Another Lost Day

The view from Lot 7

The storms this winter have been very distracting and even disorienting for me. Being retired, I have the advantage of not facing a hazardous commute or a weather-related assignment. Before the days of online communication, it always seemed just plain crazy to me to gather news for a print newspaper that stood little chance of being delivered in a blizzard. 

Now that I am officially old (over 75), I do not like risking a fall by going out in snow and ice. On Wednesday night, it was only raining, so I was able to walk over to City Hall. However, the Board of Adjustment meeting was canceled, so I had no story. Thank heavens the Planning Board meeting was canceled Thursday and a notice went out by email, so I did not have to try to slog through the snow.

One of Wednesday's topics was the 100-apartment age-restricted building that is supposed to go up between Roosevelt and Westervelt behind the block-long East Front Street commercial strip. On Thursday, an application for 153 units with 110 one-bedroom, and 43 two-bedroom units on the former Cozzoli Machinery site at Richmond and Third was on the agenda. I hope to report on both when they are rescheduled.

At next Monday's City Council meeting, an ordinance adopting a redevelopment plan for a large tract on South Avenue is up for first reading. There are some steps before a developer is named, but a conceptual plan for more than 200 apartments there was discussed with local merchants last summer.

The boom is on after a long spell of economic abeyance and I would much rather be reporting on it than sitting indoors crocheting infinity scarves and talking to the cat. Please, Mother Nature, enough already with the snow and ice!

--Bernice