Comments

1
Can we keep the road improvements and get rid of the mayor instead?
2
Is it standard practice to set aside this type of mitigation money whenever construction is done that will shut down streets/sidewalks that serve businesses. small or otherwise?

Have there been projects recently in white or higher income neighborhoods that are similar so that we can see if there are indeed differences in how they are handled? This seems to be the crux of the matter, the NAACP is suggesting that this project is being handled in a way that is specifically harmful to this specific community.

Because it kind of seems like no one involved really knows what they want, why they want it, or how to get there.
3
Just out of curiosity, I'd want to know why the project is "running behind" and what kind of damages the city is collecting from the contractor due to delays. Contracts can be written that put the burden of increased impacts to the community on the contractor(s) so the city doesn't have to feel compassion, requiring these poor business owners to basically beg to survive. Focus on the city's project and contract management. It's typically not as good as it could be - not just on 23rd but everywhere, and it costs us all stress and money.
4
Ask Ted Kubly.
5
@2:

The current seawall renovation project has been cited as just one recent example.
6
most of the businesses affected by the 23rd project (the stretch from Jackson to Union) are 'corporate' and just a few are small businesses. not all of these small ones are POC owned. so the idea this is some dubious plot to gentrify the CD is ridiculous. this admin is hardly capable of pulling off such an elaborate plan.

this is just a case of ordinary city incompetence in design& planning and project delivery. i'm glad some of these businesses are getting some cash, but this is in not even close to the economic scale of the seawall project.

the 'road diet' aspect of the 23rd project is a joke, and all of us residents of the CD will be asking WTF after it's finished. 23rd is one of the few roads that work to effectively move traffic to/fro in the CD and Capitol Hill.
7
the idea that this is some grand conspiracy is patently absurd. anyone actually in power would be wise to ignore the conspiracy angle entirely, as commenting on it only lends it legitimacy.

i've said it before: yes, this sucks for the business owners, but the city doesn't owe anyone anything for this. the alternative to having road work done where your business is located is... not having roads. would these business owners prefer that no roads exist where their establishments are located?
8
"Some have said this project was intended as a way to push African American businesses and individuals out of the Central Area and to set a stage for gentrification,"

Isn't it a little late in the game to claim this is "setting the stage" for gentrification, or was this meant to be some sort of Final Solution?

Please wait...

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