Today's front page story in the Telegram , as blogged here when Jahn dropped me a line on May 30th. Beware of the Jahn, he is everywhere.
Now for his latest. The Blackstone Visitor Center is coming in many millions, as high as 10 million?, over budget thus no construction has started.
11 comments:
I am surprised by all the negative comments to the Telegram article. Is parking an issue for the Art Museum?
Hey Bill,
Do you know if there are any stats anywhere for section 8 housing units per capita? I was thinking about this the other day and I am dying to see where we stack up vs the rest of the commonwealth. I would love a little perspective on that.
As I have stated here a bunch of times, we disagree quite a bit, but I am right there with you on the section 8 thing. It's a little ridiculous.
Personally my opinion is that every community should be held to the same per capita standard and my guess is that that the numbers are heavily heavily skewed with towns such as Worcester, Pittsfield and Springfield way out of wack with the rest of the state as far as a per capita basis goes.
stats..you kidding me Gabe...we can't even find out who holds the certs when there is a problem...there are as many as five different organizations that pass those things out like Halloween candy in Central Mass..social service is BIG BUSINESS in this state..
Gabe:
I can tell you this while other towns are stuggling to reach a 10% affordable housing threshold as required by MGL 40-B, the City of Worcester is something like 14%.
One would think that since we have achieved the 10%, we would stop building "afforadable" housing units. This is not the case. Why?
This is a big business. Where surrounding towns wouild object to these projects, the City of Worcester keeps welcoming them.
It makes no sense.
cause Worcester is worried about population loss which means gentlemen and a few ladies out there????
Paulie:
We have become a place where developers can get monies from the State and Federal Government under the auspices of low or affordable housing. Many of these projects could never get approved in the surrounding towns.
Imaging trying to get the May Street Development approved in a town. 55 low income apartment with virtually no parking. In Worcester we get approvals for these projects everyday.
The projects provide jobs for alot of people, without any analysis of the ramifications for the neighborhoods. Right now here are just a few:
Burwick
May Street
Mason Street
93 Grand Street
Cambridge Hacker
Armory Street
Piedmon Street
These projects bring alot of "free" money and jobs, but at what cost to the City?
This s/b a standing head line:
"_______ _______ project is expected to come in $XXM overbudget"
Oddly enough it always seeems to be public projects that always come in way overbudget.
There is a high school that was built ( or is being built) in Newton that is something like 30 - 40% overbudget.
How many new CVS's or Walgreens do you suppose come in way over budget?
Last thing i read about teh BV visitors center was a legal ad in the the T&G that if you read between the lines, it appears that land takings will be req'd to obtain access to the site.
BV visitors center s/b built in Mr Fletchers Water Park and not 1 mile away. It's only common sense. It would be one more added attraction to his park, maybe with a BV themed restaurant attached to it.
BTW who is paying to staff this museum. I assume the feds or the state.
Woweeeeeee.....I ust picked up Womag..............Mr Fletcher editorializes that the common skating rink is probably not a good idea. AGREED!!!!
But a water park in his front yard is no problemo!!!! WTH!! $900,000 just for a feasabilty study........and God only knows how many millions to build it and maintain it.
How about he donates his property in the proposed Banal District as the site for the BV visitors center and then pens an editorial about the 600 (13%) city employees out on Injured On Duty Status.
"Woweeeeeee.....I ust picked up Womag..............Mr Fletcher editorializes that the common skating rink is probably not a good idea. AGREED!!!!"
Ummm, Jahn, did you read the whole thing? They think it is a fantastic idea. So do I. The editorial makes a very good point too about whether or not Worcester has the ability anymore to actually visualize anything actually being successful.
Gabe:
You are right WoMag actually thinks the skating rink is a good idea. I posted the story in another link.
Evidently Jahn must have only read the first couple of paragraphs. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I have imagination and I still do not get the skating rink on the Common.
Bill
teaeqxYou're correct, I didnt read it all and only perused parts of it. I was 3 days behind in my local reading and almost missed an obit, as well.
Evelyn Woods would not be proud of me.
However in reading it more closely, I have to wonder is this a piece about the skating rink or an indirect plug for Mr Fletchers Water Park.
Comparing the success (alleged) of The Hand It Over Theatre to the potential success of a Worcester Common skating rink is like comparing the Highland House to the PIP Shelter.
BTW, what was our experience with the last skating rink? Now what is that often quoted line about the definition of insanity?
During my lifetime the entire Common situation reminds me a ditzy blonde who drives her husband crazy by demanding different paint and wallpaper every 5 years and re-arranging the furniture once a month.
Also, a year ago we were going to switch over to spray parks...now I thought I read we're going to be making major capital improvements to our existing city pools. How about the skating rink become a spray park in the warmer months. It would get plenty of use every Tuesday night and help cooler heads to prevail.
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