I got a little tour around the 2 New complexes going in at Southfield and Outer Drive, the Lowes one and then the one that is up on the Hill overlooking the Lowes complex and what looks to be a nice pond!! One of the Engineers there said he heard a clothing store from he thought LP was moving in there, all I could think of is Old Navy....... Are they still here in LP??? Plus another nice eatery, probablly with out door seating, along with the Long Horn Steak House and Apple Bees.

If you own a business in LP or any commercial property, after taking one look at these Complexes you have to get this sinking feeling in your gut, that you just took another huge loss!!! I feel like someone kicked me in the NU$$, what a waste, that complex is worth more then the entire City of LP!! I don't even feel like open up my store today, its like I am spinning my wheels and going no where here!!! People in my moms neighborhood ( Dearborn) can't wait for them to open, I'll bet with in a week there will be more retail dollars spent there then in the entire City of LP!!!

This really SUCKS, I am about to give up!!! I heard a nice gift shoppe might be going in there, with Candles, and guess what??? They will Get FULL PRICE for their candles about 2 to $3 more per large candle then I get, and guess what??? They'll probably out sell me 10 to 1....... Go figure............

Rocky

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I havent drove by there in a while, I would love to see some kind of retail stores like that here, in my opinion that would definetly bring more people to lincoln park to shop. I heard a while back that old navy was going there but im not postive if it is true, I hope not i love shopping there.

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it really is depressing to look at something like that in allen pk, or the new buisness in woodhavn, or down town wyandotte, then look at lincoln pk. seeing what lincoln pk is, and thinking what it could be.

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Our City manager makes more money than the one in Allen Park and has more experience. What is wrong with this picture. Why won't/can't Duchane get something going here?

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A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.

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LPTaxpayer (09-26-05)

It is a shame we don't have a large parcal of land like that. But we do have quite a few empty buildings and a new dump yard on outer drive.

A Cracker Barrel restaurant would be great on Outer Drive and papalus Drive instead of the adult club that never happened.

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I gues we should just get used to gas stations and dollar stores.

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I think we need to get tough with these landlords that don't take care of their empty buildings make them clean up or continue to write tickets till they get the message and take the necessary steps to condem their property tear them down and then maybe different NEW businesses will take a look at us...we are good people and if we could get a development going i'm sure it would survive.

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Rocky (09-23-05), LPTaxpayer (09-26-05)

We need to tear down the SEars Shopping Center in its entirety and rebuild a brand new attractive and inviting shopping complex.
That's a big land area at that corner. If we made it look like the new buildings on OUter Drive and Southfield, we'd attract a lot of business.

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Actually, that's not Duchane's job. Bringing new business to town is the job of William Hatley, the city;s director of community planning and development.

Taken right from the city's Web site:

As a result of the streamlining and reorganization of the City workforce, Bill has been appointed as the new Director of Community Planning & Development. In addition to overseeing the operation of the CDBG Program, Bill is now responsible for coordinating the activities of the LP Economic Development Corporation, the LP Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the LP Downtown Development Authority. Bill will also be responsible for assisting businesses currently in Lincoln Park and to assist those wishing to establish a business in our community.

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All the more reason why our city manager is unecessary and overpaid.

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Most city managers don't double as the economic development director. That's really a lot to put in one person's lap.

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The whole idea for a City Manager started from talks about hiring a new Economic Development Developer. It was decided to hire a City Manager who could double as the EDD.

If our City Manager cannot handle the extra responsibility, then he is not doing his job.

But didn't they give most of the EDD responsibilities to Hatley when they restructured his duties and gave him a hefty raise?

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recordar la yocorazon

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The CM is the overseer of all departments. Someone is not doing their job. Therefore, the buck should stop with Duchane.

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The kind of change in culture here in LP that is spoken of here takes time.

Instead of being depressed that AP is doing so good with something, consider that it may help good tidings spread to its neighbors, including LP.

We've only had a CM for what, almost a year and a half? Patients.

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AP's City Manager used to make quite a bit more until Tony Rinna took the spot. He was the Personnel Manager, and offered to do the job for less. They jumped on it, qualified or not. As a matter of fact, our last CM not only made over $100,000, but received a vehicle to boot. He also had the pleasure of a suppressed license plate. Go figure.

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To Ms. Brady for her diligent work and courage!

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Just a thought here.

Everyone who patronizes those businesses are people looking for bargains, service and convenience. That's not a bad thing.

Hang tuff Rocky as you and I both know, if u have a good product, people from all over will remember you. And if worse comes to worse, we will hold a candle light vigel and watch progress close our doors together.

As for the rest of you, let me enlighten you on what my family learned in 1979 about this parcel of land that everyone is so excited about.

This was and is still a toxic dump built in the 1950's for just that purpose. My grandfather died of a brain tumor in 1970 and as time went on we started hearing more and more about cancer and brain tumors in the downriver area. Oh by the way, he worked down the road from the dump at what is now the glass plant. Anyways after attending many meetings over the situation, my mother and her siblings were told you will not win in a lawsuit against Fords as they are too big in this area, let me add my mother worked for Fords for 36 years also. Many people from Dearborn, Allen Park and Melvindale attended these meetings as it was discovered that there are and were more cancer in this area that any place in the state.

But still, it was voted on and they put a cap on it.
whoopdididy doooo!
So anyone who patronizes these places, just remember, the restaurant you will be eating in, sits on a nightmare thats been happening for years. And every time you walk through there little shops, you are essentually walking just above all the toxic waste from here to Canada.
It's still there people, they just capped it!
This is not a good scenario and not something that should be envied in any way. It scares the crap out of me when stats come out 10 years from now about more cancer related deaths in the surrounding cities and especially from employees who have built this and will work there day after day. Pregnant employees, birth defects, tumors, etc....

this isn't an attempt to slander a city or new ventures, it is just an awakening call that some of you may have forgot about. I am all for progress.

IN MY OPINION I do not see this as progress.
Pam

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Reguardless of what is burried there, the place will rock and LP will just continue to Roll down hill, the complex is going to suck the life out of what little retail is left here, Iam telling you I will put money on it, I personally think we are done!!!! I am , and I'll bet you there are a lot more people like me out here that think the same, I'll bet that privately many of our council people think that, od course they will and should not admit it, but I simply can't believe as smart as they are they can't see this as another kick in the teeth to a City that is already down on its knees, as much as I like Most of our M&C you can't tell me that they are not thinking the samething I am thinking, and it sucks !!!!! Unfortunately I don't see any solution.


Rocky

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ok lets do this analytically.

Let's just for one second leave politics out, ok?

If doomsday has arrived for LP, then wo do you blame?
The consumer? The major corporation who has the working capitol to go where they choose and do what they want? The business location? The economy? Cost and demand?

If I looked at it in the way it's being expressed, I may as well just close my doors tonite and invite the neighborhood in for 300lbs of pasta cooking right now.

Major chains that prepare there food in another state, freeze dry it, and ship it in, reheat and serve it to people do not scare me in any way. Now if you told me another family dining was going in 2 blocks away, I may have to get physical() but bottom line is what Magoo says constantly(and I hope I don't get struck by lightening for agreeing with him this once), If this city wants to survive its not about politics, its not about cost, its about patronizing what is right in front of your face. too many byusinesses have just up and left here but no one knows why. Maybe thats another topic. I am a downriver native and my parents were middle class working people. They never ventured past Sears on the NW side. They didn't have to because EVERYTHING was in this area.

So maybe instead of blaming and wondering we should each ask ourselves why these businesses left and quickly I may add.

Peppina's had the means and the money to comeback and although you have all heard stories of why they left, I live there truth. There was a reason they chose not to re-open and it wasnt because of lack of funds.

If everyone in town is feeling that we are doomed, take a moment and email me. I'll sell to the highest bidder come Monday.

I gotta know peoples opinions of why they think businesses left this town.

Lets talk about it people and then fix the problem!

Someone start the post and lets find out.
This is a challenge to all!

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I always thought in America, free enterprise meant the businessman seized the opportunity. Why are they waiting for the city to do something?

Seize the Moment.

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Actually all the good things happening in AP were started SEVERAL years ago. During the LAST administration. As girl next door said the former CM here made over $100K. Now I know she had her issues with him, but look at the progress that has happened in our city, ALL STARTED ON THE WATCH OF THE OLD CM AND FORMER COUNCIL!!!!!! There are actually 2 developments on Outer Drive. The first one, where Starbucks and APplebees and Lowes, etc. is was the old Veterans Hospital. NOT A TOXIC WASTE DUMP!!!!

HOWEVER, the site of the new Target and whatever else is going in there IS THE OLD TOXIC WASTE DUMP. Me personally I am glad they finally capped it off and closed it down. I was at the Council Meeting when this was proposed several years ago. There were people from the neighborhood across outer Drive at the meeitn complaining that it might casue more traffic through taht neighborhood. Finally it was pointed out that no one going to the mall would be turning into their neighborhood and taking the "long scenic route" One lady still stood up and said that it was change and she was against it because it would destroy their property values. One of our councilman asked the crowd if they were buying a home would they rather have a new shopping mall or a toxic waste dump near their homes. That struck home with most of them. But one lady was insistent that a toxic waste dump wasn't as bad as a shopping mall. Kind of funny if you ask me.

Don't worry LP the people who were able to concieve of and put together such a major project that will increase the city tax rolls by about $1,000,000 per year were all defeated by the voters here in town and labeled the worst council in AP history. Pretty soon the new council that imposed a 1% administration fee, retroactively raised our rubbish millage and increased water rates, will be seen for what they are, hacks of Levon King!

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Believe half of what you hear and none of what you read, especially in the News Herald!

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