Whither Development in 2014?

In a budget discussion on May 21, Jacques Howard of the Office of Economic Development answered a question from Charles McRae, chairman of the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, on what the city is doing to market brownfield sites. Howard said there were "several items prepared and authored," and he was waiting for them to be put on the city web page.

Howard said they were "actually completed and will be launched imminently."

So could this be the anticipated information - http://usethisurbanland.wordpress.com/

It's a very comprehensive package, even though it says "under construction." Descriptions of sites are dated August 1, 2012.

I came across it while using Google to track down information on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. I found what I was looking for, a description of "Plainfield Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2," in which Citiworks, a non-profit corporation, proposes partnering with Landmark Developers to seek $15.25 million in NSP2 funds.

So does anybody in City Hall know whether the money came through? One of the sites listed as available for development is the former Telephone Building at 109 East Fourth Street, which is being rehabbed right now by a Landmark subsidiary.

It would be good news to know that NSP money is flowing to the Queen City. By chance, I had snapped photos of some of the same sites as on the WordPress blog while walking around the city. I was curious to know whether the city was keeping track of these sites, such as a vacant lot on West Fifth and another on West Front Street.

This kind of information is crucial for the next mayor to know, when deciding how to handle economic development in 2014. The city has tried having a free-standing, fully-staffed Office of Economic Development under Mayor Richard L. Taylor, a deputy city administrator in charge of development under Mayor Albert T. McWilliams and having a division-level Office of Economic Development under Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs. What is the best approach?

Development and politics are probably always linked, but in retrospect the pressure put on Dornoch to finish the senior center at 400 East Front Street was ill-starred. The concomitant 63 condos are largely unsold and ongoing costs related to the "free" center remain in dispute. Forty condos are still owned by Dornoch, according to tax records, and the promised Veterans Center has yet to be occupied by veterans.

When Deputy City Administrator Pat Ballard Fox left office, she provided a comprehensive summary of all development projects for the new administration. Most are gone now. What will be communicated to the next administration in 2014?  The link above is a good start, but it was developed by an intern, according to Howard. If I may go all William F. Buckley for a minute, aleatory talent is not the key to success in development.

--Bernice