Why? Because I need the members of the Friendly Coalition and neighborhoods like them to support the efforts I've been fighting for to restore East Greensboro and the Bessemer Community to what it one was.
You see, it was corrupt developers and politicians who operated against the will of the citizens of Greensboro who 2 years after the annexation of the Bessemer Community, bulldozed the most economically viable community in the entire Piedmont Triad in the hopes of driving more business to downtown Greensboro and proved as Keith Holiday said:
“They find any little strategy to hang their hat on,” Holliday said. “If you give them that open window, they’ll take it. Don’t back off one inch.”
From the City of Greensboro website concerning the destruction of my neighborhood:
"This lively community began to wind down in the late 1950s and 1960s when, under the guise of "urban renewal," thousands of people and more than 80 businesses (many minority-owned) were displaced. Most of those businesses never reestablished."
The City goes on to say:
"Decline and disinvestment took a toll on the neighborhood -- and its residents. When the City designated the East Market Street Corridor for revitalization in 1998, it had to win the trust of residents. The City worked to involve as many residents as possible in the planning process to give people a voice and a role in their neighborhood's future. The City authorized the East Market Street Development Corporation (EMSDC) to serve as "lead agent" in implementing improvement ideas in the neighborhood. Before StreetscapeEMSCD, the City's planning team, and the community worked together to create a development plan for East Market Street. The City adopted the East Market Street Redevelopment Plan in June 1998 and earmarked $1 million for improvements in the neighborhood. Since then, the East Market Street Corridor has seen more than $150 million in new private and public investment."
They're lying. The vast majority of that "$150 million in new private and public investment" was on the part of NC A&T University and was planned to be done with or without the City's efforts. On top of that I asked the City of Greensboro to give me evidence-- any evidence-- that their efforts had provided positive economic benefits. After months of waiting, the City's answer:
"Hello Mr. Jones,
We apologize that your request has taken so long to complete. We have requested several departments to review your request to see if they had any information pertaining to your request. Unfortunately, the City has not measured the economic impact directly attributable to the East Market Street streetscape project.
Sincerely,
Public Information Desk
City of Greensboro"
I'll stand with the Friendly Coalition in the hope that you'll stand with my neighbors and I to end this corruption that has been destroying this city for 50 plus years. I'm giving you the chance to turn the Friendly Coalition into a Greensboro Coalition and end this once and for all. Otherwise you'll just be doing the same thing all over again in 2 more years.
Will you join me?
