NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
FEDERAL COURTHOUSE FINALIST SITES SCRAPPED, LOCATION SEARCH RENEWEDMayor Stephen R. Reed today reported that the federal government has scrapped the three finalist sites that had earlier been selected for the prospective location of the planned new federal courthouse and that a site search will now be renewed to identify other, more suitable locations. Reed said the federal decision by the U.S. General Services Administration is “much welcomed so long as it leads to an ultimate site selection that minimizes or eliminates dislocation of existing residents or businesses and additionally serves to spawn new investment close-by.” The Mayor said the city, since the site review process began two years ago, has offered several locations that would meet this criteria, including largely vacant land tracts along N. 6th Street, north of Reily Street, locations along what will become an extended South 3rd Street in the Southgate Project Area, and at or near South 2nd and Paxton Streets. Of the three finalist sites announced early this year, the GSA indicated their tentative final choice was Cumberland Courts, on a several acre plot already fully developed and home to apartments and the Quaker Meeting House. “We thought that to be an unnecessary site selection. Why remove hundreds of existing tenants when, two and a half blocks away, are open tracts of land with little use or occupation. The difference of several blocks seemed to be an obstacle for reasons unknown to us but, with the final review conducted by the GSA, they have, we are delighted to see, decided to revisit the idea of other, less disruptive sites,” Reed said. The GSA will now reopen the process of finding a suitable site. |
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