Quote:
Originally Posted by masterwhite
In my opinion Barton st would have a chance if unpaid property taxes where collected or buildings auctioned off, all abandoned building where torn down, still functional buildings repaired. Area is full of unsafe illegal rental units and this must change.
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The only thing that would have resulted in was a long street full of empty gravel lots. You can't fix a socio-economic issue by just tearing out the rot. One of the biggest draw factors for a rejuvenated Barton Street IS the mostly continuous streetwalls of mid-rise store fronts from James to Sherman. Even if they're abandoned, they're still potential as long as they're structurally sound. Ripping them down isn't going to make developers any more interested in the area.
It's also incredibly hard to collect unpaid taxes when the property owners are numbered companies from outside of town. Even if the buildings are seized through foreclosure, they still need tenants or they will just be abandoned buildings on someone else's dime.
This new project is ambitious and positive but I definitely think it's a few years too early. The spill off effect from James Street has only just barely started and Gibson is a long way off from there.