Re: Gritman's expansion

["Jean and Bruce Livingston" <jeanlivingston@turbonet.com>]

The truck traffic was there before.  I fail to see what significant
difference in the overall scheme of things is made by shifting the traffic a
block from Eighth Street to Seventh or Ninth Streets.  If the neighborhood
residents prefer not to have one way streets, then that should be
considered.

As to the Gritman expansion plan, I am fully in favor of expanding the
facility of a first rate private hospital that provides a huge benefit to
this community.  Assuming that the cost estimates are accurate, it seems
ludicrous to preserve Eighth Street by use of inefficient bridges between
buildings separated by the (preserved) street.

My only concern would be about setting a precedent by the vacation of city
land that is donated to a private company.  In my opinion vacating is always
a bad idea; in this case it seems to be unavoidable, given the costs and
Gritman's existing investment at the current site.  Given those special
circumstances and the especial value to the community of a first rate
hospital, the vacation, though extraordinary, seems appropriate.  Requiring
Gritman to pay for the land that is given to Gritman is one thing that could
be done, (undoubtedly raising the cost of the project some, but reasonably
so and more accurately reflecting its true cost).  This would establish a
good precedent as well, for those extraordinary occasions (as opposed to
general development for proosed hotel developments, Home Depots and so
forth) when development projects seem to "need" City land for free.
Moreover, the money from that "sale" of vacated land might be used in these
difficult financial times to "mitigate" truck traffic moved a block over,
(by widening intersections, for example, if necessary - this is total
speculation on my part).

Bruce Livingston

-----Original Message-----
From: Philip Cook <pcook@uidaho.edu>
To: vision2020@moscow.com <vision2020@moscow.com>
Date: Monday, November 26, 2001 17:18
Subject: RE: Gritman's expansion


"Barbara Richardson" <edc@moscow.com> wrote:

>The changing of Lewis and Seventh Streets into one-ways is the
>suggestion of the City of Moscow and not Gritman. Therefore, if
>the major concern is with making those streets one-way, this
>issue should be addressed to City officials.

The suggestion has been made in an attempt to mitigate the
effects of closing Eighth Street to heavy truck traffic from the seed
companys in the vicinity.

Please do not attempt to deflect blame for the proposed action to
city officials.

Philip Cook