It looks like City Council has an agenda item to grant VMC's Minvilla boondoggle another cool million of our money tomorrow night. It is very concerning that this is being put to a vote nearly two weeks prior to the closing of the public input session. This doesn't bode well for the value of the public input phase.

There are so many good things happening "downtown North"; these include:

a. Broadway/Central Corridor Plan
b. Birth of Downtown North Organization
c. Removal via TDOT of the former porn store at Broadway & Fifth
d. Historic designation allowing access to tax credits
e. Broadway façade improvements
f. Continuation of the TYP (which, if effective, will make the
area more appealing)
g. St. John's Lutheran's improvement plans at the NE corner of
the intersection

I support the housing first initiative but not the further concentration of homeless services/low-income housing, etc. that is unprecedented. In my opinion, our Ten Year Plan will become the prototype...of what NOT to do. We should listen to those who are investing in the area.

Ten years ago a group of thoughtful citizens came together to voice concern over the proposed Justice Center on Gay St. and today this same group opposes the proposed use of Minvilla. It also seems that every developer & business owner involved in "downtown-North" is also opposed. When will our city listen to those who are making good things happen?

Oh well,
Bill Pittman