After 67 years, Alabama apologizes for failing to prosecute gang rape

After months of outcry from St. Paul's minority and small-business advocates, the Federal Transit Administration has made its final prediction as to the impact that construction of the most expensive public works project in state history - the Central Corridor light-rail transit line - will have on businesses along University Avenue and in downtown ...

[Bill Hosko]

Story: "The report found that it's impossible to separate construction impacts from the everyday reality of "external economic factors, unemployment rates and world events." The report does, however, include a new condition for the Metropolitan Council, which is overseeing construction of the $957 million route from downtown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis. Beginning May 10, the Met Council must inform the FTA on the 10th of each month the extent of its business mitigation efforts, including construction complaints and efforts to respond to those complaints."

To begin with the Metropolitan Council should be abolished for planning this coming Saint Paul disaster.... The FTA is gutless in this report and in protect mode for the politicians supporting CCLRT. The taxpayers are getting soaked and numerous businesses irreparably harmed...

TCF Bank just closed its only downtown location in Town Square, and they were on a skyway level location next to the planned CCLRT route. Across the street Paul Hartquist Jewelers is leaving Cedar Street between Sixth and Fifth after 22 years and is moving up to the skyway level because of CCLRT removing his on street parking. Downtown is losing 132 prime parking meter spaces because of CCLRT. I could go on and on.... Perhaps someone else can pick up where I left off...

The existing and coming negative business impacts are clear for many to see except the politicians and 'urban planners' who cobbled together their shortsighted plans and they are not about to lose face, yet.

[I agree]

Just the other day when entire city blocks with chain-link fences and no parking. Directions advising patron's to use side streets which are half blocked off and the balance taking increased traffic. I thought no impact here! Now can I get a government job and reach other dumbA$$ conclussions?

[tuna-free dolphin]

Right, no impact on local businesses, no impact on traffic when it's done, no impact on my quality of life. The only thing light rail impacts is everyone's wallet.

[Ronnie]

If for every business that went out of business a FTA, Met Council, or city employee/regulator gets fired, the light rail debacle would seize to exist rapidly to everyone's benefit.

[sointly]

Bill Hosko wrote:

Story: "The report found that it's impossible to separate construction impacts from the everyday reality of "external economic factors, unemployment rates and world events." The report does, however, include a new condition for the Metropolitan Council, which is overseeing construction of the $957 million route from downtown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis. Beginning May 10, the Met Council must inform the FTA on the 10th of each month the extent of its business mitigation efforts, including construction complaints and efforts to respond to those complaints."
To begin with the Metropolitan Council should be abolished for planning this coming Saint Paul disaster.... The FTA is gutless in this report and in protect mode for the politicians supporting CCLRT. The taxpayers are getting soaked and numerous businesses irreparably harmed...
TCF Bank just closed its only downtown location in Town Square, and they were on a skyway level location next to the planned CCLRT route. Across the street Paul Hartquist Jewelers is leaving Cedar Street between Sixth and Fifth after 22 years and is moving up to the skyway level because of CCLRT removing his on street parking. Downtown is losing 132 prime parking meter spaces because of CCLRT. I could go on and on.... Perhaps someone else can pick up where I left off...
The existing and coming negative business impacts are clear for many to see except the politicians and 'urban planners' who cobbled together their shortsighted plans and they are not about to lose face, yet.

And then there's the ongoing cost to the taxpayer to subsidize the operations and keep fares at unprofitably low levels.

This is a RED HERRING on steroids.

[Bill]

Bill Hosko wrote:

Story: "The report found that it's impossible to separate construction impacts from the everyday reality of "external economic factors, unemployment rates and world events." The report does, however, include a new condition for the Metropolitan Council, which is overseeing construction of the $957 million route from downtown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis. Beginning May 10, the Met Council must inform the FTA on the 10th of each month the extent of its business mitigation efforts, including construction complaints and efforts to respond to those complaints."
To begin with the Metropolitan Council should be abolished for planning this coming Saint Paul disaster.... The FTA is gutless in this report and in protect mode for the politicians supporting CCLRT. The taxpayers are getting soaked and numerous businesses irreparably harmed...
TCF Bank just closed its only downtown location in Town Square, and they were on a skyway level location next to the planned CCLRT route. Across the street Paul Hartquist Jewelers is leaving Cedar Street between Sixth and Fifth after 22 years and is moving up to the skyway level because of CCLRT removing his on street parking. Downtown is losing 132 prime parking meter spaces because of CCLRT. I could go on and on.... Perhaps someone else can pick up where I left off...
The existing and coming negative business impacts are clear for many to see except the politicians and 'urban planners' who cobbled together their shortsighted plans and they are not about to lose face, yet.

First of all connecting the closing of a skyway bank branch to the light rail construction is a bit of a stretch.

On the other hand new development is already happening. Are you going to say that the sale and renovation of the Pioneer-Endicott is unrelated to the light rail. What about Ecolab recently deciding to stay in downtown? You think the Lyric on University would have been built without light rail? Big Daddy's BBQ on University has recently decided to open on Wednesdays. The biggest threat to the success of this corridor with light rail is zoning that forces everything to stay the same. Cities change with time, stop looking backwards.

Sadly my grandma asked this yesterday. "Can I get to my doctor on university? All these people say businesses are closing because university is closed." I had to inform that university avenue was indeed open. The decision to build it has been made, how about instead of all this doom and gloom we spread the word that university avenue along with its businesses are open.

[Tom Roberts]

To: Bill Hosko,,, Nice Post! Now my Rant :)

This boondoggle was sold to us as a Jobs creator.
We had been told that the Corridor would create 4000 jobs and the sun would shine on Mpls & St Paul!

Now here is reality, The corridor with a Billion Dollar price tag, has to date created less then 250 jobs! This includes Construction and Met-Council staffing.

The Corridor will take Hundreds of Millions of dollars to operate every year. Get ready for more Sales, Gas & Property Tax increases soon.

I like how the Government tells us the Government is Not hurting Small business! Its also nice the Pioneer Depressed is more than happy to print Trash!

[Wow]

So Bill Hosko says the TCF Bank at Skyway level in Town Square closed due to LRT construction. This guy probably thinks the earth is flat too. The Jewelry store had been thinking of moving for a while. I'd love to hear you go on and on mentioning other examples too.

Lets be honest. Lowertown and 4th street went through 2 seasons of construction already and they're still there. Prada's, Senor Wong, Goldens, Black Dog, Lowertown Wine... I'm not saying construction isn't disruptive and that there should be programs put in place to help these folks out but lets recognize that there are. I bet you're a huge Porky's fan too but "just didn't get down there as much anymore..."

[Bill Hosko]

Wow wrote:

So Bill Hosko says the TCF Bank at Skyway level in Town Square closed due to LRT construction. This guy probably thinks the earth is flat too. The Jewelry store had been thinking of moving for a while. I'd love to hear you go on and on mentioning other examples too.
Lets be honest. Lowertown and 4th street went through 2 seasons of construction already and they're still there. Prada's, Senor Wong, Goldens, Black Dog, Lowertown Wine... I'm not saying construction isn't disruptive and that there should be programs put in place to help these folks out but lets recognize that there are. I bet you're a huge Porky's fan too but "just didn't get down there as much anymore..."

Hello 'Wow', TCF's decision to leave DT was made with or without CCLRT, but one thing they did know, it would do nothing for their customer base. The manner in which CCLRT has been planned has been nothing less than fraudulent. It's slow travel time will guarantee that it will do nothing to eliminate traffic congestion, in fact it will increase it all along its route, and it will not get the driving public out of their vehicles if it provides service no more efficiently than the Route 50 University Avenue bus it replaces, and if it is 40 minutes slower than a round trip ride on an existing Express 94 bus between downtowns.

CCLRT will be eliminating a great part of the Express 94 bus schedule, mid-days, evenings and weekends, to force ridership onto the train. Many, many people are going to be upset when an extra 40 minutes a day will be taken from them.

Hartquist Jewelers is moving specifically because of CCLRT taking away their on-steeet parking. It would refreshing if one of the politicians or CCLRT 'planners' would step forward and use just part of their generous incomes, compliments of the taxpayers, to open their own business in his place.

As far a walk-through of what other businesses are being negatively impacted by the construction and permanent placement of CCLRT on the chosen DT path and along University Avenue I will leave that up to others for now. Have a pleasant weekend.

[Bill Hosko]

Bill wrote:

<quoted text>
First of all connecting the closing of a skyway bank branch to the light rail construction is a bit of a stretch.
On the other hand new development is already happening. Are you going to say that the sale and renovation of the Pioneer-Endicott is unrelated to the light rail. What about Ecolab recently deciding to stay in downtown? You think the Lyric on University would have been built without light rail? Big Daddy's BBQ on University has recently decided to open on Wednesdays. The biggest threat to the success of this corridor with light rail is zoning that forces everything to stay the same. Cities change with time, stop looking backwards.
Sadly my grandma asked this yesterday. "Can I get to my doctor on university? All these people say businesses are closing because university is closed." I had to inform that university avenue was indeed open. The decision to build it has been made, how about instead of all this doom and gloom we spread the word that university avenue along with its businesses are open.

Hello 'Bill' First, regarding TCF, see my above post.

Second, regarding the Pioneer-Endicott Buildings sale, good news, the PAK Group is a first-class outfit. The sale would have happened with or without CCLRT, particularly since the commercial building market is so depressed in DT. First Natuonal Bank complex, across the street, is for sale, it seems the ownership group only hopes to break even, not much of a bump because of CCLRT running around the building, and having the CCLRT central station stop across Minnesota from them.
Sad thing is more prime office buildings are being taken off the market and Saint Paul's slow slide into becoming a Minneapolis bedroom community continues. One thing to note, CCLRT will be running along 4th Street, 22 hours a day, every day 4am to 2am, the regular sounding of six horns/gongs per train, and often 12 sounding simultaneously when trains coming and going meet each other, will be maddening to the future residents in this area.
The sounding of the horns/gongs will occur every time the trains stop and start from their stations and at signal lights, a couple hundre times daily. Interesting that the politicians and CCLRT 'planners' sound-test included only one horn/gong sounding for one hour in the middle of one day.

Third, Ecolab's lease renewal is a good thing, however five years in the leasing world is not a long time. I just renewed my lease for a larger, more expensive DT location for 10 years. CCLRT (will) negatively impact Ecolab's DT complex, particularly their loading dock. Too many corporate tenants have left DT over the years because of short-sighted leadership.

I could go on, but you can accuse myself and others of "looking backwards" when the truth is the opposite of that. Rather than trying to embarrass people into silence, consider encouraging passionate and concerned viewpoints instead. That is what this forum is supposed to be about.

[rjon]

Taxpayer dollars at work!? Billions of dollars down the the rat-hole again. Government is out of control and addicted to spending, without restraint or benefit to the majority. The goverment,special interests, the elite and lobbyists are NOT representing us! Wake up tax-payers!

[jdm]

Bill wrote:

<quoted text>
First of all connecting the closing of a skyway bank branch to the light rail construction is a bit of a stretch.
On the other hand new development is already happening. Are you going to say that the sale and renovation of the Pioneer-Endicott is unrelated to the light rail. What about Ecolab recently deciding to stay in downtown? You think the Lyric on University would have been built without light rail? Big Daddy's BBQ on University has recently decided to open on Wednesdays. The biggest threat to the success of this corridor with light rail is zoning that forces everything to stay the same. Cities change with time, stop looking backwards.
Sadly my grandma asked this yesterday. "Can I get to my doctor on university? All these people say businesses are closing because university is closed." I had to inform that university avenue was indeed open. The decision to build it has been made, how about instead of all this doom and gloom we spread the word that university avenue along with its businesses are open.

Zoning changes, if they are so wise, could have been passed years ago. Bus travel is more efficient,customer friendly, and much cheaper. We would have money to pay for police, firemen, and schools.

[jdm]

Ever notice the Cedar Ave freeway didn't get built until the lite rail did right next to it? Kicked scores of people out of their homes and destroyed mature woods in the process. Notice the sprawl out to the cornfields near St. Cloud? Sprawl with the desired 3/4 Billion dollar bridge in Stillwater and the transformation of hwy 36 into a freeway?$$$$$$$$$
DFL & GOP Politicians$ DOT employees who want to become consultants$ Speculators$ Union bosses$ Contractors$
Social programs, taxpayers, regular people, more critical projects......all lose. True liberals, true fiscal conservatives, and regular folks need to fire the politicians and kleptocrats and take our government back.

[jdm]

Hey Pioneer Press, why this headline? How about, "Impact Uncertain?" Your long term bias is sickening. Unlikely to ever earn a Pulitzer again. More likely to just fold and sell off any downtown real estate you still own.

[Wolfspirit]

Hmmm.....

University looks pretty chopped up already when trying to drive around or through it. I have to wonder what the true impact will be.

[Jeepneasy]

How much did it cost to put out a 700+ page report to say...
"Uh, um, duuuh, we don't know anything."
They were asked to ESTIMATE possible losses.
But couldn't "given the current state of knowledge."
They must all have Masters Degrees in Moron.

[Impeach Obama]

Say Good Bye to Porkys' Just the 1st of every other business that is doomed! The "Met Council", not one single member has ever been elected by the public. Mark Dayton is an idiot. St Paul will get what it deserves. You were dumb enough to put these idiots in office and no yee shall sew what yee reeps.

[Dempussycat]

Ask the FTA to do restudy on the impact on the bussinesses by LRT, just like asking the ACORN to do the recount.