A friend of the blog emails:
LOL at all the Yes In My Backyard Karens who have suddenly become Not In My Backyard when University of St Thomas is concerned.
I know many of these same people argued against and successfully fought off any kind of retail that could have happened in the former Bus Barn site that is now Allianz Field. In fact, they fought against neighbors of the former bus barn site, fought against any retail that would have added to the tax base (because the proposed retail asked for parking!), and then unironically fought against neighbors of the bus barn site to advocate for a soccer stadium that did not only receive tax exemptions (as all stadiums do) but was also granted a variance to add more parking than allowed in that area of the city. And they still champion their “success” at what they did for a neighborhood that they don’t even relate to. They still pretend to believe that all soccer fans take transit, the the soccer stadium isn’t surrounded by more parking than what was there before.
But now, St Thomas wants to put a sports complex near them? The horrors. It’ll bring cars! (Well, yes, any development would and don’t people already drive to Town and Country? I doubt many who pay to be members take the bus there.) It’s a stinkin’ sports complex rather than something that I’d rather live by. (Well, yes, but you’ve been bragging for years how much your property values have gone up because of your work, so cash in-move to where you want to live, somewhere guaranteed never to change, if you can find such a place.) Did I mention it’ll bring cars and we thought we solved that problem by getting rid of parking minimums? (Once the Karens give up their cars, I will believe that the issue is solved.)
Honestly, I don’t care one way or another, but those neighbors certainly deserve to have a little change happen to them that makes them a little uncomfortable for all they’ve done to others via advocacy for tear downs to build big apartments to Allianz Field. I understand that there is some money involved for some Town and Country members should the deal go through. It will be interesting which group of wealth wins out- Karens like Mary Morse Marti and Sean Ryan or St Thomas, or maybe the only winners will be the Town and Country club members
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