Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Too much for a new building?

THE CITY OF Quincy is negotiating with an Iowa firm to build a large building at Fourth and Maine, vacant for a year since the Newcomb burned down. Click here for The Whig story.

As a business owner a block away, I like the idea of having 20 market rate apartments, though I question if they will be filled. I also like the idea of having more than 4,500 square feet of retail space on the main floors. Both apartments and other businesses will drive more people downtown.

It could also mean parking issues, though we have more parking down here than people think. I do not like the idea of the city leasing four of the aparments to maintain occupancy rates. The city has no business getting into something like that, but that's just my ill-informed opinion.

The city would have to provide up to $3 million in incentives. Really? Is it just the cost of doing business? Or is this Iowa company taking Quincy to the bank?

I won't judge the appearance of the building from a drawing in the paper, but it looks a little cookie-cutter to me.

Remember the history of this location, and the infuriating former owner from Chicago who didn't give two bleeps about Quincy and thumbed his nose at us for years. Maybe it's worth it to give in and make a sweet deal. And nobody from the community stepped in to make a bid on the property, which is disappointing.

Let's get somebody and something up at the corner, but let's not sell the farm to do it.











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