To: Gratitude
The CVS project was not a threat. It was a re-development project. And as for your wish that North Shore should never be so threatened again. Think again. It can happen tomorrow on any part of Fifth Ave. North, Fourth Street North, or in many interior locations. The potential is there right now. Ticking away. -----------! That is why North Shore activists, years ago, put into place the few tools we have at our disposal to help us manage this re-develoment potential. We would have more tools if they existed. But they don't. Time for us to sit down and start inventing new programs, with the city's help of coarse. No time like the present I say.
P. S. Another person stated in another recent posting that they did not think that the area around the CVS site was slum and blight. Sorry, but it is true. That person, and any others for that matter, needs to pick up a copy of the NRD and read it. The only way that you can become a ''redevelopment district'' is for the local governmental body (St. Petersburg) to define the area (based on careful detailed studies, which they did) as slum and blight based upon the demographics of the area. The formula for determining the slum and blight designation is based upon Federal Guidelines that are nationally based. The figure of 19% rings a bell with me. That is the amount of structures which must be found to be delapidated or in some state of disrepair, etc. There are other criteria as well, but this sort of gives you an idea.
P. S. S. At the June 19th general membership meeting I made a suggestion on how North Shore could try to fix the definition of ''slum and blight'' for the NRD area within North Shore. I made the suggestion during the wonderful discussion of my being axed. Does anyone out there remember what I said? Can anyone write in here and repeat my suggestion on how it can be done? I said it once. Was anyone listening?
By Steven D. Lange
