Arbor Update

By request of my grandmother, who lives near the site, I took a look at the packet for the Georgetown redevelopment. (Thanks Matt H for the docs.)

I have to say that I’m pretty profoundly uninspired – all the project is going to do is take down a decrepit strip mall and toss up a new one? Ho hum. I can’t say, “We don’t want to lose our Kroger!” is necessarily a trump card, but when the replacement is as bland as this project, that argument seems as good a reason as any. I don’t see any way that the land is going to be more efficiently used, or pedestrian access enhanced, in the process of this.

And, Juliew, I note that 922 Church is applying your favorite units:bedrooms:parking ratios…

Yes, the Georgetown project started out so well on paper: mixed use project, some residential, some retail, etc. But then it was noted that they were going to remove the grocery store space entirely. The people around protested because they wanted their existing retail (grocery store, card store, dry cleaners). There were concerns about the residential component from the neighbors or the developer decided to ditch it (I can’t remember which it was). The developer and the neighbors did some name-calling back and forth, lots of people showed up at Planning Commission to protest, the development was tabled, and four months later it is back, but sounds like it is uninspired. Too bad. It is a great area and six and a half acres would allow for some really interesting development. However, taking out the Kroger seems like a bad start. In truth, I’m sort of surprised that Kroger is still there as they were looking to leave a decade ago, but their fortunes must have improved. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Ah yes, 922 Church. I really hope they know what they are doing. Looks to me like they are converting a profitable rental house into an expensive white elephant.

As for the Capital Improvements Public hearing, expect a fair bit of input from people about this. I’ve gotten a few e-mails from people protesting the listed priorities. I know they will be at the meeting tonight.

When I was shopping at the card store, they told me they were moving, along with the little post office, to the new Washtenaw Avenue development across from Whole Foods.