One of my loyal readers ollected these comments and letters from friends regarding the proposed Sunrise Assisted Living development on the riverfront and the Lakewood Building (3575 N. Oakland Ave.) Facade Grant. (Hat tip, Jaime)
Letter 1.
I am sorry to see the Pig ‘n Whistle end up as senior housing, and it is RIDICULOUS to spend that amount of money for a facelift that doesn't look much different!
f course, I remember picking chestnuts up from the ground that fell from the trees that grew on the lawns where the apartment buildings now sit across from the police station! I also remember (and have pictures even!) of a clear view up Cramer from Beverly to Capitol of the towering Elm trees shading the street! I remember when the library was in a cramped space on Capitol Dr . I guess I am getting old. Sigh!
Elizabeth
Letter 2.
Spending these days, no matter what party affiliation you have is based on a childish notion of if I can get the money, I will spend it. Imagine your child in Walmart with $100 dollars. You can bet he/she will spend all of the $100. Give him $25, and he/she will spend all of that. Give him/her $1,000 and he/she will spend all of it, regardless of quality of goods or actual need.
I would suggest that Shorewood is looking for all that you as taxpayer's are un-knowingly, but willing to give. Tax payers do not usually attend fiscal meetings in great numbers, and usually don't have input until the funds are asked for. Tax payers are usually not experts on the proposed projects, and usually do not have the ability or funds to investigate costs. Many times they just go along with the proposal.
Further more, taxpayers are told how little the costs will affect their tax bill, and promised that the small cost will be for the good of the whole. Usually, the lion's share of the "good" goes to the contractors...and their sub contractors and labor force.... and I'm sure they don't live in Shorewood in great numbers.
Also, an estimate of funds needed is never a contract, just an estimate, which always grows with time.
Given the above points, it's easy to see how a huge amount could be asked for to improve a ratty old apartment building. I agree that a facade is just that, a facade, not not real growth or improvement.
If you don't like it, attend meetings in numbers, protest call city state officials, write articles send press releases to television stations... in short make a lot of noise. Just as Jaime is doing.
My Dad's Shorewod tax bill ( 4000 block of Stowell) is over 10 times what mine is here in Indiana!
- Dan L, Class of 1970
Letter 3.
Hey man.
Yeah, that's a lot of money flying around, in several different directions, eh?
I used to live in the lakewood apartments, and it's kind of a ****-hole, so investing in it seems like a bad idea to me, from a business point of view. First of all, if they improve it in any way, the residents can only benefit -- that appears, on the surface, to be a good thing. The problem with it seems to me that it's just going to cost the residents -- aren't they just proposing this to increase the property value, get the building reappraised, and then raise rent to collect more revenue on an investment they themselves didn't make?
As far as riverbrook, I know a number of people who enjoy eating there. So from the perspective of the standard "political baby" that I am, and many Americans are, it's sad to imagine losing the restaurant. But senior citizen care is important -- if I read that story right, and they've considred replacing the 1111 E. Capitol propterty with a senior care facility. I have no way of knowing how reliable or respectable the center would be, and the world does not need more crappy health care. but a good facility, that's hard to refuse.
I'm only 25 years old. I make many good decisions, and some bad ones. This all probably goes without saying, but is probably important for my own personal affirmation, to remind myself of the weight or levity of my opinion.
Thank you for sharing these stories with me.
James
Letter 4.
Yeah, I'm sad to see the Pig 'n Whistle go. :-( My father grew up near Humboldt and Clark in Riverwest. When my Uncle Gene and Aunt Margie started dating in the 50's, one of their favorite dates was to either walk or take the bus for custard at the Pig 'n Whistle.
As for the facade renovation of the other building (Lakewood) - I don't mind it so much. It falls in line with the modern trend of screens and planes. $800,000 doesn't really buy that much these days.
Shelly
