Friday, January 20, 2012

Uptown United Weighs In On Maryville Development



Amazing what shows up in the mailbox some days.  Someone sent us what appears to be a copy of the letter Uptown United (a member of the 46th Ward Zoning & Development Committee) wrote to Ald. Cappleman earlier this week, giving its opinion of the proposed Sedgwick development at the Maryville site.

The letter brings up some interesting points.  Uptown United:
  • did not support the creation of the TIF, but accepts that it's here and will be used to facilitate any development on the site
  • points to Sedgwick's past lack of transparency as a reason for not supporting the current proposed development at Maryville, although it commends Sedgwick's recent attention to community input
  • feels the western part of the Maryville site is appropriate for a high-rise, mixed-use complex
  • does not believe the retail components in the Lighthouse plan benefit the entire community enough to justify the expenditure of $30 million in TIF funds
  • mentions that donating the east parcel and returning it to parkland would be a public benefit, as would engaging retail businesses that help further the growth of Uptown as an entertainment district
Read it yourself (above) and draw your own conclusions.

11 comments:

  1. Pretty much what I have been saying all along.

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  2. When and where is Mondays zoning meeting?

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  3. Generally methinks the Uptown United letter is correct.

    The property needs to be developed, but the use of a massive amount of TIF money seems wrong AND Sedgwick needs to deal with some of the concerns about how they have approached the community and their other failed developments.

    Also I'm getting the impression that some of the people who have been posting crazily positively regarding this development may have other motives. I smell sockpuppet poontang.

    It reminds me of the last ward elections where lots of new commenters appeared to tout their candidates and attack the other candidates and then disappeared like a fart in a hurricane.

    I wouldn't mind TIF money being used to improve the field house. I wouldn't mind TIF money "reimbursing" Sedgwick for the "low income housing donation" they will be forced to give. I wouldn't even mind TIF money being used to buy the eastern parcel of the property.

    I DO MIND TIF money subsidizing the new retail and/or the apartments. We have two TIF subsidized groceries here already. Aldi and Target. Do we need another?

    So here's my take on the development subject to change based on my alcohol content or use of peyote.

    1. No TIF money except where excepted above.

    2. Sedgwick buys the neighboring building that will be seriously adversely impacted by the development at a market rate + price. They can use the additional space to their advantage.

    3. The building should be entirely residential and of higher density.

    4. In exchange for significant higher density Sedgwick deeds the eastern parcel to the Park District.

    5. Sedgwick brings in a partner with a track record and reputation for building this height and density of a building.

    6. Sedgwick hires me as director of Sockpuppetry to garner support by using my multiple personalities for their benefit.

    I think that's enough for now.

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  4. Uptown United has no legal authority to make or influence decisions. They are not a representative body of the community. They don't outline any qualifications for their opinion. They have no expertise in anything.

    I do find the letter well drafted however.

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  5. IP,

    The low income housing requirement is BULLSHIT. I used to be low and no income. I always figured out a way to pay my rent. I really don't get it.

    I never went to the government to get free housing. I am sorry, but this BS ordinance has to go. It is a scam for the rich!

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  6. Media Critic, Uptown United is one member of the Z & D Committee. They represent one vote.

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  7. Maybe Bo is missing something, but when the local chamber of commerce says NO in no uncertain terms, as Uptown United plainly has (and rather eloquently at that), doesn’t that pretty much tell James all he needs to hear? I mean, Uptowners are not the NIMBYs that Sedgwick’s Sockpuppets (thanks, IP—Bo reads, and he likes that!) try to paint us as. This is the CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, for goodness sake. If Sedgwick and their boys can’t sell them, how can they ever sell the regular folks who vote? Hush your mouth!

    The voice of the business community has spoken clearly. And very, very loudly. So did the voters at the January 12th meeting at Clarendon Park.

    James is no fool. So why is Sedgwick fooling around?

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  8. Media Critic says - "Uptown United has no legal authority to make or influence decisions. They are not a representative body of the community. They don't outline any qualifications for their opinion. They have no expertise in anything."

    For a person who is always screaming about facts, I wish you would hold yourself to the same standards. As a community organization,Uptown United has been around since 2005 working to make Uptown a better community.

    Their mission statement reads: The mission of Uptown United is to provide technical assistance to businesses and economic investors located in and serving Uptown, initiate and participate in strategic planning, encourage economic development to strengthen the community's economic base, address broad issues pertaining to the quality of life for Uptown's diverse population, and be a network to encourage partnerships.

    I believe that qualifies them to be give their opinion on this development. By the way I found thier mission statement on their web site which was very easy to find. Maybe Media Critic should do some research before making a post on Uptown United's qualifications.

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  9. sockpuppet poontang

    ... awesome.

    Disgusting and wholly inappropriate; but, awesome.

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  10. Oh, God.

    Note to self: Read Irish Pirate's comments more carefully in the future.

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  11. CN,

    blame "Caddyshack". It could be worse. I could have paraphrased Colonel Kilgore from "Apocalypse Now".

    In any case while I want to see Maryville developed into a high quality, high density, development I am not going to suggest it's the best thing since John Wayne in "The Searchers".

    When people or sockpuppets want to tout something they should be more moderate in their praise. It's more effective.

    The same goes for people or sockpuppets on the other side of an issue. Be more moderate in your criticism. Barry Goldwater said "Extremism in the defense of liberty is not a vice", during the 1964 election. We ain't discussing liberty, we're talking about how a piece of property should be developed.

    Anyway Goldwater got his butt kicked by LBJ so what the hell did he know anyway?

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