To the editor:

In the Feb. 14 Daily, Jacque Sondgeroth’s letter, “Greeks question new building,” says that on the corner of Sunset Drive and Beach Avenue construction has begun on a new nine-story condominium building.

Equipped with an underground parking facility, she states these condos will sell for $360,000 each. Sondgeroth explains that the developer, Jemfour Nine Inc., is receiving a tax break from the city under their urban revitalization program.

I am writing this letter to say that not just the greeks are questioning this new building. Why was the developer given a tax break under the urban revitalization program?

If the city wants urban revitalization, why not use the space and build a high-rise for more affordable housing? When I moved to Ames, I was amazed at the extremely high housing rates — the highest in the state.

Building high-priced condos will only drive our housing rates up. How will that help to revitalize our community?

An affordable living complex would help fight the rising cost of living here. It would allow future tenants to find housing within the means of their budget without having to resort to living under slumlords. And bottom line, it would still be a profit-maker for the developer.

As an economics professor would say, both the producer and the consumer of this good would gain. Furthermore, adding any sort of residential dwelling here is only going to add to an already existing problem.

Community planners need to address parking. This area looks like an automobile supermarket.

As we speak, current residents are parking their vehicles a good distance from where they live because of congestion. Throw in the alternate parking regulation, and there is an outright free-for-all.

Fix the parking problem, add some affordable housing that people won’t have to sacrifice a family member for, and you will have the makings of a revitalized community.

This deal seems to be the result of big-dollar politics.

It is proof that money talks.

Dave Audino

Freshman

Liberal arts and science