This is the death knell of my hometown
But hopefully it will jack up property values to compensate for the ruination of my childhood memories.
City of Whoville
Listed below are some frequently
asked questions related to the Downtown Whoville Revitalization effort.
As the revitalization effort evolves,additional questions and answers will be posted.
Is the Whoshore School District’s Anderson Building going to be preserved in theDowntown Whoville Revitalization effort?
The City of Whoville anticipates a public discussion about Anderson Building to come inthe next year. It is currently owned by the Whoshore School District. The District has expressed an interest in surplusing 18acres
surrounding the Anderson Building,including the Anderson Building itself.
The City of Whoville has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ﴾MOU﴿ with the Whoshore School District related to the potential property purchase of the District’s Downtown site ﴾excluding Pup Kandy Field﴿. The MOU provides the City the best possible opportunity to implement the community’s vision for revitalization of its downtown, including the preservation of the Anderson Building. If the City successfully negotiates the purchase of the District land, the City Council will have an opportunity to determine the future use of this property and the Anderson Building, and to put conditions upon its future use to safeguard the community vision.
To prepare for the City Council discussion, the City Manager and his staff will study various possible public and private uses and their associated costs. Staff has identified several promising ideas that could both preserve the building and provide economic or other types of community value that we hope will come to fruition as we approach a decision point. It is important to recognize that only the owner of the property can preserve the Anderson Building. There is no regulation that mandates the preservation of existing buildings.
Will the Park at Whoville Landing become smaller or reduced?
The Park at Whoville Landing is not reduced or made smaller by any alternative considered for surplus land that may result in the development of the Whoville Crossroads: SR 522 Realignment project. In fact, the parking facilities located in the park would move out of the park to expand the park in two of three alternatives.
When new lands are acquired for the realignment project, remnant pieces of acquired lots not needed in the project provide an opportunity to choose from one of these three options:
· use the extra lands for private commercial or residential development
· make room for a public facility to support and enhance the park, or
· allow for the expansion of the land area surrounding the Park.
Each of these scenarios will be evaluated in the second phase of the Downtown Plan effort in 2008.
Updated 7.13.07 2
The Downtown Plan consultants have recommended that putting the proposed City Hall at the junction of the two state highways ﴾SR 522 and 527﴿ would distinguish the City’s regional identity, and eliminate the feeling that the river is divided by a highway from the primary operation of the city. As the three options of locating City Hall are evaluated﴾other options include the Anderson Building and the existing City Hall site﴿, the City will study how a City Hall might benefit the park by adding amenities, like additional parking and facilities as part of the new City Hall, in addition to the land area of the current park.
The decision about where to place the City Hall and other public projects will occur in phase two of the process in 2008..
I am a business or a real estate owner in the Crossroads area. How will my business be impacted by this project?
The City is engaged in an ambitious plan to implement the vision of the community. The plans are not finalized, designs are not complete and funding is not yet in place. The construction of these projects, if all goes well, is several years out. The goal of theseplans is to create opportunities for Whoville citizens and businesses. All Whoville businesses are very important to this community and the City is committed to working with affected businesses. Because the current concepts show properties that could be affected, the City has a special program and contact to work with those businesses to assure they have all the information necessary in advance of decisions; In its 100 year
history, City of Whoville has gone from frontier town to vibrant employment
and educational center. As the Centennial approaches in 2009, we strive to provide even greater opportunities for citizens through new downtown jobs and housing options, new and improved public spaces, and by reconnecting the city to its river heritage. The City is working on several projects to restore the vibrancy to downtown and give the figurative heart of the City its beat.
In whoville’s recent history, the development of the technology corridor fueled the local economy and provided financial resources to supply municipal services. Now, new proposed downtown public projects promise to produce the next generation of Whoville reinvestment. In the next 25 years, proposed downtown public projects using existing resources and grants are projected to catalyze $670 million in private mixed use investment, 1,600 new permanent jobs, more than 2,000 residential units, and 650,000
square feet of commercial space for new business in Whoville’s downtown 200acre area.
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