[RP TownTalk] Wachovia and the Field of Rubble

[Cranky old Coot]

As Alan said the history of the agreement for what would be done with 
this peace of _private_ property at Rt 1/410 is long and filled with 
emotion. Players have come and gone some have changed from one official 
position to an other.
>  ... why can't we -- as a community -- tell him what we want to see 
> there? 
And we wonder why development has been so slow to come to Riverdale 
Park?  If this were your house (not your neighbor's house) would you 
feel the same? First, 'we as a community', want to discuss whether your 
house will be historically correct; anything from provincial to Federal 
to Victorian (before the mansion to after) - what you can afford is not 
part of this discussion. Even after you decide on a design that is 
historically correct let's discuss it.

Now that "we" have approved what "your" house will be, let us discuss 
historically correct lead-base paint. Now the color. Now when that is 
decided, lets go back and require "your" house be multi-family - "we" 
don't care how reclusive you are. Oh and by the way "we" think your 
front door should be on the other side.

"We" also have views on your landscaping, where your driveway should be, 
the number of parking spaces.

Do you still want to build "your" house in Riverdale? Or will you find 
it easer to build somewhere else? I'm really sorry if you already own 
the property in town. Now that Riverdale has tipped its hand it will be 
hard to find someone else to sell  the property to or build on it.
==
I'm sure I have overlooked something (Ok the lead paint may be a 
stretch) but all these topics were part of the council's discussion. In 
many cases a topic was addressed by both M-C-TC and then again by the 
council. Time at council meetings was spent discussing where the 
planters should be and what should be in them; Council members spent 
time counting parking spaces and the pros and cons of where the front 
door should be.

The council (I think, maybe it was M-U-TC) required the bank building be 
a multi use building. How many thriller books/movies do you know of 
where the basic story line involved tunneling from an office/building 
into the neighboring bank? Just lately I have seen a NCIS and Sherlock 
Holmes episodes with this plot element. Logic not withstanding Riverdale 
may have the only suburban bank with a building tent.
> Why are we letting developers just offer up development that isn't 
> right for the area? ESPECIALLY, since that piece of property is one of 
> the most valuable and visible that this town has.
I question the view that the development 'isn't right for the area.' 
Established businesses don't survive, spending money expanding into an 
area that 'isn't right'. Their criteria may be different than your, but 
I will bet before they spend millions of dollars they have spend lots of 
time, and money, making sure the location is right.
>
> If there is any redress on this development, it would be great to 
> know. Maybe we need to rethink how a development like this can get 
> through the council with a, "well...okay..."
A review of the council meetings would indicate that is not what 
happened. But then if more people attended council working and 
legislative sessions maybe ...
>
> Just think about Hyattsville - they stuck to their guns and are 
> experiencing PLANNED, gradual, steady and hopefully sustainable 
> development. There might be lesson's learned from our sister 
> communities as we go down the road of development.
There may also be a lesson in that the development STOPS at the 
Riverdale Park line. You can tell where Riverdale starts. Just look for 
the defunk gas station.

The good news is there is an established process, developed with lots of 
public input, for controlling the growth of Riverdale Park.

The bad news is there is an established process...    I am a newcomer to 
Riverdale (~1995) and have seen more businesses leave/close than open. 
There is Rt 1/410 - Right we now have McDs. How about town center? Ask 
the Dunn's.  On the up side there is the Farmer's Market however.

COC