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| - Those who criticize Steelyard for killing mom & pops, or as a corporate monster, etc., etc., are missing the point. Here's all you need to understand about why Steelyard Commons is a good thing for Cleveland:
- It's a reasonable *RE-USE* of economically obsolete and polluted land. When one thinks of 'sustainable design', it is tempting to focus on things like green roofs and solar energy. People forget that *intelligent land use* is arguably the most important factor in sustainable planning. Taking fallow, polluted land and reusing it for a contemporary need is one of the most sustainable things a community can achieve.
- People who live in the vicinity are going to shop at Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc., whether Steelyard is there or not. Now they don't have to drive/take the bus/take a taxi our of town to do so.
- Whether you love or hate big boxes (I happen to hate them), they're here to stay, in one form or another. Thinking otherwise is kidding yourself. People vote with their dollars.
Mitch Schneider, who developed Steelyard, is a Cleveland-based developer with a good head on his shoulders. In the real estate world, many more conservative investors think Mitch was crazy for taking a risk (with his own money) like Steelyard. Those of us who lean a bit more to the left applaud him for having the vision, patience and balls to pull of a development like this. First Interstate simply met the market--met people's needs--by developing this center. There's nothing evil about that.
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