Subject: Re: Memo Murphy Port Place Redevelopment.docx
Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 16:30:17 -0700
From: Franc D'Ambrosio <fdambrosio@fdarc.ca>
To: Frank Murphy <frankmurphy@shaw.ca>
OK, but be careful not to antagonize mayor and council and staff. Even if public agencies deserve criticism (they try but often the alternative to the status quo and the City's economic system is extremely difficult), changing the prevailing ideas and economic drivers of city-building has to be achieved by a collaborative and diplomatic approach if a more desirable outcome is the goal.
Architect Franc D'Ambrosio
fdambrosio@fdarc.ca
On 21-May-10, at 1:32 PM, Frank Murphy wrote:
Thanks for this Franc. -- I'm exploring how to engage the developer in conversation with the surrounding neighbourhood groups -- not to set them up in a shooting gallery but try to open up an actually conversation. Can I quote from this email on the blog?
Frank
On 19/05/2010 11:58 AM, Franc D'Ambrosio wrote:
Thanks for keeping me in the loop Frank.
While I understand the pressures on the owner, and his on the Mayor and Council, and I am familiar with the resulting compromises that the Mayor (through his staff) is making, I do not believe that these are anything other than accommodating a private sector economic priority over the public interest in the future of the city as a whole. I am disappointed but not discouraged as I spend much time dealing with this conundrum in many of our projects.
The public process and direct appeal to the owner are still two potential avenues for possibly redeeming the proposal.
Orchestrating a grass-roots move to exert pressure; and perhaps make Council aware that there desire to increase commercial tax base results simply in a private commercial business being allowed to derive a higher profit margin from the public at the expense of the quality of the life of that same public.
Sometimes an owner needs the knowledge that there may not be public(customer?) support for what they are proposing. They must somehow be convinced that they must take a longer term and broader view of the impact their businesses have on the 'host city' that they choose to consider as a market for their wares and a place to park their customers cars.
Architect Franc D'Ambrosio
MAIBC MRAIC LEED ap
Principal
D ' A M B R O S I O
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