gnarlylove
Senior Member
Los Angeles River Revival Plan Is Driving Development - Businessweek
"Ben Stapleton has a vision for the junkyard he’s trying to sell for $3.5 million. The real estate sales executive sees artist studios, retail shops, and apartments with views south to the skyline of Los Angeles, steps from a riverfront oasis. It’s all part of a plan, he says, to reinvent the Los Angeles River corridor and bring in money."
"A $1 billion plan by the Army Corps to restore 11 miles of the river north of downtown L.A. to a more natural state has speculators circling even before the funding’s in place."
"President Obama, whom Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti personally lobbied to back the project, has endorsed the plan. Congress now has to authorize the Army Corps’ $500 million share of the cost. The city has to raise the rest from state funds, other federal sources, charitable contributions, and public-private partnerships..."
"Developers say the revitalized river will draw residents and businesses."
Classic example of private capital exploiting tax dollars for private profit without consent of the public. Not only does the public not get to decide if that money could be spent on more important items like high speed rail but the private interests involved get to determine how to profit the most from such a transformation and investment of the LA River. As many projects that have gone before it, such transformations will result in the exclusion of the downtrodden, the vulnerable and displace humans beings for the sake of fashionable consumption.
I don't know about you but I've never heard a good argument for why American society focuses on profit and exorbitant consumption over living well. Consumption has never been a likely generator of an excellent or virtuous person.
"Ben Stapleton has a vision for the junkyard he’s trying to sell for $3.5 million. The real estate sales executive sees artist studios, retail shops, and apartments with views south to the skyline of Los Angeles, steps from a riverfront oasis. It’s all part of a plan, he says, to reinvent the Los Angeles River corridor and bring in money."
"A $1 billion plan by the Army Corps to restore 11 miles of the river north of downtown L.A. to a more natural state has speculators circling even before the funding’s in place."
"President Obama, whom Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti personally lobbied to back the project, has endorsed the plan. Congress now has to authorize the Army Corps’ $500 million share of the cost. The city has to raise the rest from state funds, other federal sources, charitable contributions, and public-private partnerships..."
"Developers say the revitalized river will draw residents and businesses."
Classic example of private capital exploiting tax dollars for private profit without consent of the public. Not only does the public not get to decide if that money could be spent on more important items like high speed rail but the private interests involved get to determine how to profit the most from such a transformation and investment of the LA River. As many projects that have gone before it, such transformations will result in the exclusion of the downtrodden, the vulnerable and displace humans beings for the sake of fashionable consumption.
I don't know about you but I've never heard a good argument for why American society focuses on profit and exorbitant consumption over living well. Consumption has never been a likely generator of an excellent or virtuous person.
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