The City as Landlord (28. June 2005, 07:34 by Derek Young) ~

So the city may be buying the four blocks of MLK that includes Browne’s Star Grill, then search for a private developer willing to build on the block.

Along with the Browne’s building, the city would end up with three other parcels that make up the southern portion of a block occupied on the north by the Alberta J. Canada building, a clean and tidy mix of commercial and low-income senior housing that opened in 2001. The city considers the rest of the block either “blighted” or “under-used.”

We seem to be seeing mixed messages coming out of the city when it comes to development. “Don’t call us. We’ll call you.” The land in the brewery district was off limits to developers with cash and a vision, but we’ll open up MLK (?). While I like the idea, this hardly seems like the carrot to lure interest in new development. Will we get an innovative developer that can bring interesting architecture and attract business or will we end up with another Marriott-like fiasco?

Link: City might buy Hilltop lots – The News Tribune