----- Original Message -----
From: Elizabeth F Campion
To: [email protected]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: [UC] FW: Zoning Meeting--40th and Pine hotel proposal
In addition to the very good points, about
size of the venue
comparative importance of content
made by Ray, in his post, there is also an issue of neutrality.
Please consider that SHCA is perceived as part of 'the problems' by many in
this neighborhood.
Wow Liz. Thanks for sharing this experience. It's not easy to publicly talk
about these terrible neighborhood occurrences. It's very important and you are
indeed courageous.
I completely agree with you and Ray about the venue.
Those of us in attendance at the PHC hearings know that the Penn team has
already LIED and claimed that the SHCA zoning committee conducted "2 open and
public forums" before this hotel was first exposed. SHCA zoning committee sat
and watched as I told the committee that this was not true.
I requested an explanation from SHCA (with a cc to the list) immediately
after the PHC architectural committee. I received no reply.
I first saw in the 1990s how an early packed SHCA "clubhouse" is used to keep
concerned neighbors out of the meeting. SHCA did this when Penn first announced
its plan to buy neighborhood property and gentrify it like Cambridge Mass.
SHCA does not have this "meeting" posted on its web site. It was not listed
in the Almanac of the UC Review. I think, SHCA leaders have made their roles
quite clear.
Civic associations could embrace our diverse community as so may of us have
done. They could welcome, include, and listen to the input of those voices you
mention. THEY DO NOT.
Thanks Liz,
Glenn
Some will suspect any meeting controlled by SHCA on its home turf.
They may feel it is the local equivalent of trying to get Arabs and Israelis
to meet to solve the problems of the Gaza Strip, but only if the meeting is at
a Hotel in Hebron.
I am grateful there is an organization, in SH, that has a mailing list and
staff and tangible meeting space and lots of committed volunteers, but...
... I find myself wishing it was an organization that had a better track
record of including, encouraging and delegating responsibilities and power
along lines that permitted leadership across lines of Gender, Race, Class and
Real Estate holdings.
Reality check :
How many Presidents has SHCA had.
How many of them were anything other than White, Male, Land holders?
Can anyone name even one Black, Female, Tenant?
How many former SHCA leaders had even one of these characteristics.
We need to stop admiring 'robes' that don't exist and start looking for those
who 'walk their talk'.
I have found myself many times on the 'wrong' side of a SHCA initiative.
It has been too many times to trust that SHCA will speak for me or the things
I consider important.
And some of those times have occurred at their office.
After one meeting, at SHCA, I was accosted by three white male members,
including two SHCA officers, and pushed and verbally threaghtened to the point
where I actually considered involving the police.
Below is an excerpt of a letter that I wrote on 5/15/2002 to a local attorney.
I was asking his advice about pressing criminal charges.
Ultimately, I chose a posture of deescalating the situation.
It is over Five years later, and I can not completely shake the ugly incident
or raise my sadly reduced opinion of the SHCA 'leaders' who staged the
'assault'.
Only two of the three were overtly aggressive, but the third was clearly
amused and while ultimately helpful in deescalating events, not active in
condemning the very bad behavior of his peers.
Here it the excerpt:
"... **** and *** seemed intent on frightening me.
Not an easy task as I am
tenth of twelve and
strong and large and confident.
We did not overtake *** and ****.
They set up an ambush.
They waited until our number was reduced and ********** had peeled off and
gone East down Spruce Street.
They raised their voices and waived their arms, and called me names.
They ignored reason and reality.
They made threats.
*** specifically repeated the same threat three times with only
subtle variations.
It was:
'You depend on commissions and you'll never get any business
unless...you go along with the Historic District'.
The threat was reiterated by reference with each time he spit <his threats>
at me.
**** was even less rational and mostly just called me names.
It definitely fit the description of a ... confrontation described by another
member of our SHNA.
Different players but similar behaviors."
A man I previously considered reasonable, and generous with his time as a
volunteer, made a vicious, mostly verbal, sidewalk attack, on me, because I
don't want to cede my property rights to aesthetically fussy neighbors.
If this can be done to a fat, white, over fifty female (theoretically
'protected' by normal societal mores) than how do less 'protected' or less
'alpha' people feel when asked to play in the SHCA "home court".
Please let's hold the public meeting someplace LARGE and more WELCOMING.
I love the meeting space at the 40th Street Free Library, plus it has the
advantage of being close enough to the site of the proposed change to Hotel,
that folks who have not checked out the site, might do so, on their way to the
meeting.
Thanks Ray, for noticing the problem and calling for a solution.
Best!
Liz
On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:27:26 -0500 UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
writes:
> KAREN ALLEN wrote:
> > I received this e-mail announcing Spruce Hill's Zoning Committee
> meeting
> > to discuss the 40th & Spruce hotel project. This is the
> opportunity for
> > the community to be heard on this issue.
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------
> > WEDNESDAY, February 13^th , at 7:00pm at the Spruce Hill
> center (257
> > South 45^th Street). The committee will hear a presentation
> by the
> > developers and their architect and review up-to-date drawings
> for
> > the proposed site. Neighbors will have a full opportunity to
> ask
> > questions and offer comments about the project, and the
> committee
> > will take all comments into consideration in its
> deliberations. I
> > will contact by phone those immediate neighbors whose e-mail
> > addresses I do not have, but please feel free to share this
> > information with anyone who might be interested. The meeting
> will
> > not run past midnight. Water and tranquilizers will be
> served.
>
>
>
> how many neighbors can fit into spruce hill's center on 45th
> street? (in addition to the project developers and their
> architects and shca zoning committee)? about 15? 20 max?
>
> by contrast, shca's november 13th election meeting was held
> at the church on 42nd and baltimore, a much larger venue.
>
> it seems odd that shca is offering such a small venue for
> the hotel proposal (and calling it a 'full opportunity' to
> consider 'all' comments from 'anyone who might be
> interested') -- when they offered a much larger venue to
> hold their members-only board elections.
>
> ???
>
> wouldn't it make more sense to hold this feb 13 meeting at
> an appropriately-sized facility in the community?
>
>
>
> ..................
> UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN
> [aka laserbeam®]
> [aka ray]
> SERIAL LIAR. CALL FOR RATES.
> "It is very clear on this listserve who
> these people are. Ray has admitted being
> connected to this forger." -- Tony West
> "Ray's falsehoods are more sophisticated,
> more believable" -- Tony West
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----
> You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the
> list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information,
> see
> <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
>
>
Elizabeth Campion Cell Phone: 215-880-2930
215-546-0550 Main, -546-9871 fax, Desk + VM: 215-790-5653
PRUDENTIAL, FOX & ROACH REALTORS, LLC
Please read Consumer Notice & enjoy "HOME PILOT" tools at
www.PruFoxRoach.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.17/1253 - Release Date: 1/31/2008
9:09 AM
