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Eminent Domain and Providence

TheAnk

By TheAnk
in Providence

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  • 4 months later...

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Garris Town

Garris

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I think, if I recall correctly, I was the only person in favor of the Supreme Court decision here... I think the measure detailed in the article that is being considered is quite stupid...

As a hypothetical, if there was a property in Providence that you wish could be taken by eminent domain for any reason, what would it be and why?

- Garris

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Frankie811 City

Frankie811

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I think, if I recall correctly, I was the only person in favor of the Supreme Court decision here... I think the measure detailed in the article that is being considered is quite stupid...

As a hypothetical, if there was a property in Providence that you wish could be taken by eminent domain for any reason, what would it be and why?

- Garris

Since the owner/operator of a golf course in Cranston has refused to sell out to the state in order to build a new state police HQ's the state is threatening to use eminent domain.

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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I think, if I recall correctly, I was the only person in favor of the Supreme Court decision here... I think the measure detailed in the article that is being considered is quite stupid...

I agreed with it in that reading the 5th Ammendment, I think the Court made the right call, and I think it is a state's rights issue. But I think the states should define what can and cannot be taken and what things can be taken for.

As a hypothetical, if there was a property in Providence that you wish could be taken by eminent domain for any reason, what would it be and why?

North Main Street, all of it. Knock everything down. Knocking it down and leaving empty lots would be better than what's there now, but I'd like to see affordable housing with ground floor retail built and buses or trolleys running every 5 minutes to Kennedy Plaza and Downtown Pawtucket. A boy can dream right?

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eltron Hamlet

eltron

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I think, if I recall correctly, I was the only person in favor of the Supreme Court decision here... I think the measure detailed in the article that is being considered is quite stupid...

As a hypothetical, if there was a property in Providence that you wish could be taken by eminent domain for any reason, what would it be and why?

- Garris

Perhaps in one of our few moments of agreetment ( :D ) I went to bat for the supreme court on this one.

I have a list of about 100 properties that should be taken, starting with the half-burned crackhouse across the street from me...

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Soren Whistle-Stop

Soren

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I think the one that got to me the most was the land out in Smithfield (Johnston?) that was taken by eminent domain so that it could be re-sold to Fidelity so they could expand their office park. At some point increasing the tax base is simply not a good enough reason to grab property.

But I'm not above fantasizing. Eminent domain exercised on almost any part of the waterfront off Eddy St. could pave the way for interesting developments.

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HartfordTycoon Town

HartfordTycoon

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Perhaps in one of our few moments of agreetment ( :D ) I went to bat for the supreme court on this one.

I have a list of about 100 properties that should be taken, starting with the half-burned crackhouse across the street from me...

I wrote a letter to the Courant in support of the supreme court and it was published. You should have seen how people were looking at me at work. I still think New London needs that project though, alot more than that wasteland they're stuck with now. People get so emotional they don't see the logic that sometimes you need government to function like a business and some may not get what they want all of the time. I think all major U.S. cities could benefit from smart use of Eminent Domain, but I understand why people are against it, I just couldn't see myself fighting that hard against something that could help my community out so much.

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Frankie811 City

Frankie811

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At some point increasing the tax base is simply not a good enough reason to grab property.

Yes, it was Smithfield at the intersections of Rt 116 and 7. And it wasen't all about the tax base, but about building a new building at the complex and adding 500+ jobs. I believe an additional 500 new jobs are planned there in a 3rd new building. When Fidelity is threw building and adding jobs we may see as many as 2,000 jobs located there. Of course I would have loved to have seen all these jobs downtown somewhere.

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Frankie811 City

Frankie811

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2000 jobs on how many acres? Using eminent domain to increase sprawl and our state's dependence on the automobile is the worst use for eminent domain.

I'm not sure on the acreage but it is a large complex, currently with two 225 - 250,000 sq ft buildings and a parking garage. I believe the job total now is somewhere between 1,200 - 1,500. A 3rd building with up to 500 new jobs are planned. And I agree with you on sprawl which is why I said I would have loved to have seen these jobs/building go downtown.

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  • 1 month later...
mr2448 Whistle-Stop

mr2448

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I wrote a letter to the Courant in support of the supreme court and it was published. You should have seen how people were looking at me at work. I still think New London needs that project though, alot more than that wasteland they're stuck with now. People get so emotional they don't see the logic that sometimes you need government to function like a business and some may not get what they want all of the time. I think all major U.S. cities could benefit from smart use of Eminent Domain, but I understand why people are against it, I just couldn't see myself fighting that hard against something that could help my community out so much.

"Smart use of eminent domain", that's an oxymoron if I ever heard one. This is just a new way of saying lets do redevelopment as they did in the 50's, 60's and 70's. Lets knock down a whole area, mainly because it is sub standard, and redevelop it. It was a way to knock down a getto or lower income area. If that part of New London were upscale single family homes as you see in Milford, Hammonasset or any other upscale suburb, this never would have happened. You don't rezone property and then take it from the landowners. That being said they should be paid not for the current value of their property, but at the improved revaluation as it will be 5 years from now.

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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"Smart use of eminent domain", that's an oxymoron if I ever heard one. This is just a new way of saying lets do redevelopment as they did in the 50's, 60's and 70's. Lets knock down a whole area, mainly because it is sub standard, and redevelop it. It was a way to knock down a getto or lower income area. If that part of New London were upscale single family homes as you see in Milford, Hammonasset or any other upscale suburb, this never would have happened. You don't rezone property and then take it from the landowners. That being said they should be paid not for the current value of their property, but at the improved revaluation as it will be 5 years from now.

that wouldn't fly in any cities now. and the government knows this and the government knows it won't solve any problems.

what's going on in new london isn't redevelopment for a nicer neighborhood, it's for business.

i don't like eminent domain, but in certain cases it's necessary. how do you feel about expansion of TF Green? if they do decide to expand it, it could not only make RI more of a destination, but greatly help the state and city of warwick financially. they also wouldn't just call eminent domain on the houses they'd need to buy. they'd first try to buy them out, and they generally do so at a premium. they know market value isn't fair for kicking someone out of their home.

i also don't see this happening in most neighborhoods in providence. the only places i'd see this happening is where there are a lot of vacant buildings. the government might call eminent domain on a few properties surrounding those buildings. i'm thinking like the old ames building (although i've heard a walmart is going in there... ugh).

how about calling eminent domain on the owners of some of the parking lots downtown? how is that a bad thing? maybe fidelity should do that and move all the jobs to providence and sell their land to a housing developer...

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TheAnk Hamlet

TheAnk

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what's going on in new london isn't redevelopment for a nicer neighborhood, it's for business.

In this month's issue of Money, they detailed this case.. Susette Kelo is still living there..

And the facts of this case were grossly misreported by the media; the ED was NOT for the Pfizer building as stated in the news.. That has already been built and is functioning..

They were using Eminent Domain to tear down these modest homes and put in luxury waterfront condos and retail for Pfizer employees.. It just so happens that Susette Kelo is a nurse (I think) and middle class white.. The gross reality is that she isn't someone the media would rally around under the notion of the "haves" taking from the "have nots".. But that is exactly what this is.. The white middle class has no one rallying for them... But this is just a case of rich people taking from poor people..

If you are interested on the topic, I suggest you pick up a copy of Money.. Its maddening to realize that they were simple displacing lower income residents to cater to richer ones who will pay higher taxes..

Disgusting..

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TheAnk Hamlet

TheAnk

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I find it interesting that the final mediated settlement was double what the state originally offered.. Is the government THAT out of touch with land values?? Or did they try to swindle an eldrely man?? You pick your poison... I don't know which is worse; having a GOV that is that out of touch with reality financially (if they honestly didn't know values which I highly don't believe) or a big bully GOV picking on an old guy on a farm and trying to steal from him..

Its sad to me.. People in government simply can't be trusted when given sweeping power like this.. This law just needs to be repealed.. For all the publicized cases, there are probably thousands of unknown people having their own government stealing their piece of the pie..

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brick Burg

brick

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I find it interesting that the final mediated settlement was double what the state originally offered.. Is the government THAT out of touch with land values?? Or did they try to swindle an eldrely man?? You pick your poison... I don't know which is worse; having a GOV that is that out of touch with reality financially (if they honestly didn't know values which I highly don't believe) or a big bully GOV picking on an old guy on a farm and trying to steal from him..

Is there even ONE good thing about the Fidelity deal? Does Smithfield really want to be corporate park sprawl-land? How much more will it cost the state in infrastructure to support those jobs? etc. etc.

I really hope the jobs are worth something. It just feels like the state sold their soul for these 1000 jobs and even then I'm not convinced that they are doing the right thing for their development goals. The state needs the jobs, but there have to be better ways to do it. It would be nice if at least we kept the corporate sprawl inside of I-295.

I have a friend who works at the RIEDC. I'm going to have to ask her if this fiasco is one of the reasons there is an interim head.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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As a hypothetical, if there was a property in Providence that you wish could be taken by eminent domain for any reason, what would it be and why?

ProJo's parking lot between Washington and Fountain, let's take it and give it to Sierra Suites. :P

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  • 3 weeks later...

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