Friday, July 12, 2013
Main Street Grant Update
Although last night's public hearing was about a different grant (the Community Development Block Grant [CDBG]), the question raised by Gossips on Wednesday about the target area for the Main Street grant was asked of grant consultant John "Duke" Duchessi: Why target an area where there are virtually no businesses or commercial buildings?
Duchessi explained the choice of Columbia Street from Fourth to Seventh by saying that it was made after his colleague Bill Roehr had walked the street "with local people" (who those local people were was not revealed), but he agreed to alter the target area in the application either to include or to focus specifically on the stretch of Columbia Street from Seventh to Eighth streets, where there actually are commercial buildings and businesses that could benefit from a grant to enable facade improvements.
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I find the CDBG, Rural Area Revitalization, and Main Street grants very confusing and these municipal corporations mysterious. Of the commercial Blds. mentioned on Gossips between 4th-7th street on Columbia St, on Gossips of Rivertown
ReplyDeleteThursday, July 11, 2013
"News from the Planning Commission"
513-515 Columbia is for sale asking $750,000
517-519 Columbia is for sale asking$ 499,000
The former church at 19 N.6th, now sound studio..although not mentioned, is on corner of N6th and Columbia, and commercial, and it's N.face is all Columbia St.. would probably qualify.
19 N.6th is for sale asking $600,000
and of the buildings suggested by Gossips, above 7th St. "south side of Columbia between Park Place and Eighth Street"
the one that is shown in photograph on corner of Columbia and Park Place, on blog on 6/11/13 "News from the Planning Commission."
24-26 Park Place is for sale asking $530,000.
Why would anyone decide to give these people grants?
Not that they asked.
I don't get it.
This City is so strapped, from such gross mismanagement(to be kind) of our limited tax base, resources and grants
and the myriad of needs in this Community , caused by the afore mentioned long term gross mismanagement of our limited financial resources and the compulsion in Hudson, to sell what little land & buildings , we have left ,for next to nothing & then embark on more & more financial fiascos, under the complete control of unqualified & incompetent or worse, City Officials,has caused great damage and created many needs in this City. Perhaps some of this could qualify under some of these 3 Grants, to help start to rectify some of the problems.
Giving private owners of commercial buildings construction grants as opposed to them going to their bank for a loan,I do not understand.
We do need grants for essential things, much caused by neglect, like Safety 1st : hazards to our water, sewage systems, environmental, and infrastructure safety etc., that these grants don't seem to be for.
But maybe quality of life issues, say like up to date Youth Centers ,with different indoor and out door facilities, in more than one location ,well lit streets, Public transportation that works for the needs of the citizens, and visitors. Restoration of our fountain and 7th St Park and on & on...the list is very ,very long.
I am not even talking about brownfields, truck rte isssues or waterfront.,as these are not part of these grants either.
The facades/buildings of many of the businesses on Warren and other Southside & some Northside buildings look very handsome ,accomplished primarily by individuals with their own resources,
labor & talents.
.....just don't scratch too deep below the surface.
This City is a mess.
There is no City Planning.
Money has been squandered, continually, to the point of acceptance.
Maintenance has been near non existent. Things are fixed half ass only when they break.
Codes are not enforced .Sidewalk maintenance by property owners are not enforced and Slumlords seem to get a free pass. Aside from parking ; fines, if any and debts are not collected. Our general fund is treated as some magic ATM.
I don't think there are grants for municipal irresponsibility.
All bulldozing aside,
If it were not for the genius of the Quakers starting in 1784 as City Planners,
builders of infrastructure as well as buildings...the original city would have self destructed many,many decades ago, just structurally.
I have tried very hard here, actively, to make this a safer place to live
for myself and my neighbors.
Not the fun creative stuff. Real things ,real dangers. I have taken a lot of abuse for giving a shit.
There is no more road left, to kick the can down. Things seriously need to change..or I just need to cut my losses and get out of this place.
I hear you PA.
ReplyDeleteI'm in complete agreement with you and applaud all of your precise work in clearly illustrating not only who would benefit from this grant, but how this proposal is clearly out of step with what Hudson really needs. I'd like to know who identifies what the grant writers are going to be applying for and if there are any reviews, discussions and oversight in this very important area. The grant writers' talents in acquiring funds for the City should be used constructively to benefit ALL; I am not aware of there being a City Planning Commission that oversees things of this nature. Does anyone have any further information about this?
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