March 14, 2010

Chevalier Furniture

I read in the newspaper yesterday, although I can not find right now, how they were being bought out by a larger national chain.  The employees, however, would be retained and the owner would be retained as the manager of the store, which will be located at the former Ethan Allen location in Auburn.

This may a stretch, but isn't this almost the perfect example of our over commitment to no-lo income housing?   Once stood a commercial tax-paying property and now we will have a another no-lo income housing project, while the underlying business moves out of the City of Worcester.  I know all the proponents of no-lo income housing will tell me how professional working people can qualify for these units, but drive by May Street and tell me how may professional working people are living there.

Here some links to some stories on this development that you may find interesting:


  • April 2, 2009    The Worcester project, by Winn Development, will receive $1.55 million in housing subsidies as well as $576,000 in federal credits and $2.5 million in state tax credits...   Bottom line $4,626,000 of our tax monies being given in the form of grants.   How can any private developer compete with $4,626,000 of "free monies".  
  • March 19, 2009.   According to the developer’s site-plan application, 32 of the 64 housing units will be low-income rental housing. The remaining 32 units will consist of mixed-income housing units that will remain as rental for five years — in connection with the historic tax credit period — and then have the potential for sale.  Is there anything from stopping all 64 units from be no-lo housing?
As developers can get $4,626,000 of "free" monies and our city continues to roll out the red carpet, we will only see more and more of these developments.  Projects coming to a neighborhood near you:
  1. Old Voke School
  2. Mason Street
  3. Southgate Place (Old City Builders)
  4. 93 Grand Street
Lets spend time talking about a 6 month moratorium on sign rather then the 800 pound guerilla that is taking over our city. 

12 comments:

amazed said...

well said.. look at comments below...under your sign story change sign to no/lo vote for none of the above next election...continues to go down the sewer.. as fast as the system set in place on MAy st... by the way who is paying for that. I believe Steve from WCG went to the city fro help along with the side walks.. will the city tell you

jAHN said...

Mr Randell, Jr, I dont know if this has come on here before....but.......


i READ IN YESETERDAYS hERALD (3-13) that there are attempts to get a ballot question on NO LO housing sponsored by two groups called the Slow Growth Initiative [SGI](Chelmsford) and the Coalition for Sustainable Population (Acton) [CSP]. Dont-cha just love that term sustainable !!!! Both non profits. Fight fire with fire ...huh??

How much you wanna bet that Lowell is bursting at the seams and some border areas of Chelmsford through osmosis and transference are taking on Lowell-esque characteristics

Seems Marcia Croakley wants to stop them for soliciting donations until they register w/the state. (Does anyone wonder she couldnt get elected?)

The same Croakley who goes after old ladies running thrifts shoppes on Cape Cod to benefit cancer patients....first for not registering with the state and then on sales tax issues. Now they'll have hire overpaid beancounters and barristers or close up shoppe.

I can't seem to call up yesterdays paper but I have the actual paper. It's on Pp 32, Business section.

Interestingly enough until 4 months ago the SGI has had only one donor, a software dude who ponied up a cool half million.

The folks in the 495 suburban beltway get it. Why dont our city councilors? I'll tell ya why...b/c few if any of them consitently operate in a business like fashion. I am even getting fed up w/Konnie and her ridiculous green agenda. Let's clean up the city fincially first, then we can worry about who is passing too much gas every Tuesday night.

It's time for Elmer Fudd to move in next door to JOB so he can live with what he has forced on Worc the last 15 years....all in the name of growing his voter base.

Gabe said...

Ask yourself this question Bill (and I am by no means a proponent of low more low income housing in Worcester) why would a professional working person want to live in Main South? Okay now ask yourself why they would want to live in the Canal District, or North Main. If marketed correctly it's like apples and oranges.

Compare neighborhood amenities. Seriously it's two completely different situations.

I think it all depends on the neighborhood. It all depends on the neighborhood is something most of Worcester, politicians, planners, businessmen, and citizens, just don't get.

Location
Location
Location

When the majority finally get it, I think we'll see a nice synergy. Until then, we'll be stuck with what we've got.

Jeff Barnard said...

Here's a link to the story in the Norwich Bulletin on Tuesday.

Bill Randell said...

Gabe:

I think we agree. The Canal district has alot more amenities and being so close to a train station with what we hope will be more reliable commuter service bodes well for the area.

My point is lets give all the break in the world to Donald Trump to build market rate housing, not Winn!!

Bill

Mike Elfland said...

Bill - Here's the URL for the Chevalier item that was published Saturday. Sorry you couldn't find it; our Search tool is less than 100 percent, to be sure. - Mike Elfland, telegram.com

http://www.telegram.com/article/20100313/DIGESTS/3130309/1143/BUSINESS

Paulie's Point of View said...

"Canal District, or North Main"

what is so attractive about the Canal District and North Main?...a few bars and restaurants and highway?...no places to buy food...no places to buy good pet food...few banks if any...no drugstores...little housing or any sense of a neighborhood...no parks...no ponds....I could go on...but I was hoping you would make the case for apples to oranges on your own Gabriel

what is so good about the Canal District or North Main location that is perpindicular to Main South??

There is more to urban revitilization than a few new pubs and two dollar taco joints..something most in this city think is the only cure and a huge reason we still sit in this malaise of mediocrity

Jahn said...

Senor' Paulie, it is not about the real estate or the businesses or the infrastructure. It is not about what the Canal District or North Main has vs Mian South or Piedmont. It's about what the Canal District and North Main do not have.

It is all about the people.

North Main does not have PPPP's (Paulie's Piedmont Pajama People). Main South does.

Almost, similiarly for the Canal District...at least at the moment. Hopefully we can Winn the Chevalier/PPPP battle shaping up in the CD

Paulie's Point of View said...

they have no people Senor Pedro Jahn..very little housing down in the Canal District..but what is on the block..no-lo in the Chevalier Bldg..no housing down in North Main....

we are seeing some changes down here in VOP....more home ownership..less crime..it takes more than posts on blogs..one has to actually get involved and commit to something

Jahn said...

Paulie, agreed there are fewere people in both the areas you mention, However what people there are in Norht Main are further up lifes food chain.

Banal District peeps probably somewhere in between VOP and N.M.

Paulie's Point of View said...

building on other side of 224 Chandler undergoing massive renovation...shite is happening but it is on the private side not what is happening in Main South...everything in Main South is being fueled by free money..that is not going to change the scenario down there..

contemporary sofas said...

Nice development.