Milwaukee Professionals Association

TAKE 'INCLUSIVE' MIND-SET TO PARK EAST CORRIDOR

A COMMENT to The Business Journal Front Page Article - November

Today is December 17, 2003

The COMMENT section is on the inside cover of the last page of the Business Journal.

The article is in the December 12, 2003 Edition of The Business Journal of Milwaukee.

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OPINION
Guest Comment

Take 'inclusive' mind-set to Park East corridor

Mary Glass

Regarding The Business Journal's Nov. 28 article with the headline "Developers concerned about DCD upheaval," a broader cast of the net for opinions would have revealed that many developers and central city stakeholders welcome the change and look forward to a more "inclusive" mind-set from the new Milwaukee Department of City Development team.

A new administrative team is needed at DCD that respects all stakeholders.

A team that remembers that they are public servants with a responsibility to serve, not dictate. Not alienate. Not exclude. Not pit central city stakeholders against each other by promising dollars. Not sabotage individuals or projects. Not take strategic projects from the neighborhood and put their names on them. Not to take government dollars and fuel pet projects. Not hold "special hearings" that are a "done deal" before there is input from the citizenry.
Not repeatedly refuse to meet in town hall meetings with stakeholders of the central city. Not work against the neighborhood strategic plan of an empowerment zone.

When we have 7,000 to 8,000 students "homeless" in Milwaukee Public Schools and at the same time, we have $2.8 million condos going up in downtown Milwaukee with fanfare, therein lies the upheaval for developers and all of us. It says that the goals that are put on paper to describe the mission, responsibilities and action plan do not match performance.

DCD's 2004 budget is over-dependent on moderate-, low- and no-income stakeholders' subsidies.

Many, if not all, of the projects downtown have had the luxury of subsidized government dollars. It is spending going amuck at DCD.

Elected officials who have received huge contributions (or want to receive huge contributions) to their campaign, lead the charge for huge federal funding for developers, as well as special land use ordinances, open hearings, limited/no contact with citizenry, hearings held downtown and during the day only -- a time when the citizenry is at work.

Is it because of the fear of a level playing field for all developers might mean an un-level playing field for the privileged few?

DEVELOPERS DOMINATE
A number of developers have had a boom the last four to six years. In fact, some have literally dominated the terrain.

They have had access to government aid but they have had little to no social responsibility.

In fact, you get the doomsayers saying we will scare the developers away if we ask them to ante up. That's hogwash.

The privileged few have had the unfair advantage so long. Hardly ever are the folks who are supposed to be recipients of the federal funds or contractors needing to know the ins and outs at the decisionmaking table.

Investors and developers have to be told that they must give back in family-supporting jobs and long-term infrastructure investments for neighborhood growth.

The Department of City Development is too large.

There needs to be some neighborhood oversight.

We have too much at stake. On the table are the Park East and Marquette Interchange projects.

Together, the stakeholders and the public service providers can impact positively the quality of life for generations to come in the city of Milwaukee.

We must heavily invest in the central city neighborhoods just a few blocks away from City Hall. The savvy developers will follow.

We are looking for a mixture of affordable and durable housing that will afford a working family dignity and state-of-the-art conveniences.

We are looking for townhouses, condos and estates that befit a neighborhood's income.

We are looking for developers to bring businesses that will create and help sustain families and neighborhoods.

We are looking for developers who want to be partners and invest and re-invest in our children's future. We are looking for developers that will help create stable commercial districts.

There are so many developers waiting to be summoned with an opportunity. Let's make sure we are sending the right message and making the access process less of a concern and beneficial to all.

MARY GLASS is the chair and CEO of Campaign Neighborhood, Milwaukee.