jbeech2006

Existing business owners should not be forced to give up their properties and their livelihood just to make it a little prettier in Bishop Arts. For a business owner it is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOATION. Why should he have to move unless they make it worth his while to. Bishop Arts grew up from nothing with his business right next store, it has not hurt the area yet. The whole point of Bishop Arts is that it is a funky little spot in North Oak Cliff, if we knock down or take over all the old business to make way for new stuff, the area will lose its appeal. The city ruined Deep Elum when they tried to pretty it up years ago and ran off the people who had been going there for years (and the businesses they were supporting), let’s not do the same with Bishop Arts. I think bishop Arts is large enough now, let's start working on the adjoining areas to make all of Oak Cliff a destination, but let’s keep the character. If the city wants to spend a bunch of money on a "gateway" to make BA prettier, why not spending it fixing up the stuff they already own that needs up keep.

On the other hand, it would be nice if some existing business (and some of the new ones) made a little effort to clean up their act, but don't force them out or start jamming code enforcement down their throats for stuff the city never enforced for the last 20 years. There are plenty of more blatant code violations in North Oak Cliff than that.