in the reading nook with folding chairs, and now A.J. moved to the front of the makeshift meeting room. “Okay, everyone, let’s get started. I know George and Sophia have to get back to the restaurant as soon as possible, and Carlos is getting ready for an opening at the gallery tomorrow. So we need to keep this as brief as possible. George has already filled all of you in on the background, so the meeting tonight is really just a discussion to see how everyone feels about this.”
“I think it stinks.” Everyone turned toward Alene, who ran the natural food store. “We’ve all been here for years. Long before this area was hot. We put our blood, sweat and tears into these businesses, and we didn’t get any help from city hall. If it wasn’t for people like us, this area would never have revived. I say we fight it.”
“I agree,” Steve concurred. “When I opened my jewelry store, I had a tough time getting insurance. And for years, my premiums were elevated because of the crime rate in this area. I almost left once. But Jo convinced me to stay. She said if we stuck it out, eventually people would rediscover this place. And she was right. I’m not about to let some developer with dollar signs in his eyes take advantage of the turnaround at my expense.”
Joe stood. “But what can we do? There are only a few of us. And if this means more money for Maplewood, the city won’t care about us. They’ll brush us aside.”
“Not if we get more people behind us,” Rose spoke up. Despite her gray hair and frail appearance, her clear blue eyes were steely. “The kind of development George described will ruin the neighborhood feel of this area. I don’t think the residents will like that. I’ve already been talking to people about this when they stop in for their morning coffee and bagels. I bet the residents will stand behind us.”
“I think we need to find out more,” George said. “Like, who is this developer? And what has he done so far?”
Blake cleared his throat, and A.J. glanced his way. “Blake?”
“I was able to get some information from a pretty good source that might answer a few questions,” he said. Seven pairs of eyes turned in his direction. “The developer is MacKenzie Properties. They’ve done this sort of thing in a number of municipalities in the area. They’re very quiet and very successful, and if there’s been any opposition, it’s been squelched at a pretty early stage. Stuart MacKenzie is the principal and has been the primary contact at this preliminary stage with the Maplewood city hall.”
“So what does he have in mind?” Alene asked.
Blake turned toward her. “George’s information about the development plans is correct. MacKenzie is looking at a combination residential and commercial development over this entire block that would consist of high-end condos, office space and small shops. In the past, he’s managed to get a TIF ruling, which means that existing residents are paid a predetermined sum for their businesses. In some cases, space is available in the new development for current merchants, but generally at a substantially higher cost. I believe most of us currently own our space. Under the new scenario, we’d have to lease space.”
“What’s the timing, Blake?” A.J. asked.
He looked her way. She seemed impressed by the information he’d relayed, which he’d only managed to gather this evening when he’d gone home for an early dinner and finally caught up with his neighbor. There was something in her eyes—warmth, gratitude…something—that made him feel proud of the little he’d done. “This is still in the very preliminary stages. MacKenzie will be presenting proposals to the city in mid-January, and there will be a public hearing in early February. It’s unlikely a final ruling will be made before March or April. And I’m told that public opinion will factor heavily into the decision.”
“It sounds like our work is cut out for
“I think it stinks.” Everyone turned toward Alene, who ran the natural food store. “We’ve all been here for years. Long before this area was hot. We put our blood, sweat and tears into these businesses, and we didn’t get any help from city hall. If it wasn’t for people like us, this area would never have revived. I say we fight it.”
“I agree,” Steve concurred. “When I opened my jewelry store, I had a tough time getting insurance. And for years, my premiums were elevated because of the crime rate in this area. I almost left once. But Jo convinced me to stay. She said if we stuck it out, eventually people would rediscover this place. And she was right. I’m not about to let some developer with dollar signs in his eyes take advantage of the turnaround at my expense.”
Joe stood. “But what can we do? There are only a few of us. And if this means more money for Maplewood, the city won’t care about us. They’ll brush us aside.”
“Not if we get more people behind us,” Rose spoke up. Despite her gray hair and frail appearance, her clear blue eyes were steely. “The kind of development George described will ruin the neighborhood feel of this area. I don’t think the residents will like that. I’ve already been talking to people about this when they stop in for their morning coffee and bagels. I bet the residents will stand behind us.”
“I think we need to find out more,” George said. “Like, who is this developer? And what has he done so far?”
Blake cleared his throat, and A.J. glanced his way. “Blake?”
“I was able to get some information from a pretty good source that might answer a few questions,” he said. Seven pairs of eyes turned in his direction. “The developer is MacKenzie Properties. They’ve done this sort of thing in a number of municipalities in the area. They’re very quiet and very successful, and if there’s been any opposition, it’s been squelched at a pretty early stage. Stuart MacKenzie is the principal and has been the primary contact at this preliminary stage with the Maplewood city hall.”
“So what does he have in mind?” Alene asked.
Blake turned toward her. “George’s information about the development plans is correct. MacKenzie is looking at a combination residential and commercial development over this entire block that would consist of high-end condos, office space and small shops. In the past, he’s managed to get a TIF ruling, which means that existing residents are paid a predetermined sum for their businesses. In some cases, space is available in the new development for current merchants, but generally at a substantially higher cost. I believe most of us currently own our space. Under the new scenario, we’d have to lease space.”
“What’s the timing, Blake?” A.J. asked.
He looked her way. She seemed impressed by the information he’d relayed, which he’d only managed to gather this evening when he’d gone home for an early dinner and finally caught up with his neighbor. There was something in her eyes—warmth, gratitude…something—that made him feel proud of the little he’d done. “This is still in the very preliminary stages. MacKenzie will be presenting proposals to the city in mid-January, and there will be a public hearing in early February. It’s unlikely a final ruling will be made before March or April. And I’m told that public opinion will factor heavily into the decision.”
“It sounds like our work is cut out for
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