The unit would look something like this one built at 504E. Hillside.
An appraisal has not been conducted for the Franklin Field property, nor have the Mauros submitted a formal offer to buy the land.
A 2003 improvement plan for the Waveland Park neighborhood specifies a need to diversify its housing stock. A similar plan drafted in 2008 for the Merle Hay neighborhood points to a lack of senior housing options.
Funny enough, both plans 2020 land use plan(s) also show the area as Park/Open Space. Both plans were adopted by the Polk County Board of Supervisors of which Mauro has been an elected member of since 1990. Unless he voted against the adoption of those plans I would assume he understands both neighborhoods are planning on that area remaining Park/Open Space until 2020. Additionally, I think perhaps any past decisions he voted on which applied County funds towards recent improvements in the area around the site in question would present a bit of a conflict of interest. I mean, wouldn't it be great if we could all take public money, vote to apply it for improvements in and around a certain area, and then magically decide that might be a good place to develop! Sweet deal
The Franklin Field site is ideal for a senior housing development given its proximity to the community center, shopping and health care, Tim Mauro said.
"I don't know if we could draw it up any better - from what it is close to, the attributes around it and the community itself," he said. "... There's a lot of good that comes from this kind of development."
http://dmjuice.desmoinesregister.com/ar ... /1001/NEWS
The Des Moines Park and Recreation Board will meet on Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at 5:00p.m. in the City Hall, Council Chambers located at 400 Robert D. Ray to consider this proposal with the included input from area residents and neighborhood associations.
http://www.dmgov.org/Departments/Parks/ ... nField.pdf
http://www.dmgov.org/NewsDocuments/PRFr ... 051311.pdf
"Let me be clear..." I am not opposed to Senior Housing in the area but I find issue with Mauro developing this and the potential conflicts of interest with his elected official involvement in public investment in recent improvements to service and amenities that will benefit this/his developments success and marketability... seems a bit muddy. And, personally I'd love to see something like this move just a bit east down the street to the area currently occupied by the vacant Stogdills Appliance store the struggling strip mall that was home to Lifetime Fitness. Here is an idea or two: work with IFA, the City and current owners to buy both sites, they equal about 2 acres. Level it all, and build a four story building with street level retail to replace the current struggling strip-mall spaces, and put senior housing on the top three floors. The surrounding land uses, a Mercy Clinic, a mega-church/former school, a cemetery, a high/medium density apartment complex, a food brokerage??, and the library will all benefit as well as the neighborhood from a little redevelopment.
Or option 2: renovate some of what was once Jefferson Junior High and then Des Moines Christian School into senior housing; I wonder if First Federated is using the entire building since the school moved to Urbandale?
