Mayor Peterson Hears Comments, Gives Compliments to Lafayette Square Area Residents and Merchants(posted July 8) In the eyes of Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, the Lafayette Square Area's revitalization progress is on a fast track. Peterson spent about 5 hours touring the Lafayette Square Area July 6 as part of his City Hall For A Day policy. It was a chance for the Mayor to hear from residents and business owners on their own turf instead of the isolation of his office on the top floor of the City County building. Mayor Peterson facilitated a round table discussion at the Abysnnia Ethiopia Cuisine restaurant among the Lafayette Square Area Coalition members and other stakeholders in the area. The coalition has been the major catapult for launching change in the area. He noted the west side is the most heavily diverse population in the county and that cultural diversity can be the "hook" to redevelop the area. According to Peterson, forty years ago this was a "bland area" and now within the last 15 years "it has become an international area." The Mayor explained that immigrants selected Indianapolis to make this their home and to do business because it is a welcoming city. He also noted that some immigrants' dreams have been shattered by entering into leases without checking the zoning first to see if the business they want to operate is a permitted use. They are often locked into the lease with no chance of opening a business if variances are denied. He credited the LSAC for its aggressive action for change and said their coalition is serving as a model for other parts of the city. "You went from 0 to 60 (mph). You got organized and made changes," he said. He touted Kyler Bros for coming back to the region and its ability to use CRED tax credits. He noted they were the biggest installers of geothermal heating and cooling systems. The building itself is heated and cooled with geothermal technique. Peterson explained that his administration is developing a green policy that could change building standards to be more environmentally friendly. Clint Fultz, one of the landlords of Georgetown Republic Theaters, asked the mayor to fight the state to bring back the Community Revitalization Enhancement District ( CRED) tax credits. Fultz noted he would not have invested in the old abandon Cub's Food Store to convert it into Sav-A-Lot and the theater if the tax credits were not available. The state recently ended the 25 percent tax credits for retail businesses which the LSA is mostly comprised of. Fultz said he did not understand how state administration could usurp the law by denying retail the CRED tax credits. The Mayor agreed with the need to fight for the tax credit. He said he was pre-occupied with crime this year at the general assembly but would fight for the area in this year's session of the general assembly. He said the state should want policies that create success stories like the theater and Kyler Bros. Barbara Hurst asked if the city could offer something else instead of tax abatements because it constricts the tax base and places more taxing pressure on the homeowners. The mayor doubted if tax abatements would ever be dissolved other than shortening the time of the tax abatements. He noted it was rare in his administration to give out ten year abatements now. He said the city is limited to the economic incentives it can offer businesses. The city preferred not offer infrastructure help because it dries up the funds that are dedicated to regular infrastructure projects like the widening of 38th Street. He told Hurst the state could reduce the burden of the property taxes by taking back the funding of welfare. It is currently funded by local property taxes. The state does not use property taxes to funds its budget. He said welfare has jumped from $61 million to $102 million in the last three years. According to Nathan Sheets of DPW, the 38th Street $18 million widening project is scheduled for 2010. Sheets said the project is in coordination with INDOT's Accelerate 465 project to reduce as much traffic congestion in the area as possible. The project will start from I-65 and extend to I-465. Sheets explained the Georgetown Road $8.3 million widening project is on time and should be completed September 28. The project not only widened the road, it made it more pedestrian and bicycle friendly by adding a bike path and sidewalk. The coalition would like to see more bus routes, sidewalks and trails to be developed in the area to provide greater mobility and to reduce traffic. The members thought expanded bus routes were critical since Wal-Mart is scheduled to open in February 2008. Samantha Cross of Indy Go noted that ten bus shelters are proposed for Georgetown Road to protect bus riders from inclimate conditions. Indy Go is always reassessing routes to provide better service and to reduce traffic congestion. She noted that Indy Go's customer service line can accommodate ethnic groups with its ability to translate more than 150 languages for those who need bus services. Rafael Bravo requested 9-1-1 hire translators to help the Hispanic and Latino population with their emergency calls. Kerry Forestall of the Sheriff's Department noted the department is always seeking bilingual people, but often there is a shortage of applicants. Bravo said he would seek recruits to fill these 9-1-1 bilingual positions. The town hall series also included the Mayor touring Lafayette Square. Mall shoppers often did a double take as they watched the Mayor stroll in and out of stores as well as window shop with mall manager Jerry Munson and other business leaders. Peterson was very accessible to shoppers and tenants. Tievette Wimbley and her daughter Jariah stopped the Mayor to say hi. Munson informed the Mayor that the mall has only four vacancies and the next tenants are just waiting for leases to expire to move in. He said the tenants of the 21st century are compromised mostly of local entrepreneurs compared to the mall's early history of national chain stores. He also noted that thirty-four years ago the mall's retail space leased for $4.00 per square foot but would not say what it is leasing for today. Munson told the Mayor that the local tenants have more of a commitment to the area and he is able to develop a stronger rapport. He noted that even churches are becoming tenants. He was hesitant to say that it was a developing trend across the country, but said that they make excellent tenants, noting that some are temporary until they can find a site to build. City County Councilor Cherrish Pryor also walked along with the Mayor. She said she likes to shop at the mall and spend her dollars in her district. Her favorite stores are Macy's, Bath and Body Works and Sears. Mayor Peterson stopped at a Hispanic grocery store to better understand the culture. Bravo explained some of the Latino and Hispanic consumer habits to the Peterson when visiting the Los Compadres Supermercado Taqueria y Carnerceria. Bravo explained the that American consumer habits of prepackaged meats are not acceptable among this ethnic group. They like to have their meats custom cut. Mayor Peterson also visited the Saraga International Grocery and talked to the owner Jong Sung. Sung started an Asian super market in Bloomington. Sung explained that he came to Indiana seven years ago from South Korean, but two years ago he decided to relocate to Indianapolis to expand his Asian Market into an international food market. Mayor Peterson was amazed at the assortment of fresh fish Sung receives weekly from New York. He also had a variety of produce including exotic fruits and vegetables. Sung said his consumer shopping base is bigger than Indianapolis. He said he draws customers as far as Kentucky to buy his fish and produce by advertising in the Chinese newspapers. He also credited his growth from word-of-mouth advertising. Sung also expressed a concern about Wal-Mart moving into the area Jason Wetzel of Wal-Mart said these small businesses do not have worry about Wal-Mart opening its super center store at 46th and Lafayette Road because they are small specialized business. He said these are the types of business would qualify for Wal-Mart's JOZ program (Job and Opportunity Zone) to help their businesses grow. He noted that Wal-Mart Manager Joseph Stephenson has been in the LSA area studying consumer habits, likes and dislikes to better serve the area when the store opens in February 2008. "We could not be happier," Peterson said. |
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