Yesterday I read Jordan Greene's article, Why the Florida Street Extension makes sense for east Greensboro with great interest. You see, I kinda knew Jordan's take on the issue already because of an e-mail exchange I had with Jordan last April:
"Billy Jones
4/16/12
to Jordan
I've no idea why but selling the farm would be detrimental to a number of A&T students who are studying agricluture. A number of A&T alums and others were previously unhappy with using any of the farm for the nanotech center. As for higher uses-- when has technology figured out how to replace agriculture? Think about it. There is no shortage of available land inside the urban loop but there does seem to be a shortage of developers who are actually willing to invest in their own projects.
My friend actually works for the Nanotech center.
And why are they scared to talk about it?
On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 9:23 AM, Jordan Green wrote:
Is it for expansion of the nanotech center? It seems like Robbie mentioned that as a likely step in the future. It would make sense that A&T would get a good price for the land, the nanotech center would be a higher use of the land, more urbanized and more suitable for inside the urban loop.
On 4/16/12 8:07 AM, "Billy Jones" wrote:
Jordan,
There's a rumor going around that A&T University is selling their farm but no one will say who to or what for. This could be a real hot button for this side of town. A friend of mine works for the university system but when she asked her boss he said she didn't need to know. The guys working on the farm are also asking questions but not getting answers.
-Billy"
At least Jordan is consistent even if he is misinformed.
For starters: there is no higher use for land than feeding the hungry, Jordan. And anything that makes it harder for A&T agriculture students to learn how to do that-- including commuting to a remote campus somewhere-- will be a setback to feeding the world's poor.
Now for the things Mayor Robbie Perkins and Goldie Wells have yet to tell you.
The Franklin Blvd. extension to East Wendover ain't going to happen. Why? Because the North Carolina Rail Road owns a 200' right of way at the intersection of Franklin Blvd and Burlington Rd (East Market St) and the NCRR has already made known plans to close the grade crossing at Franklin Blvd. As a matter of fact: Burlington Road will have to be moved almost 100' to the North to make room for the additional high speed rails that are planned there. You see, the railroad owns the property and the City of Greensboro, like every other city in North Carolina, has no power over the railroads. Otherwise do you think we would still have a railroad grade crossing on South Elm in the middle of Downtown Greensboro.
Funny how Robbie, Goldie and T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, never bothered to mention this. When I see the City of Greensboro begin construction of a bridge from East Wendover Avenue to somewhere 100' south of the NCRR tracks I'll adknowledge the possible need for new north-south connector.
Then there's the K-mart connector. About a half a mile to the east of Franklin Blvd sets the empty buildings of Greensboro Auto Parts. The business has been sold to nationwide used autoparts dealer LKQ but LKQ only uses the Ward Road property around the corner and not the lot facing the more heavily traveled, Burlington Road-- why? Well as I mentioned the other day I've been friends with the owners of that property since we were literally in diapers so I asked why the main lot was sitting enpty. The answer: When K-mart opened their distribution center across the street from Greensboro Auto Parts, part of the incentive package they were promised by Guilford County was direct access to Interstates 85 and 40. That's right, there's your north-south connector right there.
Funny how Robbie, Goldie and T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, never bothered to mention this.
You see, like I said in my e-mails to Jordan, Robbie's, Goldie's and T. Dianne Bellamy-Small's refusal to back down on the Florida Street Extension, even if it has been planned since 1962 when the NCRR and K-mart weren't even on the City's radar, has nothing to do with north-south connectivity-- English Street and the K-mart connector solves that-- and everything to do with the land swap so Robbie, Roy Caroll and their developer friends can rake in the cash from developing the A&T Farm. And their secret Greensboro Sportsplex.
And if I'm imagining the Sportsplex then why did Butch Simmons and the Greensboro Planning Department not allow me to see actual planning maps when I made the trip Downtown to do so? Are citizens not allowed access to city planning maps? If it's only wild speculation on my part then why fuel it when showing me a simple map could end the entire discussion? Unless, of course, you need months to hide the evidence.
"Billy Jones
4/16/12
to Jordan
I've no idea why but selling the farm would be detrimental to a number of A&T students who are studying agricluture. A number of A&T alums and others were previously unhappy with using any of the farm for the nanotech center. As for higher uses-- when has technology figured out how to replace agriculture? Think about it. There is no shortage of available land inside the urban loop but there does seem to be a shortage of developers who are actually willing to invest in their own projects.
My friend actually works for the Nanotech center.
And why are they scared to talk about it?
On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 9:23 AM, Jordan Green
Is it for expansion of the nanotech center? It seems like Robbie mentioned that as a likely step in the future. It would make sense that A&T would get a good price for the land, the nanotech center would be a higher use of the land, more urbanized and more suitable for inside the urban loop.
On 4/16/12 8:07 AM, "Billy Jones"
Jordan,
There's a rumor going around that A&T University is selling their farm but no one will say who to or what for. This could be a real hot button for this side of town. A friend of mine works for the university system but when she asked her boss he said she didn't need to know. The guys working on the farm are also asking questions but not getting answers.
-Billy"
At least Jordan is consistent even if he is misinformed.
For starters: there is no higher use for land than feeding the hungry, Jordan. And anything that makes it harder for A&T agriculture students to learn how to do that-- including commuting to a remote campus somewhere-- will be a setback to feeding the world's poor.
Now for the things Mayor Robbie Perkins and Goldie Wells have yet to tell you.
The Franklin Blvd. extension to East Wendover ain't going to happen. Why? Because the North Carolina Rail Road owns a 200' right of way at the intersection of Franklin Blvd and Burlington Rd (East Market St) and the NCRR has already made known plans to close the grade crossing at Franklin Blvd. As a matter of fact: Burlington Road will have to be moved almost 100' to the North to make room for the additional high speed rails that are planned there. You see, the railroad owns the property and the City of Greensboro, like every other city in North Carolina, has no power over the railroads. Otherwise do you think we would still have a railroad grade crossing on South Elm in the middle of Downtown Greensboro.
Funny how Robbie, Goldie and T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, never bothered to mention this. When I see the City of Greensboro begin construction of a bridge from East Wendover Avenue to somewhere 100' south of the NCRR tracks I'll adknowledge the possible need for new north-south connector.
Then there's the K-mart connector. About a half a mile to the east of Franklin Blvd sets the empty buildings of Greensboro Auto Parts. The business has been sold to nationwide used autoparts dealer LKQ but LKQ only uses the Ward Road property around the corner and not the lot facing the more heavily traveled, Burlington Road-- why? Well as I mentioned the other day I've been friends with the owners of that property since we were literally in diapers so I asked why the main lot was sitting enpty. The answer: When K-mart opened their distribution center across the street from Greensboro Auto Parts, part of the incentive package they were promised by Guilford County was direct access to Interstates 85 and 40. That's right, there's your north-south connector right there.
Funny how Robbie, Goldie and T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, never bothered to mention this.
You see, like I said in my e-mails to Jordan, Robbie's, Goldie's and T. Dianne Bellamy-Small's refusal to back down on the Florida Street Extension, even if it has been planned since 1962 when the NCRR and K-mart weren't even on the City's radar, has nothing to do with north-south connectivity-- English Street and the K-mart connector solves that-- and everything to do with the land swap so Robbie, Roy Caroll and their developer friends can rake in the cash from developing the A&T Farm. And their secret Greensboro Sportsplex.
And if I'm imagining the Sportsplex then why did Butch Simmons and the Greensboro Planning Department not allow me to see actual planning maps when I made the trip Downtown to do so? Are citizens not allowed access to city planning maps? If it's only wild speculation on my part then why fuel it when showing me a simple map could end the entire discussion? Unless, of course, you need months to hide the evidence.
