This morning’s Osh NW had 2 interesting articles which shows, for us UWO folks, the differing priorities of our city.
One article, on the bailout of the 100 Main TIF shows that the city has had mixed success in revitalizing the downtown. On one hand, it physically looks good (I’ve been here for about 20 years so I remember what it looked liked pre convention center/hotel, the 100 Main project and Soldiers Square green space) but really it has just been window dressing as the 100 Main project failed from the beginning (which many thought it would).
The other article was on the state budget and the financial needs of the campus to continue expansion projects. What wasn’t mentioned in the article is the need for additional financial support from the community for the new academic building and the stadium complex.
What is interesting is that the university is a proven economic commodity. More so, we are an economic powerhouse. We bring students here, we bring staff here, we bring faculty here. They bring their money here, they put down roots here and they better the community.
A vibrant university fostered the development of the Pearl St corridor with business and apartment complexes paying God only knows how much in property taxes into city coffers. The university has made an effort to show to the community how the stadium complex will continue university growth but the city, via the school district which uses the complex and the community at large won’t help with financial support. The university is now trying to show the community at large how beneficial the new academic building will be.
100 Main was a pipe dream and got taxpayer support, UWO is a proven economic (and social) powerhouse. Which one gets the handout? Yep, 100 Main St. Yes I know, we can’t get TIF money but the school district which uses our facilities, can kick in money towards those facilities.
I’m not crying in my beer but, the university DOES make a tremendously positive (financial, social, intellectual) impact on this city. It would be nice to be recognized by the community at large for this.
1 comment:
Couldn't agree more. An easy answer to the problem would be more integration between town and gown, but how to go about doing that is anyone's guess.
I do have to take you to task for saying the 100 N. Main building looks good, though. Personally every time I go buy it I think the architect came up with the design after a peyote-fueled weekend in Albuquerque, but that's just my own sense of aesthetics.
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