Thanks, Dirk, for cutting through the overwrought rhetoric surrounding this issue. It seems like every inconvenience gives rise to a "sky is falling" response these days.
The county needs a new courthouse. The land to build it is already owned by them --as the VC's long been aware. Nobody's jobs are going anywhere.
I can't help feeling like the real objection is that once the courthouse is built, posh diners might just have to cross paths with the unwashed patrons of our criminal justice system.
I imagine that the main objection is that the VQ has a free, nice green space right next door creating a park like atmosphere that will vanish. I'd feel the same way if some greenspace near my home that I benefited from without paying for was taken away. I'd probably even submit an I,Anonymous about it. This is the VQ's version of submitting an I,Anonymous - venting but not really doing or being able to do anything about it.
That said, that lot seems ill served for the space needs of a courthouse. It will have to be skinny and pretty tall so I wonder if they will try some sort of connecting sky bridge and build on the bit of green space across the road too.
And the VQ might actually have to quit surfing on its nice building, and start providing decent food and service one of these days.
I mean, maybe not, but it'd be nice.
How is it a bad thing for a restaurant that the busiest courthouse in the state is moving-in next door? I suspect many restaurants would be very happy to have this 'problem'.
Did VQ really think that Downtown lot next door would remain vacant forever?
Let me see if I have this straight: These folks are holding up the replacement of a deathtrap public building because of a plot of grass that they don't even own? Some people need to get off their high horses.
Portland would love nothing more than to cover up the place where governor Goldschmidt would hookup with the young woman who he previously raped when she was 14.
The county needs a new courthouse. The land to build it is already owned by them --as the VC's long been aware. Nobody's jobs are going anywhere.
I can't help feeling like the real objection is that once the courthouse is built, posh diners might just have to cross paths with the unwashed patrons of our criminal justice system.
That said, that lot seems ill served for the space needs of a courthouse. It will have to be skinny and pretty tall so I wonder if they will try some sort of connecting sky bridge and build on the bit of green space across the road too.
I mean, maybe not, but it'd be nice.
Did VQ really think that Downtown lot next door would remain vacant forever?