Good Grief. Read that thing! Six Workshops in Phase I. Breakouts-Synthesis-Plenaries. Values associated with Elements. Multiple Phases. Draft visions. Refined Iterations. Resulting Development Tools.
That's a whole lot of words and time spent for so little commumity improvement goals accomplished in the end.
And what's with this goal of not wanting national chain businesses?
Who's objecting to getting businesses such as Pollo Loco on Wilson and TARGET in Wilson Yards as our community goal in a Department of Planning funded community strategic plan created by Upcorp?
That report read like a bad corporate agenda, and has proven to be as effective.
Any plan that has a theme called: "Eclectric Avenue" is just lame.
I have this image in my head of a group of well intentioned, yet wholly unqualified, do-gooders sitting around with a copy of "Civic Planning for Dummies".
It's really easy to mock Corridors of Vision, as the previous anonymous posters have shown.
What I see when I read it are hopes and aspirations for Uptown. No chain stores? Well, that to me means a lot of interesting locally owned businesses, like Ventura Blvd. in the SF Valley, or (closer) Clark Street in Andersonville.
You can easily laugh at the verbiage, but what I see are a bunch of people who want(ed) more and better for Uptown's retail corridors. Look around and what do you see now in our retail corridors? Empty storefronts. Social services. Many wig shops. Methadone clinics (plural). And endless filth.
I don't see a day labor group like Labor Ready in Corridors of Vision. I don't see more social services. I don't see towers of low-income housing.
Make fun if you want, but Corridors of Vision looked at Uptown and wanted better. Is that so different from what the readers here want? It is apparently very different from what Ald. Shiller wants in her own "vision."
Actually HS showed up at this 1 of 6 workshops and sat at the transportation discussion table. She agreed that the Wilson El station should be rehabbed and become a transit-friendly hub as part of the Wilson Yard development. Go figure.
Shiller does agree that the Wilson El should be rehabbed, I've heard her say it. But she also chose not to allocate any TIF fund to the project. She could have, but then there wouldn't have been enough for the housing component of the Wilson Yard. Her priority.
Also, this corridors of vision thing. Isn't it comprised of all the usual suspects that populate the Uptown Chamber? Just a lot of lip service.
Shiller does agree that the Wilson El should be rehabbed, I've heard her say it. But she also chose not to allocate any TIF fund to the project. She could have, but then there wouldn't have been enough for the housing component of the Wilson Yard. Her priority.
Also, this corridors of vision thing. Isn't it comprised of all the usual suspects that populate the Uptown Chamber? Just a lot of lip service.
She sort of listens to her constituents who live on the southern end of the ward and she's really good at taking just about any information that's out there and making it support a decision that she has already made. That's really creative. I guess that's about all I can think of.
I know some of the good-hearted and very capable people who were attendees and who devoteed their personal time to this. Yet, let's face it: The Dept of Planning and CTA and Alderman were present and needed to make these changes.
Did the government sponsors really buy into their own process or was this just another dog and pony show to say they had community involvement while going off and doing the exact opposite? The money allocations and the government actions didn't follow the words.
It was nice of Abbell Credit to cofund the process.
And its nice to see that MDT Architects, who attended the 2003 workshops are now opening offices across from the Wilson El entrance on Broadway. That certainly is a brave move and on block that could use a little architectual influence. Bravo MDT.
After reading the report, it looks like one thing was accomplished, the SSA was established. That was a big step.
These reports are nice, but unless there is some teeth and follow through it is a waste of time and money.
As far as no national chains in Andersonville, just on Clark Street there is Chase Bank, Jimmy Johns, Einstein Bagels, Mc Donalds, Jewel, Sprint, T-Mobile and Hamburger Mary's. All are chains.
The Popeye's Chicken sign looks a little different......
ReplyDeleteGood Grief. Read that thing!
ReplyDeleteSix Workshops in Phase I. Breakouts-Synthesis-Plenaries. Values associated with Elements. Multiple Phases. Draft visions. Refined Iterations. Resulting Development Tools.
That's a whole lot of words and time spent for so little commumity improvement goals accomplished in the end.
And what's with this goal of not wanting national chain businesses?
Who's objecting to getting businesses such as Pollo Loco on Wilson and TARGET in Wilson Yards as our community goal in a Department of Planning funded community strategic plan created by Upcorp?
That report read like a bad corporate agenda, and has proven to be as effective.
ReplyDeleteAny plan that has a theme called: "Eclectric Avenue" is just lame.
I have this image in my head of a group of well intentioned, yet wholly unqualified, do-gooders sitting around with a copy of "Civic Planning for Dummies".
It's really easy to mock Corridors of Vision, as the previous anonymous posters have shown.
ReplyDeleteWhat I see when I read it are hopes and aspirations for Uptown. No chain stores? Well, that to me means a lot of interesting locally owned businesses, like Ventura Blvd. in the SF Valley, or (closer) Clark Street in Andersonville.
You can easily laugh at the verbiage, but what I see are a bunch of people who want(ed) more and better for Uptown's retail corridors. Look around and what do you see now in our retail corridors? Empty storefronts. Social services. Many wig shops. Methadone clinics (plural). And endless filth.
I don't see a day labor group like Labor Ready in Corridors of Vision. I don't see more social services. I don't see towers of low-income housing.
Make fun if you want, but Corridors of Vision looked at Uptown and wanted better. Is that so different from what the readers here want? It is apparently very different from what Ald. Shiller wants in her own "vision."
So your saying its the thought that counts not the actual results. As long as they had good intentions then thats all that matters??? WOW!
ReplyDeleteSo, then ... why haven't any of these things been done?
ReplyDeleteNotice that Shiller was a participant in these meetings - guess she didn't listen - or care.
ReplyDeleteActually HS showed up at this 1 of 6 workshops and sat at the transportation discussion table. She agreed that the Wilson El station should be rehabbed and become a transit-friendly hub as part of the Wilson Yard development. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure that was Helen and not just a bag of door knobs?
ReplyDeleteShiller does agree that the Wilson El should be rehabbed, I've heard her say it. But she also chose not to allocate any TIF fund to the project. She could have, but then there wouldn't have been enough for the housing component of the Wilson Yard. Her priority.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this corridors of vision thing. Isn't it comprised of all the usual suspects that populate the Uptown Chamber? Just a lot of lip service.
Shiller does agree that the Wilson El should be rehabbed, I've heard her say it. But she also chose not to allocate any TIF fund to the project. She could have, but then there wouldn't have been enough for the housing component of the Wilson Yard. Her priority.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this corridors of vision thing. Isn't it comprised of all the usual suspects that populate the Uptown Chamber? Just a lot of lip service.
Bag of door knobs...LOL...
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have anything nice to say about Shiller?
She sort of listens to her constituents who live on the southern end of the ward and she's really good at taking just about any information that's out there and making it support a decision that she has already made. That's really creative. I guess that's about all I can think of.
ReplyDeleteI know some of the good-hearted and very capable people who were attendees and who devoteed their personal time to this. Yet, let's face it: The Dept of Planning and CTA and Alderman were present and needed to make these changes.
ReplyDeleteDid the government sponsors really buy into their own process or was this just another dog and pony show to say they had community involvement while going off and doing the exact opposite? The money allocations and the government actions didn't follow the words.
They talk the talk but don't walk the walk.
Aren't we getting tired of this runaround?
If she cared about her Ward as a whole and not just specific groups, sure, I'd have a lot of nice things to say about her.
ReplyDeleteBut again, she basically lives one street away from Andersonville so she doesn't care about the poverty she perpetuates in the central part of Uptown.
It was nice of Abbell Credit to cofund the process.
ReplyDeleteAnd its nice to see that MDT Architects, who attended the 2003 workshops are now opening offices across from the Wilson El entrance on Broadway. That certainly is a brave move and on block that could use a little architectual influence. Bravo MDT.
After reading the report, it looks like one thing was accomplished, the SSA was established. That was a big step.
ReplyDeleteThese reports are nice, but unless there is some teeth and follow through it is a waste of time and money.
As far as no national chains in Andersonville, just on Clark Street there is Chase Bank, Jimmy Johns, Einstein Bagels, Mc Donalds, Jewel, Sprint, T-Mobile and Hamburger Mary's. All are chains.