That's good to hear, I wonder what building they're going into. With all those renovated storefronts (and likely more to come) I expect to see REO Town gain several new businesses in the near future.
It almost seems that this is a case of the developer adding in a minimal amount of first floor commercial space just to appease the city. The fact that 3/4 of the buildings first floor is parking is bad, but that they're orienting the commercial space more towards St Joe is a head scratcher. I really want to see the first floor commercial space along the building's entire side facing Washington, it'd seem to make sense from the developers point of view also.
EDIT: Since I was talking about it, here's the first floor plan:
The 28th was the public hearing and it was up for passage on Monday. In the packet, Public Services noted that any development will require a site plan review.
Your talking about the lot next to the Goodyear building? If so, I"m willing to bet that Gillespie owns that too, and that would seem to make a future development pretty likely.
It seems odd for them to have such a small lot isolated from the rest of their properties, it looks to only have about 20 spaces. If they don't acquire that Goodyear building I can't imagine they'll find much reason to hold onto it.
I'm just hoping Sparrow doesn't go around hording property. I know they need to plan into the future, but there's no reason for them to own properties like that parking lot, they need to just sell it for development.
What school are you talking about them wanting to get?
I still want to believe that even if they do close Eastern people won't let it be tore down by Sparrow or anyone else. I have very little faith in the LSD in general though, I really don't understand a lot of their actions. I haven't followed things close lately, but it seems as though they've made major changes every few years or less since I was in high school. When I was at Everett they experimented with closed campus lunch for one year and trimesters for one year. I don't remember what all's come and gone since, but this recent thing with putting 7th through 12th graders on the same campus is beyond idiotic. It seems like there's been no stability for anyone involved and it's getting old. As sort of a side note, I've always had the feeling that the LSD has had far more than it's fair share of backroom deals, nepotism and other crookedness going on.
I've been wondering where the stamping plant will go also. I had seen them doing concrete work just to the east of MLK, so I had assumed it was going there, but that looks like it was just to expand the parking lot. A few days a go I thought I noticed utility flags and markings in the area between north and southbound MLK, so maybe there. It would make since they may rather keep the land east of MLK open for expansion of the production line or something else.
I have heard from very good sources that Sparrow wants the Eastern HS property (maybe plans for it...) I think it is very likely that it will happen, and it would mean a lot of money for LSD (perhaps an unfortunate choice of words there).
I'm torn. I did my student teaching at Eastern. I love the old building; it has so much character. But, it is expensive to maintain, and an investment in the Pattengill campus would mean newer, high tech facilities. Also, I wonder if they would just dissolve Eastern to avoid a state takeover (which is a farce, the state takeover), and reopen at Pattengill under a different name. I don't know how that works.
The east side needs to have a high school- especially given that the east side has the most potential for growth. A strong local HS is necessary for this growth.
There's never been much doubt that Sparrow wants Eastern and if it goes up for sale I'm certain they'll jump on it. I'd like to see Eastern remain a high school, but I'm mainly concerned with the building being saved along with the field house. That still leaves plenty of land for Sparrow to build on.
I think that is a few years away, though (and may require the high speed bus system and some prior investment in the neighborhood directly to the west of Eastern). I don't know if the LSD has that kind of time. The most important factors for the district are probably:
A) Getting the state off their back.
B) Stopping parents on the east side from sending their kids out of district (that may be essential for (A) to happen).
C) Cutting maintenance costs. This is their talking point but would be much less important if (B) were to happen and they had more money in the first place.
Comments
EDIT: Since I was talking about it, here's the first floor plan:
Your talking about the lot next to the Goodyear building? If so, I"m willing to bet that Gillespie owns that too, and that would seem to make a future development pretty likely.
I'm just hoping Sparrow doesn't go around hording property. I know they need to plan into the future, but there's no reason for them to own properties like that parking lot, they need to just sell it for development.
I still want to believe that even if they do close Eastern people won't let it be tore down by Sparrow or anyone else. I have very little faith in the LSD in general though, I really don't understand a lot of their actions. I haven't followed things close lately, but it seems as though they've made major changes every few years or less since I was in high school. When I was at Everett they experimented with closed campus lunch for one year and trimesters for one year. I don't remember what all's come and gone since, but this recent thing with putting 7th through 12th graders on the same campus is beyond idiotic. It seems like there's been no stability for anyone involved and it's getting old. As sort of a side note, I've always had the feeling that the LSD has had far more than it's fair share of backroom deals, nepotism and other crookedness going on.
I've been wondering where the stamping plant will go also. I had seen them doing concrete work just to the east of MLK, so I had assumed it was going there, but that looks like it was just to expand the parking lot. A few days a go I thought I noticed utility flags and markings in the area between north and southbound MLK, so maybe there. It would make since they may rather keep the land east of MLK open for expansion of the production line or something else.
I'm torn. I did my student teaching at Eastern. I love the old building; it has so much character. But, it is expensive to maintain, and an investment in the Pattengill campus would mean newer, high tech facilities. Also, I wonder if they would just dissolve Eastern to avoid a state takeover (which is a farce, the state takeover), and reopen at Pattengill under a different name. I don't know how that works.
The east side needs to have a high school- especially given that the east side has the most potential for growth. A strong local HS is necessary for this growth.
http://www.unionsquaregr.com/
I think that is a few years away, though (and may require the high speed bus system and some prior investment in the neighborhood directly to the west of Eastern). I don't know if the LSD has that kind of time. The most important factors for the district are probably:
A) Getting the state off their back.
B) Stopping parents on the east side from sending their kids out of district (that may be essential for (A) to happen).
C) Cutting maintenance costs. This is their talking point but would be much less important if (B) were to happen and they had more money in the first place.