Minutes 12/10/1974 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Wentz: Dr. Holley: Mr. Eason: Dr. Holley: Mr. Eason: Dr. Holley: Mr. Eason: Dr. Holley: Mr. Frye: Mr. Fleming: Mr. Eason: Mr. Barnes: Mr. Eason: Mr. Wentz: Mr. Beard: Mr. Eason: Mr. Wentz: Mrs. Rivin: Mr. Eason: Mrs. Rivin: Mr. Eason: Where are the people in Simonsdale going to go in ten years when their houses be- come unfunctional? So we're proposing that multi-family dwellings be built in the New Town area." "Any other questions for Mr. Eason?" "Yes sir, one, perhaps two questions for Mr. Eason. Mr. Eason, is this the first opportunity that you've had at this hearing to make the impression that you've made here this evening, that you think that it should be multi-housing...single family dwellings? Have you appeared before CAC or any other, do you have any other input with the Task Force that was being developed?" have had opportunity to deal with the Task Force. In dealing with the Task Force we came up with what we as citizens thought were solid plans." "You have suggested that to the Task Force that you thought...as a representative of the citizens of the area, that it should be multi housing; is that correct?" "Yes." "Let me ask you one other question. Is the New Town development Committee cognizant of the fact that in the Effingham Street project, there are proposed multi-housing family units?" "Yes, we are aware of the fact that there are multi-housing units being proposed in the Effingham Street project. The thing that we question is, in Effingham Street as in the city as a whole, I'm not sure of the total square mileage, but I am sure that there are only 27 to 30 square miles in this city for housing." "Excuse me, Mr. Fleming, I think he needs some additional information. Mr. Frye, would you tell him how many units are proposed for multi-family in the present Effinghara project?" "Three hundred." "And provision is made for that in Southside I also." "Yes sir. Our question is, with nhe number of transients that we get in the City of Portsmouth due to the repairing of ships in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the lack of a viable, strong consumer community adjacent to the High Street commercial area and in that every bus line 'that we get comes through the High Street commercial area, High Street is dying out because of a lack of commercialism. They don't have the consumers coming into that area. We propose that we not only renovate New Town and Southside as such, but th~ High Street commercial area, the commercial-industrial area that is being proposed in Community Development funds." "May I ask a question, Mr. Chairman. You are saying multi-family. many types of multi-family housing. There are rental apartments, condominiums, all types. Did you discuss that at all?" Now there are town houses, "Yes sir, and we did not limit it to any one phase. We didn't limit it to condo- miniums, garden type apartments, or such things. What we are saying is that the New Town area should be primarily developed as a multi-family area, as opposed to the single family dwelling unit, because we really do need the tax base, we do need the consumers in that area to make the downtown part of Portsmouth a viable, strong commercial area. We do need that very viable consumer base, that labor force that would be available to us in a residential section that is adjacent to a commercial- industrial part that is proposed in Southside I." '~Any other questions. Mr. Beard?" "Does your committee feel bases for multi-family, that this would provide more people or that it would be a better place to liveT~or both?" "We felt City of both of that it would provide a good place to live, it would provide a base for the Portsmouth to grow. We feel that it really will provide avenues to have those areas." "Any other questions for Mr. Eason?" "Mr. Eason, are you saying that we should have no single family housing, is that what your request is?" "No. We say that there should be some single family dwellings, but because of the lack of adequate housing in the City of Portsmouth proper, that we should start with an area that can make the city, that will give the City of Portsmouth the available housing units, so that as other areas come up for redevelopment and urban renewal, the citizens of Portsmouth will have the Opportunity to select where they might live. They might select to live in one of the suburban communities, they might select to live mn the inner city. This is what we want, because we do need the city to grow." "Do you have a proposal to alter the present proposal for Southside I?" "Ne aren't suggesting that the proposal be altered, we are a~ly suggesting that it be considered for multi-family dwellings in the original L-shape, as opposed to single family."