To the relief of some, it seems the study pretty much recommends against turning the Freighthouse into an indoor market at this time. I haven't read through the entire thing yet, but that's my feeling after some skimming and reading of some sections.
It can be found here, or if that link doesn't work, go to www.cityofdavenportiowa.com, and click on Council Updates on the left under City Information/Document Center.
This week's regular update, found here, also discusses the fact that there is still a group interested in renovating the former Salvation Army building across from the Freight House into apartments.
13 comments:
I have never understood the negativity for using the freight house as a public market. My supposition is, that it was a Dl idea therefore the usuall crowd of negative people come out against it. I'm not sure why some people prefer the rusted out vacant look, but it's generally the same people who come out against everything.
Thanks for your link to the web site. This looks like something that everyone should be excited about. I love seeing our downtown come alive!
Thanks Brian!
If private enterprise wants to make the freight house work that would be wonderful. The problem with D1 is that they come to the city for money to redevelop the frieght house and the citizens want our tax dollars to be spend on necessities. Just reference the recent survey that Al Guard has been proudly explaining. As a taxpayer I would like to see the freight house redeveloped, but completely through private enterprise.
Conservative Demo here:
12:36 has it correct; the building is already privately-owned (I believe) and private capital can do what it damn-well-chooses to do within the zoning applicable to the block.
I personally don't care one whit what kind of business the owner chooses to place in there except that he and that damned chamber of commerce had better do it entirely with private moneys. No city, county, state or federal tax subsidy (blatantly-open or quietly-hidden) of any sort.
Let the private capital succeed or fail entirely on its own; that's _ostensibly_ the system we so fondly like to associate with apple pie and motherhood in this Republic. Anything different than that proves PRIVATE ENTERPRISE to be a snake-oil.
the study's down and dirty cost proposal was around $200,000. Ciy or D1 estimates were around $2 million. Correct me if I'm wrong, going on memory and a very quick read. Point being we can move forward on things in smaller, AFFORDABLE steps, not doing everything for top dollar all at once. If the city and D1 can back off and reexamine their approach to development, more taxpayers could get on board. Spread the energy and taxes around to other vital needs in the city.
Most intersting part of the PPS report was discussions illustrating how momentun is the product of a couple of things: mass and velocity, combined in a linear direction. We can have big ideas, and lofty goals, and the speed at which we pursue them is a variable. The course can be maintained but at various speeds; the size and scope of a project can also vary along that line. It would be wise to adjust the variables to what the community is willing and able to pay.
Conservative Demo here:
7:46 says
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"It would be wise to adjust the variables to what the community is willing and able to pay."
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Sir, which part of _PRIVATE_ ENTERPRISE do you not understand?
If we-the-people owned the freight house than we-the-people should be considered about " . . . what the community is willing and able to pay.", but we-the-people don't own the building.
The guy who would reap the _financial_ profit should be the guy who risks the money, not we-the-people who would , at-best, reap only some intangible bennie which the chamber-of-commerce-types would be quick to explain to us in smoke-and-mirror language.
NO TAX MONIES IN ANY GUISE!
Keep dreaming.
Its all well and good for us to sit around saying that we won't offer any incentives to businesses, but the problem is the surrounding communities and region doesn't follow our rules. Other cities will give businesses a reason to come there, and we'll be sitting here in a stagnant city proud of our anti-incentive stance.
Conservative Demo here:
Strength of conviction and willingness to stand on principle will likely be a rare commodity with the passing of my generation.
I think that's a bit harsh.
I'd say I'm with you as far as far as the theory goes, but I'm also a realist. I think its crap that businesses play areas against each other to see who can give them the biggest payday. It should be areas showing off their educated and loyal workforce to attract companies.
However, until we can change the way big business controls our culture, if we can, we're stuck playing their game. I can't really blame the companies for wanting to get the best deal, because they're out to make money, but in my opinion somewhere things got out of hand.
Aside from never giving incentives or participating in public/private partnerships, what are your suggestions for creating a healthy and vibrant QC area?
Right now we're in a fish tank with more fish than food. I'm not going to sit at the bottom and starve on principle; I'm going to be up at the top fighting for my share.
Conservative Demo here:
An hour or more ago I had a full response typed in but Blogspot or whoever dumped it and gave me an error message saying there was a blog problem at that moment. I'm not going to compose it again.
Suffice to say that I am not qualified to offer suggestions but neither am I disqualified to remain a classic conservative.
Sometimes we get what we pay for as far as blogspot goes...
The Colonel has it right - the policy of "no public dollars to benefit the private sector" sounds great but is impossible to achieve in reality. The government picks winners and losers all the time. You may even be able to argue that it is the government's job to pick winners and losers in the fairest way possible. Heck, any time the government builds a road, someone in the private sector benefits.
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