As you can see in today’s Q&A with City Manager Steve Schainker, the City Council expects to hear proposals from LANE4, the property management group hired by the city to “revitalize” Campustown, in late February or early March, in which they’re expected to ask the council to be willing to use its power of eminent domain to acquire properties from owners who might be unwilling to sell their Campustown properties. 

Much like the position we, as a staff, were in around this time last year, when it came time for senators to vote to support the Cyclone Cinema proposal, we realize we haven’t gone far enough in putting information out to educate the community about the goings on of the plans to “revitalize” Campustown. Starting today – and until LANE4 makes its presentation to the City Council – we’re committed to providing you with the information you need to become active in a citywide conversation surrounding the company’s proposals. 

But we’re going to take this opportunity to call our community’s leaders to do the same. City Council members Tom Wacha, Jami Larson, Riad Mahayni, Matthew Goodman, Peter Orazem and city staff owe it to the city, its student-residents, and its Campustown business and property owners to raise the level of communication with those who’ll be affected most by the project. Jeremy Davis, who represents Campustown’s residents, property owners and business owners on the City Council, Mayor Ann Campbell and ISU President Gregory Geoffroy owe us more than the rest. And, representing the student body’s interests in official capacities, Matt England, the student body’s ex-officio representative to the City Council, Luke Roling, the GSB president, and our respective senators owe it to the student body to be clear and straightforward about what – exactly – this project will entail. Because it will involve sacrifices for many in the hope that we’ll reap the rewards of a revitalized business district across the street from Central Campus at the project’s completion.

And that request is going to involve the aforementioned taking on personal responsibility for making sure that the community is educated to the best of their abilities. Because our only goal is to have a conversation in the community about the proposal and to get that conversation started.

It won’t be good enough for President Geoffroy to assume that Jeremy Davis is taking care of communicating with Campustown’s business owners.

And it won’t be good enough for GSB’s senators to assume that Matt or Luke are taking care of representing their constituents’ interests to LANE4, the City Council and President Geoffroy, as plans move forward. We might very well lose the Chicha Shack, Headliners, Project 20/20, El Patron, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, Grandma’s Attic, Cy’s Roost, Fighting Burrito, Asylum, Mickey’s Irish Pub, Copyworks, Mayhem Collectibles, U.S. Bank, Birthright, Domino’s Pizza, India Palace, Ames Progressive, Joy’s Mongolian Grill, Planned Parenthood, Little Taipei, Kum&Go, Pizza Pit and Welch Ave. Station, among many more. All of us need to pay attention.

To prepare to speak up – in support or in opposition – for LANE4’s plans.

So, please, take notice.