- A friend who has been involved in the Germantown cohousing project told me today that the meeting last week produced several resolutions, including building of a "common house" where residents can gather for meals, meetings, or entertainment and a community garden for the homes in the project at the corner of 5th Av N and Taylor St. The square footage of the two dozen multi-family structures will vary from 750 to 1,700. Cohousing intentionally includes home owners in the planning and design of their mutual community.
- Roy Dale, the engineer working with the developer of the project at 6th and Garfield, indicated to me by email 2 days ago that it may be 2 weeks before the high grass and brush can be cut at the rezoned property. Reportedly, it will be that long before developer Robin York can acquire the property and take responsibility for its upkeep. Dale also said he would ask York to make an attempt to convince the owner to mow and clean up the property. The current absentee owner is Ray C. Nathurst of Brentwood.
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Thursday, May 17, 2012
Updates on cohousing and development
A couple of updates:
So...the developers don't own the land that has the high grass?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't cut it either if I didn't own it.
I bet you would if the quality of the lot reflected negatively on your final product, especially with the neighbors. I cannot count how many realtors and developers have told me that they could not afford to pay for the marketing that neighbors do for their properties. And all it takes is a blight-brooking developer to drag my assessment of their accountability down. When potential buyers have looked at properties in my neighborhood in the past, I've usually been able to say either "Make sure you look into everything and don't assume anything ..." or "The developer is one of the best we've seen and I would trust her ..."
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, "developers" can include the owner, who is where the buck stops on the "development". You also cannot convince me that developers in the narrow sense have no leverage on the owner/developer. They don't care about the community or they would do whatever it takes to make progress happen.
Sounds like they plan to cut the grass soon, so that's good! It also seems unfair to blame Robin York considering he doesn't own the land yet. In any case, having something built on that corner will be better than an empty lot! Thank goodness builders and developers are working to continue the improvement of the neighborhood!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can focus your attention to the liquor and tobacco store on Garfield, since it seems moving that would be the biggest improvement to the neighborhood.
We're all working toward the improvement of the neighborhood, Anon, especially those of us who live here.
ReplyDeleteThere is not a liquor store on Garfield. If you are referring to the market on 7th and Garfield, I don't know why you would assume I have not focused attention on it. Maybe you should look back through this blog's archives before you assume too much. Or better yet, actually take time to get to know me.