Although, as Gossips reported, the actual groundbreaking happened a couple of weeks ago, the ceremonial groundbreaking for 76 North Seventh Street took place this afternoon, in front of a giant, partially waterfilled pit. In addition to some ground floor commercial space, the building to be constructed on the site will have 63 residential units, 12 of which will be affordable for moderate income households (80 percent of the area median income) and 51 of which will be affordable for middle income households (130 percent of the area median income).
In his remarks, Dan Kent of the Galvan Foundation spoke of the building as the beginning of the Depot District and credited Mayor Kamal Johnson with being its inspiration. He also acknowledged the role played in the Depot District project by Rick Scalera, Fifth Ward supervisor, former longtime mayor, and special adviser to the Galvan Foundation.
In his remarks, Johnson spoke of Hudson's housing crisis and attributed the cancellation, for the second year, of Hudson High School's varsity football season and also staff shortages at Columbia Memorial Health to the lack of affordable housing in Hudson.
Then Kent and Johnson, along with Mike Tucker, president and CEO of Columbia Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), donned hard hats and took hold of the ceremonial shovels to carry out the groundbreaking. (Tucker, Kent, and Johnson appear from left to right in the photos below.)
Thank you Dan, Kamal and Rick for following through with a horrible idea that will make the neighborhood less livable and have an overall negative impact on the city. You couldn't have chosen a worse location for your solution to solve the city's housing crisis. You will also create a parking crisis.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty certain that in the not too distant future, you will all regret having pushed this development, whether or not the other apartment building across the street ever materializes.
I believe the students on the football team were unable to meet the minimum scholastic requirements to stay on the team. I don't see how you can blame that on the lack of affordable housing. Many hospitals are having problems with employment after COVID as many healthcare workers opted to move to lower risk job opportunities, also not due to a lack of affordable housing. It seems to me the primary beneficiaries of these projects are the builders and developers. The impacts on the existing residents of Hudson in terms of increased traffic, congestion, trash, sewage, water consumption and burden on city and county services are primarily negative.
ReplyDeleteHudson normally has tryouts for the football team. The last two years this hasn't happened. Why, because there just aren't enough students. If a team fields 18 players and 2 have academic trouble or are injured/COVID the season is over. Most of the kids that normally would be playing for Hudson are now in other school districts.
DeleteProperty hoarding for profit.
ReplyDeleteI'm no fan of Galvan, but we do need clean and modern middle class rental stock. We also need to refresh the old low income housing, like Bliss - but not double it like they are planning. Tax wise we can't afford it.
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