1 comment

1. Jerome Weeks’ review of your Arts Dostrict issue touched a bit on the downtown housing question. Just a few years ago, maybe 3 or 4, some developer planned to convert a nearby building into an affordable apt. house. Great idea, but First Baptist was opposed, perverting “affordable” into “homeless” or “section 8″ or something. In fact, it was planned as housing for 9 to 5 working stiffs….office workers, accountants, sales clerks, or even waiters and bartenders, etc.

   The Village Apartments has upwards of 100,000 residents scattered over its fast acerage, everything from students to retirees. Tens of thousands of young professionals, too. These people should also have options to rent right in the middle of what should be — and could be — downtown action.

   A couple of high-priced, highrise condos isn’t the answer.

   The Woodall Rodgers parklet will help as a bridge for those in Uptown. But the big issue is people living, working, shopping, dining….getting their dry cleaning….in the immediate central business district.

   It’s a slow process. I remember friends who worked at the DMN in the late 70’s; they lived at the Manor House, the only downtown housing at that time. We’re now better than that, but not by much.

   We need more Village Apartments, only downtown and vertical. Seems simple enough, and there’s surely a market for it.

   Jackson @ 8:43 pm on September 21, 2009