The Bon Air Neighborhood Neighborhood Association held two public meetings Monday with about 40 total in attendance with the focus on getting public exposure for its efforts to redevelop the Bardstown Rd Corridor and especially the Showcase Cinemas site.
Other than its intended purpose, the meeting also had some of the typical elements of a neighborhood association meeting. It had participation from local leaders and representatives of Metro Government in both meetings.
(I will make a disclaimer that I was both an observer and participant at the second meeting. I was invited to speak several weeks ago on my ideas for economic development.)
Cynthia Cooke, Bon Air Neighborhood Association encouraged attendees to write Brent Ackerson to encourage funding of the charette for the Bon Air Neighborhood Association. Cooke reported that Metro Council member Jim King has already contributed towards the process, but that Ackerson is awaiting a meeting of his advisory committee.
Jim Mims from Metro Inspections, Permits and Licenses discussed the involvement of IPL in development. IPL often serves as a consultant for development. Mims shared from his background as a landscape architect about the potential of the Showcase Cinema site, but also that the real estate market for retail development is soft, and may be soft for 10 years given economic cycles.
Steve Alvey from the Buechel Area Business Association presented that organization's "Streetscape plan." The plan focuses on the beautification of "old Bardstown Rd" from Hikes Lane to the Buechel Bypass to include sidewalk improvement and greenspace development. The plan is in the works and facing funding challenges.
Leslie Cissell from the Upper Highlands Neighborhood Association also spoke about that organization's efforts to redevelop Bardstown Rd north of the Watterson to its northern boundary. They had been quite active in encouraging the redevelopment of the Gardiner Lane shopping center.
Yours truly spoke in the second meeting about the relevant political and economic theories for redevelopment of the area. (I was to speak in the first meeting but the time ran out.) I presented the need to base economic development on locational advantage and that local political activity was essential to make economic development a reality. I also presented my suggestion that the Showcase Cinemas site could be transformed into a music performance site that could play on the locational advantage and blend with other economic strategies.
(I included the true story my strange dream that I was chasing Elvis Costello for his autograph inside the Showcase as the revelation for my idea. It made for entertainment at least and the idea surprisingly was well-received.)
Jeff Noble, Legislative Assistant for Metro Council Brent Ackerson, discussed the Council Member's plans for development in the area and did the usual questions and answers from the crowd.
LMPD Lt. Glen Simpson discussed crime patterns in the area. Simpson said that the cold weather is likely responsible for the decline in crime in the area and that domestic violence calls are usually higher. Simpson also reported that the Economy Inn Management is also cooperative with LMPD in a number of ways that includes letting LMPD see the guest register to check for warrants. Simpson said that LMPD officers often go to the Economy Inn during down times as a preventative measure.
Two other speakers were Seneca High School students who discussed the lack of youth activities in the neighborhood. They discussed the need for such activities to help cut down on youth crime.
Cynthia Cooke announced that the next meeting for discussing Bardstown Rd development will be March 8, at 6:30pm at the Bon Air Library.
It is a running commentary on the news and occurances and in the Bon Air and Highgate Springs Neighborhood. It also contains philosophical discourse on what the neighborhood needs for it to be vibrant and robust.
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Bon Air Observer