Rotarians Talkin’ About Growth--That’s Amore!

Most of us Traverse City Rotarians care deeply about how our great town will grow over the next few decades. So when people propose big projects, they’re sure to be met with many questions.

 

Of course, there’s no better place to have an open and civil discussion about big issues than at a Rotary meeting!

 

That’s why fellow Rotarian, Laura Oblinger, turned our normal program into a panel discussion about the proposal to construct a building at Pine St. and Front St. downtown, also known as the River West Project.

The panel included the project partners: Erik Falconer, Craig Patterson, and Joe Quandt.

 

Erik reminded Rotarians of their commitment to downtown over the decades, including the purchase and renovation of the Park Place Hotel in 1989. Erik also gave Rotarians an overview of the proposal: Multiple buildings, up to nine stories tall, that would include retail, restaurant, and commercial space on the bottom floor and a diverse mix of workforce apartments and luxury condos—incorporating a broad range of incomes--on the remaining floors. It would also include 183 parking spaces. The partners described the project as an “integrated, healthy neighborhood.”

 

Laura took questions from the audience. They included questions about water quality, the approval process, best practices from other communities, the types of housing, property maintenance, infrastructure, and proximity to groceries.

 

Several Rotarians shared feedback about the project. Some shared concerns about height, and others shared comments about how the site was formerly a dump and how the lack of in-town housing is a critical barrier to doing business downtown.

 

The partners said this discussion was part of their effort to keep an open and honest dialog with the community on this project. You’ll have more opportunities to provide feedback and hear more information in the coming months.

 

As always in Rotary, the conversation remained very civil and respectful.