Tower not right for Evanston
With a $140 million shortage in the police and fire pension funds, Evanston is desperate for new sources of revenue. An obvious way to produce new taxes is to encourage new development.
Building a 38-story tower that will cast a shadow over downtown Evanston and violate the city's zoning ordinances is an unnecessary solution. Fountain Square will continue to distort an otherwise balanced skyline long after the pension crisis subsides.
After the 25-story Sherman Plaza controversy attracted substantial community reaction, considering another condominium high-rise, which was originally planned to be 49 stories, should have been out of the question for the Evanston City Council.
The city handled the Fountain Square tower project at 708 Church St. poorly from the start: Several aldermen expressed interest in the project during a closed meeting that the state later said should have been open.
The "incidental discussion" that occurred during that March 27, 2007 meeting set a precedent. Unfortunately, some aldermen have been working more closely with the developers than with their constituents.
Since generating tax revenue is a central goal in new development, constructing a condominium building is a risky solution given the looming threat of recession and decline in the real estate market.
Evanston, already an expensive place to live, will be getting pricier because high property taxes are guaranteed until 2033, when the city is legally required to complete its funding of the pension funds. A timid market combined with a swelling burden on the wallets of potential occupants makes financial success for the tower uncertain at best.
The developers have also stretched the limits of their good favor with the council by asking for $3 million in tax increment financing funds to renovate the Hahn building, a necessary project before building the tower. A city consultant later estimated to require only $2 million.
Creating sources of revenue to lower the impact of property tax hikes is an important goal for the city. The Fountain Square tower, however, is simply not the best solution.
Former Prof. harmless at NU
Blogs like Northwestern OTR and Gawker have exploded with the news that Priya Venkatesan has been hired as a research associate at NU. The hiring of Venkatesan, a former Dartmouth professor, is causing a fuss because she threatened to sue her former students.
She is suing students for harassment based partially on comments they made on a Dartmouth equivalent of CTECs. Venkatesan is also writing a book about her experience teaching those same students.
While it is unfortunate that Venkatesan brings negative press to NU, her interpersonal issues should not affect her ability to contribute to research at the NU International Institute for Nanotechnology.
The situation would be entirely different if NU had hired her to work closely with students. But given the position for which she was hired, there is no reason to ostracize her or harass her with e-mails (some blogs have published her e-mail address so that students can write her).
Many people don't know how to handle themselves in social situations. Though Venkatesan obviously has her issues (not even NU professors sue over their offensive CTECS), she should be given a clean slate here. Just keep her out of classrooms.
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