Light Addenda

Here's an another important question for the Triangle Noir section of my previous post:

How will this increase the prosperity and well-being of the residents of the affected public housing projects?

Also, for a progressive anti-poverty, pro-Hope VI perspective, read this blog post by Ryan Fowler, which I discovered after he left this comment.

Light

Memphis has recently publicized 2 major initiatives with huge real estate angles, Triangle Noir and the Parks Services Master Plan.

As these move forward, backward, sideways, into the shadows, under the cone of silence and back through the echo chamber, we must ask hard questions of everyone -- the public officials, the businesspeople, the citizens --- not just the politicians! -- involved with them.

For instance, re: the Parks Services Master Plan:

1. Who's on the committee?
2. What's the proportion of citizen representation to business representation?
3. How much of that is developer representation?
4. Do any of the representatives have contracts with the city?
5. Do any of the representatives have relatives who work for the city?
6. Do any of the representatives have private dealings with the Mayor?
7. Are any possible divestitures in the vicinity of major city led developments, e.g., Uptown, Fairgrounds, etc.
   

or for Triangle Noir:

1. Why is it necessary to remove anybody from the Triangle Noir? Isn't there enough space to infill?
2. Hasnt' the public housing being recently renovated? How is it dilapidated?
3. How does this improve Memphis outside of Downtown?
4. How will we pay for the elderly housing required in the rest of the city?
5. Are there enough Section 8 vouchers available to everyone scattered by Triangle Noir?
6. Will eminent domain be used?
7. If so, will takings be given to private developers?
8. Are any of the possible developers on the Mayor's host committee?
9. Who owns property in the Triangle now?
10. What are their connections to city government?
11. What will Triangle Noir do to the mix of income in downtown Memphis?
    

I don't believe the questions are cynical. They're just the type of questions that should be asked anywhere the public realm is opened to exclusive private uses. Vigilantly asked by citizens and the press, and reasonably answered by independent means, they're an antidote to cynicism.

Public-private partnerships promise revenue and/or efficiency, but they will eviscerate the public realm, subvert public power to private ends and corrupt our democracy unless we ask and get answers.

Sculpture Garden on South Main

I love the sculpture garden that sprouted in the past week at South Main and Talbot.



It's a happy visual surprise.









I love the art and I love its setting, in a corner lot that's neither hyper-manicured nor abandoned. It has a beautiful old Tulip Poplar on the Talbot side, and bushes and small trees on the non-Main sides, to give it definition. The setting feels organically Memphis.



Congratulations to the students who put it together. They have added real economic value to South Main. The value should come back to them.

Belvedere Block Party 2008

A new festival in the cool unique location of the pocket park on the corner of Belvedere and Madison.

Suggested Skatepark Sites: Binghamton Park

Skatelife Memphis' efforts to build a public skatepark here have recently cleared another hurdle when the City Council approved funds for a skatepark in committee. The City Council must still approve the full budget.

Here are some photos I took of a suggested location, Binghamton Park.

It has a playground for small kids while their older siblings skate.



It has several clear rectangular areas bordered with trees that can provide shade, without creating obstacles for construction or too much overhead debris for skaters.

Here are 2 rectangles, the smaller next to the large tree, a larger defined by the trees in the middle.



Here's a much larger rectangle that leaves room for the soccer fields (which appear to be used quite a bit).


Other points:

• 4 blocks to Sam Cooper Boulevard, 2 blocks to Poplar. I think you could get to it in 30 minutes from anywhere in the county.
  
• It has on street parking going both ways on at least 3 sides of the park.
• It's in a diverse neighborhood.
• It felt safe when I was there. There were 4 or 5 families using the playground.

With or without a skatepark, Binghamton Park is a really nice Memphis park.