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To: Tom Shuttleworth
From: Peter Labrie and Tom Bane
Subject: Rezoning of Northwest Bankhead site for 540
units of public nousing
We have examined various factors and issues concerning the rezoning
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of the Northwest Bankhead site for 540 units of 'turnkey' public housing
and have come up with the following findings and recommendations.
Community Facilities and Services Needed
According to our information on the NW area construction of the 540
units at the Bankhead site would probably generate the following needs in
community facilities and services:
{ (1) One (1) elementary school
(2) One (1) neighborhood park
(3) Public transportation improvements providing efficient access
to a library, community park and shopping centers
(4) Book mobile to provide library service within the area
An increase in urgency to resolve high school problems of the
Ab ay Gommeruction of the public housing project would bring
additional high school students into the area. This would
probably increase the overcrowding at Archer or Fulton High
Schools, but still not justify the construction of a new high
school, thereby further aggravating a deteriorating high school
situation.
Problems in Provision of Needed Facilities and Services
One can also expect certain problems to be encountered in meeting
the needs listed above. These problems would probably include:
(1) Competition between the Bankhead and Browntown public housing
sites for elementary school funds. This brings up such guestions
as the following: Is it too late to place the schools on the
next bond issue? Would there be enough funds for schools for
both projects? If not, which project would come first?
Reinforcement of already prevailing attitude among NW residents
that their area is becoming a ‘dumping ground' for public
housing. More over, rezoning of the Bankhead site would
undoubtedly make residents less prone to accept rezoning of
the Browntown site.
Considerable difficulty in making necessary public transportation
improvements. From the residents’ point of view, efficient
bus service would be a dire need, but from the point of view
of the bus line, which is privately owned, there would not be
enough people in the project to make the improvements profitabdie.
Additional Considerations
In addition to the above problems there are some other highly sisnif-
icant consideration which must be taken into account.
(1) Construction of the Bankhead project would in fact contribute
to the current trend of an overconcentration of public housing
in the NW area. This in turn would aggravate the developing
social problems in the area, especially the feelings among the
residents of social isolation and hostility toward city hall about
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being ‘'dumped' into public housing projects in the outskirts
‘ - of the city. In fact, it may very well be that the. benefits of
: | erecting additional public housing projects in the NJ will be
x outstripped by the costs of Paarea eed social problems.
(2) There is a lack of information on development plans for the
) area surrounding the Bankhead site. Such factors as compata-
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ow \ydility of nearby industries, potentiality of an employment base,
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ovr ov at possibility of a mixture in types of housing, etc. should be
Me" yu se carefully examined before a decision is. made on rezoning the
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site.
Recommendation
in light of the above findings it is our recommendation that the
Bankhead site not be considered for rezoning for public housing until the
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following conditions are met:
(1) The study on public housing is released which shows that every
effort is being made to distribute public housing throughout
|Y the city.
(2) Preliminary provisions are made for meeting community facilities
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pe and service needs: schools, parks, public transportation service,
etc.
i (3) More information exists on the potential and probable develop-
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ur 90 ' ment of areas surrounding the site.
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We will be glad to discuss the matter with you at your earliest
convenience. *
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