I assume the FNUC property (formerly Wilson School) is going to council for re-zoning purposes so that it can complete the sale to Meridan Development (SP Nov. 5/10.)
What took me by surprise was Affinity Credit Union moving to this location primarily due to their relatively new edifice on 22nd Street and lst Avenue. I would have thought that with all the upgrades to the downtown area and the development of River Landing that businesses would have viewed the downtown as a more desirable location.
Although Affinity will maintain their downtown presence, it appears that expansion and/or consolidation of their business is going elsewhere.
Alas it comes down to lack of downtown parking.
I will be curious as to how this plays out at council. I expect some will deny the change and try to impose use of city transit's program on Affinity to address their employee transportation/parking needs.
What will the voting split be?
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It is absolutely wrong to put an office building in a residential area no matter who it is I sucked it up when FNUC went in because it was still education related. This is completely about Not In My Backyard,extra traffic, more people coming and going. Well Darren let's see you straddle this fence I don't think there should be any consideration of this but I'll bet they will knuckle for the chance at some more tax dollars to squander when it goes from no tax education to full tax office, but I bet they won't spend any in City Park.
ReplyDeleteI can't understand the City Park Community Association's stance with regard to this.
ReplyDeleteThey are opposed to this building becoming high-density residential (a completely bizarre stance given the nature and character of City Park), yet they are also opposed to the park being paved into a parking lot.
What do they expect? Discouragement of high-density residential infill contributes to encouragement of car culture.
In fairness, I haven't attended any of the Association's meetings and I was out of town for the city's zoning meeting: it would seem I should voice my concerns with the association before crying foul online. Perhaps this is the impetus to get involved.
"Alas it comes down to lack of downtown parking."
ReplyDeleteThat's what Affinity claimed in the article, but it seems to be not so much a lack of downtown parking as the dangling carrot of cheap parking vis-a-vis paving a park.
Their buildings downtown both have parking attached: it would seem they see the opportunity to lease office and parking at their 4th Ave building to a different tenant for a premium, and move down their office to "cheap seats" in City Park.
There is no parking in city park with city hospital there already. Put the bank in the hospital - I know they have lots of empty space they could rent out and this could pay for a few surgeries and health shortfalls. Whoever thought of a bank in a residential neighbourhood does not respect the residents or community. Who will Darren Hill support? Should be interesting to see it play out?
ReplyDeleteThey could put the future safe injection site there too !!!