Seven or so years ago, at the urging of Barrie Tilghman and the local “power elite” – Greater Salisbury, Urban Salisbury, etc. – the City retained a high-priced consultant to advise about revitalization of the Downtown Plaza. It was a set-up: the consulting firm was notorious for telling towns and cities to abandon their pedestrian only areas. That was the recommendation, and that’s what happened. The Plaza now has been a “street” of sorts for long enough to show that the consultant was wildly exaggerating the demand for development here. And, after wasting public funds both to obtain that report and to open the Downtown Plaza to traffic to please those who wanted that, it’s much the same -- many say worse -- than before.
At the City Council’s work session today (Sept. 2). The members will review and discuss another report by a high priced consultant on the “north prong” of the Wicomico River – the part that extends from US Route 50 to Isabella Street. Once again the powers-that-be have maneuvered behind the scenes to obtain a report that could have been predicted in light of the consultant’s reputation. But this time the public risk of following the "expert advice" is much greater.
The report advises that the north prong area can be redeveloped with upscale facilities of various kinds if the City will spend huge amounts – millions of dollars – on infrastructure and, of course, more study and planning. This completely overlooks the fact that there is no legitimate demand for such development of that area, not to mention the largely vacant condo on Riverside Drive, the halted project on Fitzwater Street and significant vacant office and commercial space – on the Downtown Plaza among other locales. The report even suggests that redevelopment of the north prong area will help to revitalize the Downtown Plaza (but, that’s been done already, hasn’t it?).
Once again, the mayor is leading a business-backed effort to address something that is not causing any major problem while other critical matters remain unaddressed. And the plan could cause the displacement of appropriate business use of the north prong with the existing facilities and operations of Perdue Farms and others. This potential disaster and waste of City funds should be killed right now. Send the consultant back to its work in Dubai with a resounding “thanks, but no thanks.”
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
14 comments:
Joe, your a class act, why do you oppose so strongly the redevelopment efforts. Can't you see Salisbury like a mini inner harbour. Way back when Becker Morgan redid the old building on the river, it was a great step. It does take a LOT of money because you have to redo it all. Waterfront property will always be a draw if done right. You have property downtown, it could be so much better with the right plan. Now, whats better when all the low lifes hung out on Fitzwater street, and the chicken plant.... or what could be.
Wouldn't be cheaper to ask other communities that have done this an succeeded instead of spending more to tell us what will probably not work?
We have already tried that and proved that it does not work.
Annon 826
The problem is that the idiots who work for the city are so incapacitated that they can not use common sense to revitalize the area, they would just rather spend +$30,000 on a report to learn what they already know.
That money could have been used to clean up the plaza.
This is why I left Salisbury; it's like talking to people with Down syndrome.
I object, that's an insult to people with Down syndrome.
Never forget the House of Lords, GSC, will be there cheering the Mayor and groupies on. Salisbury would be a better community if the likes of the GSC would just go away. They are all out of touch with the needs of our community. They are the elite and expect everyone else to go along to get along. This is a different world than when they formed so many years ago.
anon 8:26==[LOW Lifes] Where are your eyes when you ride through there on any given day?Could be on London Ave./Johnson Lake area.
8:26-
The Becker Morgan building has not been a catalyst for revitalizartion of that end of the downtown plaza, which has remained as is or, in some cases regressed.
The reason -- no strong demand for space of any kind -- business/residential/commercial -- there.
This latest nonsense, if adopted, would be another sink hole for money that the City does not have.
To suggest that it will result in the betterment of Fitzwater Street or get rid of the Perdue plant is absurd. This is Salisbury, not the Baltimore inner harbor or the Kingdom (or is it a Shiekdom-?) of Dubai.
Your right Annon 856; I apologize. Let’s use the image of Neanderthals making fire with stones next to a set of matches and while the others chase monkeys for sport.
anon 8:50=Its this close[] A DUNN DUNN DEAL!
9:18-
You are correct, but don't forget that the members of the Greater Salisbury Committee and their common goal has also radically changed from that of the truly community and public spirited leaders of yesteryear to the desire of a bunch of pirates and parvenus seeking to line their pockets at the public expense who have controlled the City government under the current mayor. It's been a great marriage of convenience (figuratively speaking)for Barrie Tilghman, whose spouse is among the "new elite".
They killed center city Salisbury when they built the bypass around it. Most of the businesses in down town relocated closer to the traffic flow (J.C. Penney was first I believe).
The best thing happening in center city is Fernando and Hal at the Main Street Gym.
We pay good money to get such advice, might as well just flush the money into the Wicomico River.
I would suggest 8:26 leave the chicken plant alone. That plant has been here long before most of us. I would also venture to say they probably pay the highest water bill in Salisbury, let alone are the largest employer, and no, I have no ties to Perdue. Any idea how much revenue Perdue brings to the State.
I suggest you all leave the north prong alone. There are businesses there that have been there before many of the GSC has been in Salisbury or for those that were born here, those businesses were there before you were born.
Every river does not have to become an inner harbor type setting. Ever been to the inner harbor in Baltimore after the sun sets? It's not the best or safest place to be, thats for sure.
Want to develop the river why don't they finish what they've started on the other side of the bridge. They can't even give those condos away. Leave Perdue alone. When you run them out this city will die. All that will be left for the hospital to care for will be the SU employees. Everyone else will be gone to where the jobs are.
Get your head out of your wallets for a minute and take a look around. Salisbury is far from thriving, it's barely keeping it's head above the shit filled river.
The whole "open the Plaza" thing would probably have a chance to work if they actually opened the Plaza. I don't call that little sqwiggly path an actual street. It needs to be open like it was thirty or so years ago. And then the city needs to encourage retail and discourage all of the chopping up of the old historic downtown store front buildings for offices....what a shame that has been done to so many of them now.
And while I'm speaking about that part of town; how long will the city allow the partially built condo on Fitzwater to stand "as is"? Let's not forget how the old mall site owners were hounded to tear down their eye sore, yet this unfinished monster can remain into infinity?
Me thinks it is time for a new mayor and a clean house.
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