Why is it that downtown infill projects require so much permitting, zoning considerations and what seems to be a tug of war style fight that usually takes years to resolve? And most of the time too much time goes by and the financing falls trough, killing the project.
But if a project is purposed in the burbs, it's finished and completely built before anyone even knows it was ever planed?
Excellent questions.
Another reason is corporate welfare. We have a new DIA and can you believe that if you are patient enough you just wait until the next round of taxpayer money is made available. The most recent example occurred at the 7/24/13 DIA Board meeting and before the 8/19/13 start of the new CEO of the DIA Aundra Wallace.
Imagine participating and hearing people not on the agenda then being recognized and asking for $25,000 for a piece of taxpayer money that has been made available by Mayor Brown.
Now imagine that at a DIA Board meeting a document is released at the end of a marathon meeting and it's an Authorization to Negotiate and Engage on Various Downtown Projects and it's from OED (Office of Economic Development) Surprise! The DIA Board approves it. That $25,000 has now turned into $250,000. This has to be positive.
imagine attending a completely different local Govt. meeting that has to do with this new highly restricted DIA zone and the point of contention is the future economic opportunity that will occur on our St. johns River our American heritage River a FEDERAL, FEDERAL, FEDERAL, Initiative and hearing that only one vendor will be the recipient of economic opportunity. The Public Trust just totally crushed.
Couple this with the new guy from Visit Jacksonville CEO Paul Astleford just on the job for 10 months identifying 32 organizations that are hindering Tourism and everyone should be saying "RICO" The man nails it.
But back to the thread. Affordable elderly apartments and Aundra Wallace was touching on this more than once at meetings that I attended and FEDERAL money that is probably available for section 8 housing in addition to other urban DIA housing options should continue to the infill residency that will assist in making fixed streetcar rail a reality in Downtown Jacksonville.
Is there a DIA meeting of any kind tomorrow? Anyone.