with 36 ugly townhomes
that started at $136,000! That land had become prime real estate with
its placement at the head of the famous serpent known and the Phalen
Corridor Project (someone should ask randy at any upcoming mayoral
events how much tax subsidy or direct subsidy (CDBG funds for example)
have been shoved up that alley). Norm handed terry and keith upwards of
$10,000,000 (thats right recount those zero's, there's seven of them) to
buy Lakewood and polish up their portfolio. Which by the way has gotten
quite a bit shinier with randy ruling the roost downtown. Real Estate
Equities, has been getting a bunch more money, in the seven zero figure
by now i would guess, to redevelop the area known for years as the
"superblock." right across the street from their new lakewood
townhomes, talk about landbanking. wake up st. paul. are people
finally ready to deal with this issue? if so call me!! p.s. michele it
sounds like you and i should talk.
caty royce, selby ave. by way of south minneapolis
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