[Dewey-Darrow] [Darrow-GreenwoodNeighbors] Summary of community meeting with Plaza Rep

[sugrcreek at aol.com]

Neighbors- for those who attended last nights meeting  with  the Plaza 
representative and the city staff to discuss the future of the mall at  
Dempster- Dodge and for all neighbors who could not be there-     i am forwarding 
our follow up letter to the Freed Representative as it will best  summarize 
the meeting. :
 
 
Dear Mr.Harder;
 
   As a follow up to last nights community meeting, i want to  thank you 
for coming and being willing to stay in the "hot seat" at times when  the 
discussion was passionate.  It was apparent that  residents have strong feelings 
about  our Plaza neighbor and we know that a healthy, thriving  shopping 
mall will be in all of our best interests.
    I would like to briefly sum up the highlights of the  discussion and 
brainstorming that occurred last night.
  It was clear that neighbors held concerns that there exists  a 
misperception of this corner of Evanston and the community that surrounds it  that may 
be held by those from Freed who market the plaza as well as  potential 
business interests who might become tenants if they had a more  realistic view 
of the area.
 
 Statements from Freed associates which appeared  recently in local media  
have described the perception of  this area as a "secondary, tertiary 
market"; a last choice for  retailers and  that your company's challenge has been 
to convince retailers  that "there is a market here that they expect".    I 
hope we were  able to both dispel the stereotypes and misperceptions, 
introduce you to  the vibrant community that surrounds the plaza and make it clear 
that there is  in fact a strong potential market here if the right stores 
were brought  in.   
 
   There were many creative ideas that were suggested as  possible types of 
business that would do well here; including a full arts  center,and outdoor 
cafe, an authentic mexican taqueria, a bakery, a  children's recreation 
center, other small business endeavors, and many  more creative possibilities 
along with the suggestions for improved landscaping  and lighting within the 
plaza.
   Neighbors were encouraged to contact you as well as Dennis  Marino from 
the City Planning Department with additional specific business  ventures and 
ideas.
 
  We look forward to feedback from you and your associates  after you have 
had a chance to share with them the results of last nights  meeting.  It is 
our hope that this meeting will serve as the beginning of  an ongoing 
conversation between neighbors, the City of Evanston and Freed  and Associates as 
we all work toward the creation of a bustling neighborhood  shopping plaza 
at Dempster and Dodge.
 
Sincerely;
Dickelle Fonda  

"Power  concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will" 
(Frederick Douglass  1849)



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