In the Zone

"There’s a war brewing downtown – a war between two developers." says Bob Ardren in a recent Main Street Beat column in the Pelican Press.

He talks about the developers of the proposed DeMarcay building on Palm and Chris Brown, developer of the 1350 Main project that hopes to open late this year.

The two developments are next to each other and the issue is that the new building will block air, light and views - as well as allow observers from the new condo tower to look down into the pool area of the nearly complete one.

These are much the same issues that neighborhoods face when developers propose new tall structures next to existing homes.

Now we are seeing "Not In My Back Yard" turn into " Not In My View Corridor".

Ardren says things may turn ugly as the developers do what they can to protect their $$$.

If you haven’t read the article, take a look, it’s a good one.

Meanwhile at several recent city meetings, Palm Ave business owners have been complaining about the continuing construction zone that is having significant negative effects on their business.

Palm Ave has been a unique shopping area for many years; its charm and vitality draw many people to downtown. This last year of heavy construction has significantly dampened their success. The risk of future business decline or business loss on Palm is significant as more construction projects are approved.

We urge the planners and commissioners to listen closely to the current Palm Ave. business owners who risk losing their livelihoods. How can these businesses be kept healthy? Any new project approval must contain provisions to allow normal parking and shopping activity on Palm.