By: Diane Benjamin
If the “welcoming ordinance” discussion isn’t divisive enough, the Downtown Task Force plan will also be presented. Most of the crowd will be gone when the previous discussion ends. The mob will only be there for the “No Justice No Peace” part. The Council should have held a special session only for them, but common sense doesn’t exist. It’s going to be sad to see a Council meeting in a mostly empty auditorium.
Documentation of downtown starts on page 52: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15474
A new relocated library and bus transfer station are still the catalyst project. Neither brings badly needed money downtown, so Tari’s hand-picked group must think bodies equals success. (Economics classes weren’t required to be in this group)
They claim 1000 people a day visit the library. A few questions have no answers:
- How many of them only come to use computers?
- How many of them are just getting out of the cold because shelters don’t allow day stays?
- Since these 1000 people downtown haven’t created economic activity, why would moving it a couple blocks be any better?
- How many never check out or read a book?
- How many only use the free meeting room?
- How many bus transfer riders spend money downtown now?
- Why would a shiny new station make them spend money?
- What is the purpose of a library?
- Have the people paying the bills been asked what the purpose of a library is?
The only reason this group wants to move the library is to justify tearing down an aging parking garage. They forget to say a new parking garage will be needed. Citizens not only get to pay for a new library and transfer station, they get to pay for a parking garage too. Of course the old library will need to be torn down and whatever their next wish is built there. Massive debt will follow. This city government is like a kid with a credit card. If the minimum payments can be made, the interest expense is immaterial.
Downtown Bloomington has a lot of really rich people working and owning property there. They didn’t support the Downtown Business Association since the City had to take it over, so eventually they really don’t care about the inlaid brick streets, fancy cross walks, decorative lighting, and street art the task force claims will help revitalize the area. (pics in the packet) Many of those people profited from the last downtown TIF and it’s probably why I have to sue the City to find out how much each got in facade grants. If they didn’t care unless they profited, why should the rest of the city care about beautification?
This paragraph sums up the hope:
Many residents view Downtown as a central hub for our community and express a strong desire for additional public spaces in Downtown Bloomington. These spaces also are ideal for use in programming and special events to bring people into the Downtown area. Walkability is a key feature of downtowns and an area that poses tremendous opportunity to adopt innovative practices when it comes to utilization of the public right-of-way and integration of multi-modal transportation.
Who are those “many“?
If we build it they will come!
Don’t miss page 68. The city is going to have to buy the Front and Center building. Downtown must look like Uptown – mixed use, retail on the bottom and apartments above. The owner can’t be forced to do anything with their building, but the City can force you to pay for something to happen with the building when the City buys it.
Page 69 – 8. Place a high priority on modernizing infrastructure in the Downtown area. Don’t expect your roads to be fixed anytime soon unless you are downtown.
Page 71 – A hotel and convention center is viable. Obviously no one has checked recent occupancy rates around town.
Page 70 – Estimated cost. See if you can figure out why it’s presented like it is:
Anybody wishing they had voted last April yet?
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What public spaces exist downtown that everyone can use besides a few benches on the sidewalks? At least with Uptown circle normal built a public space that anyone can use not just those who can afford tickets.
The Task Force is recommendationing the open space next to the Law & Justice Center for outdoor concerts. There is a park in front of the BCPA. For that matter, the BCPA could be used as indoor space Downtown. It is publicly owned.
That certainly gave me a headache. This council is on spending spree on steroids of other peoples money.
Unfortunately, there is no money. There is a $3M deficit in the upcoming budget. That amount does not include unfounded pensions, unfounded Capital maintenance, unfounded infrastructure repair or Capital lease. The Council is blind, deaf and dumb.
The Downtown Task Force has failed in their task just like the Budget Task Force. The Downtown Task Force was to present funding options. Are any funding options included in their report? No! Any issuing of bonds needs a revenue source which means tax increase. Having a structural deficit is not attractive to investors. Renner’s antics are not either.
my blood boils when I think those azzhats think they have any brains and know what this city wants or needs to succeed , how about stop wasting precious tax dollars and stop trying to turn downtown into some meca . . sneaky little brats who are the poorest excuse of leadership and honesty .
All your negativity is harming the Jewel of the Midwest. What a crock!
Let’s be clear, this project has nothing whatsoever to do with economic development, growing Downtown, or even (dis)Connect Transit and library usage. It is solely a makework project for the crybaby unions that support Tari. The fix was in early-on with the term “catalyst project”. It was always going to be a physical structure.
Diane, is the welcoming city still being discussed at 5pm? Is a group going to get together for it? I’m coming. peggy
Yes, should be a large crowd.
My vote is to leave the library where it is, easy access, and not get into a hotel downtown. Using the tax payer money on idiot ideas to benefit only a few, is silly. Who paid for the bus garage on Wylie Dr? Is that supposed to be torn down like the one close to city hall? When the city, like ones around us, gets into the business of entertainment, we have lost the concept of city government. Also, just heard the lakes are getting very low! Why is it so difficult to tackle the problems this city has without creating more headaches?