In today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Eminent domain takes life's work
Our correspondent says:
This is yet another example of upper class condescension towards those who make up the true fabric of our nation. It reminds me of what is currently in the works for a twenty- building stretch of neighborhood along Loughborough Avenue, adjacent to Carondalet Park. For those of you unfamiliar with the area, it is not a depressed sector of the city. On the contrary, the homes are beautiful, stable and well-kept. Yet all twenty homes will soon face the wrecking ball to make way for a strip-mall. Right across from one of the city's finest parks. Won't that be lovely?
But back to the original subject...
The Post article stated "Grand Center's vision has the area becoming the 'cultural soul' of the city, a residential and commercial district that will rival the Delmar Loop and Central West End." Is that truly what St. Louis needs? Another Loop? Another CWE? It seems like the vision here is for an eventual Great Corridor of Merchandise- A miles-long strip mall stretching from the disco meat markets of Washington Avenue all the way to Clayton. Petit-Bourgeouis playpen, anyone?
I for one would rather know that there's a well-established independent auto-shop close by.
- jason wallace triefenbach
Tuesday, February 1, 2005
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1 comment:
The story about Jim Day's struggle with Grand Center,
Inc.
(http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/2395E726FA04C73E86256F9B001791A2?OpenDocument&Headline=Eminent+domain+takes+aim+at+life's+work&highlight=2%2Cgentle%2Cjim%2Cday)
is only the most recent chapter in a long saga of
faulty policies brought about by force in Grand Center.
For more information about these faulty policies and
the resultant abuse of stakeholder rights, please
refer to the following:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/editorialcommentary/story/3FA99979707802F486256F800037BA3E?OpenDocument&Headline=URBAN+RENEWAL%3A+Make+Grand+Center+live+up+to+its+name+-+Give+
http://www.thecommonspace.org/2003/04/stockton.php
http://www.thecommonspace.org/2002/07/communities.php
http://www.udf-stl.com/gcipost.html
These heavy handed policies, resulting from GCI and
SLU's collusion to use taxpayer money to fund the
construction of a building (SLU Arena) intended for
sectarian purposes (illegal) or smoke and mirrors pipe
dream follies like the "Media Box," are unacceptable.
(The "Media Box" can most likely only be funded
through the Grand Center TIF, unless a private entity
with deep pockets intends to pay for it, and therefore
profits from the abuse of eminent domain. Since the
bulk of the Class A TIF bonds are set aside for the
Arena, imaginary projects like the “Media Box” would
have to get Class B or C bonds, which will be
worthless. This project is an illusion.)
Grand Center, Inc. intends to confiscate Jim Day's
property not to build a "Media Box" but to forcibly
banish a business that does not fit into their
elitist, upper class, white, suburban vision for our
neighborhood.
Such issues as these are now pending in the US
District Court.
http://news.estrong.com/strongfunds5/NewsStory.asp?Mode=Theater&cat=Entertainment&Story=20041014/288e2348.xml
In the meantime, it is important to let the powers
that be know that the public will not accept
government supported bullying of residents and small
business owners for selfish purposes, or otherwise.
So, give them a call:
Mayor Francis Slay 314.622.3201
Ald. Michael McMillan, 19th Ward 314.652.1992
Fr. Lawrence Biondi, President, SLU 314.977.7777
Vince Schoemehl, President, GCI 314.533-1884 x202
Thank you.
David Laslie, small business owner in Grand Center
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