Development plan for East Street has $100,000 to useCROWN POINT -- Mayor David Uran secured $100,000 for his East Street development plan during Monday's Redevelopment Commission meeting.
The money, $50,000 from the city and $50,000 from
four undisclosed developers[
Why do YOU suppose that they are undisclosed? If you were doing something to help your community, wouldn't that be good for business?], will be used for further feasibility studies, artist renderings and animations of the proposed project. The plan currently includes a new city hall, public library, businesses [
There are numerous empty store fronts both on the square and an entire building's worth in the Jewel parking lot, do we need to expend tax dollars to create more?] and underground parking along East Street, between Robinson Court and Joliet Street.
Monday was the first time Uran spoke publicly about the plan [
Why not disclose it from the begining?], which he said has been in the works since January[
Which is when he took office,why didn't he float this idea, as he was campaigning?]. Uran said he foresees this to be a three-year project with construction starting in January.[
Hope you don't need to go to the post office or drop off your water bill for the next three years]
Uran told the commission more land would be needed along the planned East Street area.[
Of course!] Though the commission gave no opinion on acquiring more land and set no date for voting on the project
[How convieniant!], Councilman Robert Corbin said he saw no reason why the council shouldn't investigate the project's feasibility further, recommending the commission approve Uran's request for the $50,000.[
Where is this coming from? It's waste like the Lakota Plan all over again]
Mentioned in conjunction with the East Street plan was a plan to build trolley stops around the city equipped with call stations to call a trolley. The intention is to better use the city's one trolley as an affordable means of local transportation.[
So it will run at nights and on weekends to take the drunks home?]
Each station would have a clock tower and emulate the Victorian style of the courthouse, said Tarik El-Naggar of In Architects & Planners Inc. The stations would cost roughly $40,000 to $60,000 a piece[
Are you kidding me, for "trolley stops"?], El-Naggar said.
The plans are for what would ultimately be four phases with several accompanying elements, Uran said, all focused on giving residents downtown services and businesses they need to keep commerce within the city.[
We took care of that by stopping Klien from bringing in a Wal-Mart]
"Everyone says we're 5 to 10 minutes away from Merrillville [
That is a misleading statement, The Mall, Target, Home Depot, etc. are in Hobart, there is nothing left in Merrillville]and they thank you for your dollars," Uran said. "How do we pay for our roads?"[
By not squandering money building million dollar beer gardens next to The Circle, and $60,000.00 Trolley stops!]
Corbin and other council members expressed concern that Uran was competing for an aging population set in their spending habits.
"We're not competing for the same dollar," Uran said. "We're competing for the next generation of dollars."[
Merrillville said the same thing in the 1990's, been North of US30 lately?]