10/28/2006

Downtown development topic of meetings

Developers want to keep politics out of it

By
Record-Eagle staff writer

TRAVERSE CITY — A discussion without the politics is the aim of three upcoming community forums on downtown development.

Four Traverse City developers invited the public to the meetings to talk about public financing for projects, small-town character and the lack of voter support for a bond issue to pay for a public parking deck on West Front Street, despite strong backing from government officials.

The first session will begin at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Hagerty Center at Northwestern Michigan College. Other meetings are scheduled for Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, with locations to be announced.

Gene LaFave is one of the local developers who thought there was a need for discussion after more than 71 percent of city voters in August rejected a bond issue of up to $16 million to pay for public parking in a mixed-use development by Federated Properties.

The idea, he said, is to give citizens, business owners, Downtown Development Authority and city officials and others a chance for a "reasonable, intellectual discussion unencumbered by politics."

"It seemed as though the entire west end vote was either directed by the developer, the DDA or the city, take your pick," LaFave said. "Sometimes when the same people direct the conversation the ears become deaf, and the only time you really get to hear the ears is when they vote no."

DDA Executive Director Bryan Crough said he doesn't know details about the forums but said the DDA would be interested in listening.

Forum organizers include LaFave; Bernard Stover, who built the Harbour View Centre; Ray Minervini, developer of Building 50 at the old state hospital grounds; and Gerald Snowden, co-developer of Radio Centre.

Stover and LaFave were critical of parts of the city contract with Federated. Snowden proposed an alternative public parking deck in January, which he said could cost less than Federated's proposal. But Snowden said a letter outlining the idea was retracted because of political pressure before city commissioners learned of it.

The Nov. 8 session is to include a discussion amongst various groups on their vision for downtown and how those opinions differ or are shared.

"I think we all have a vested interest in seeing how downtown develops and grows," said Raymond Minervini II.