|
|
Dithering?
A recent Daily camera editorial used the "D" word to describe Boulder City Council consideration of 9th & Canyon possibilities.
"Dithering" is a strong word, which should be saved for serious offenders. Congress, for example, or those in charge of baggage at DIA, or makers of Haiti policy.
9th & Canyon deliberations don't qualify.
It is reasonable to have some compassion for Warren Rovetch's 18-month, fruitless effort. However, Sina Simantob took longer than that to put together the original hotel proposal and anyone attempting development in Boulder should expect a long and indefinite process. If being a developer were easy, everyone would do it.
For that matter, with no developer involved, just the City arguing with itself, a decision on the library addition took more than 18 month.
However, it was still a library at the end. 9th & Canyon could turn out to be almost anything, to include preservation in its current state into the next century, If preserved, it would be nice if the fences came down, and the People's Parking Lot returned.
When Council went o work on this second round, it was amazing to watch a group of dedicated no-growthers turn into glazed-eyed, big-thinking developers. A revived hotel evolved into "mixed use" proposals on grand scales, possibly to include cement handprints of visionary Councilpersons. Among the big, new proposals was (saints preserve us) a New England-style roundabout in the middle of Canyon boulevard.
Sobriety has gradually returned. If downtown traffic and parking are a concern, why on earth build and intensive use project which will drag more cars downtown? The downtown development pattern for 20 years has been new construction of offices and retail proceeding faster than creation of new parking. Downtown needs limits on new construction so that new parking can catch up, and stay in balance. Why add 9th & Canyon to a losing race?
It takes time to achieve sober consensus, and despite Allyn Feinberg's desires for speed, there is no community agreement yet in sight.
Grandiose "mixed use" has been replaced by "civic use," whatever that means. Final resting place for Boulder's mausolea? The band shell, the depot, the teahouse, and the old, rusted, Baseline and Broadway sculpture?
How about a spot for Tim Honey's dream for a new administrative HQ? We must have more space for the Action Group for Subcommunity Tunneling on 30th Street, the Committee for Removing Broadway, the Study Panel for the edgewood Speedway, the Integrated Planners for Putting Broadway Back, and the Advocates for Diverse Turnpike Bridges.
Or this author's preference: green grass, underground parking, and a pedestrian bridge over Canyon linking downtown with the creek path. If open space is a good idea on the edge of town, why not in town?
Take your time, please. No hurry here. As is, the site is easy to change. Once some misfortunate has been built, we'll have to live with it at least until BURA can condemn it, and start over.
|
