A reply to yesterday’s ”BCCLT – Key West” post, followed by my response.
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Sloan, if you think Morgan wanted to develop the Truman Waterfront “in a way that truly benefits Key West” your angels have been smoking funny cigarettes. How does a water park benefit anyone but the developers and construction company? (In Cancun a couple of weeks ago I discovered the new resort next to the one our timeshare is in had put in a water park — in almost a week, I never once saw anyone there!!!)
Frankly, I also have no reason to believe that the housing authority is competent to take on the land trust’s development duties. Of course, BCCLT certainly isn’t, either, as currently constituted. I’m really sad to write that, but it’s very, very clear — in fact undeniable.
Talking with Carmen Turner the other day, I had an idea. A land trust is in concept a wonderful organization — I don’t think it’s easy to organize and maintain one, and we ought to keep the one we have. (I’ve a bit of experience on the board of Sugarloaf Women’s Village, which is also a land trust.) I just think the current Bahama Village land development advisory board (whatever its official name is), which is peopled by diverse, intelligent, unsalaried and civic-minded people with no economic interest in the development I know of, should become the BCCLT’s board and move forward with the lease and the development. As I said in a letter to the editor nobody has published, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.”
Happy Holidays.
Connie
I disagree, I think Morgan wanted something good for Truman Waterfront. But I agree, I never saw him come up with something that looked good for Truman Waterfront. But then, I didn’t see anyone else do it, either.
If the toxic waste issues can all be cleared up, which should have been the very first order of business years ago, as part of the conveyance from the Navy, I think Truman Waterfront should be dedicated to affordable rental housing. Something we truly need. And, yes, I think the Housing Authority should manage it and collect the rents. Perhaps Habitat For Humanity would be interested in doing the construction.
Since the City owns the land, the cost per unit would be low compared to doing something like that on land purchased form a private owner. It might be a really good thing. It could be done quickly. It could be backed by a revenue bond. Contractors would be eager to bid on it in this economy. It would not be speculative, which BCCLT’s vision is. Which the elder facility also approved in the non-binding referendum is. Which the mega yacht harbor the Spottswoods are pushing for is. Dedicating Truman Waterfront to affordable rental housing would let the city would keep the land, instead of letting it out under dollar-a-year long term leases to developers.
These people you know on the advisory board, my understanding is they haven’t done anything to speak of yet, because they haven’t had anything to do. Do they have any experience with construction? Have they ever put their own money into any kind of serious development? Have they ever run a large business? If not, I don’t see how they could be any more effecive than Norma Jean Sawyer and the BCCLT Board have been. And I wonder if they have the time, even if they have the expertise, to run a land trust? And would they do it for free? Lots of questions.
Affordable rental housing is simple to understand, simple to do, if the land is basically free. Who, in right mind, could argue Key West doesn’t need a lot more affordable rental housing? Looks like a no-brainer to me, if the toxic waste issues can be resolved. People who want park space out there can be accommodated by leaving some of the land open and planted with indigenous foliage with plenty of walking paths. I bet the folks in upscale Truman Annex would be thrilled to have an affordable housing project next door. Thrilled.
As for Happy Holiday, I told someone today that the American version of Christmas was invented by Jewish merchants in the latter 1800s, so they could make a lot of money off Christians. I don’t do Christmas anymore, not because of the Jewish merchants, but because I don’t see the American version has anything to do with Jesus. He wasn’t even born on December 25; that date was chosen by one of the early Church conclaves, because it coincided with the pagan high holy day, the Winter Solstice.
On Christmas and any other day, I just get up in the morning and chop the wood and carry the water that’s in front of me. On holidays, the chopping and carrying tend to be especially laborious. An inverted sense of humor, the angels have. Some day I hope to be able to repay the favor. 
Sloan