Comments on: Facilitated 315 W. Ponce Meeting Date Set

By: downtown

downtown — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:18:33 +0000

I am quite proud that Decatur already has tons of affordable housing of all types both downtown and in other areas of Decatur proper, and there is more already in the works. If you take the time and effort to look, Eberhardt, you will have no problem finding affordable housing in City of Decatur.

By: Eberhardt

Eberhardt — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:25:51 +0000

I wonder why Susan is so against affordable housing in the development. Don’t want the likes of me?? Those of us who are single parents would love to be able to live in downtown Decatur, but since we don’t make enough money I guess we aren’t wanted or good enough?

By: Decatur Metro

Decatur Metro — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:07:27 +0000

Good points Baron…and the whole hotel phrase-ology thing is probably a good lesson for the city to see how slightly strange wording can quickly misinform the general population.

Thanks for the more substantive conversation. It’s been sorely lacking on this issue for a few months now.

If nothing else, tomorrow will put both parties’ level of flexibility on display for all to see and judge for themselves.

By: Baron Chandler

Baron Chandler — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:21:35 +0000

To my mind, one must take a pretty dim view of things to believe the City is “in the pocket of the developers.” You were at the ZBA hearing, did it feel that way to you? It certainly did not to me! Let’s face it, if that’s really true, what’s the point in any of this — a significant part what makes Decatur all nice and Decatur-y would cease to be.

Whether one might choose to believe it was clunky wording or part of more sinister agenda the overall effect is still the same — many people think it was /our neighborhood/ who put the kibosh on the hotel they wanted… it was not… and that was a point that I felt needed to be made again. See how deftly I worked it in again?

Between the scale of the property, the location and proximity to downtown retail and restaurants, MARTA, and R-60 as well the fact that it’s sporting a big ole honkin’ 10-story class A office tower (now with climate-controlled storage units for rent, by the way), this property is very unique piece of our City. I believe any plans for developing it should receive significant consideration which includes multiple alternatives and a willingness to do something cool with this… most certainly NOT just a single option where the architect’s requirements included a “range” of 218-220 units. My feelings on that “range” from sad to saad.

This can and should be better than what’s been proposed thus far. Maybe Wednesday will bring us one step closer to that goal.

By: fifi

fifi — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:17:57 +0000

I coompletely agree with Stacy on what makes sense for this property.

I hope the format of the facilitated meeting allows for this type of input along with public reaction to it from the developer and the City.