I don't live in Tenleytown, but if I did I would be falling down to thank GDS for pledging its money to turn a decrepit, boring stretch into a vibrant streetscape. |
"I don't live in Tenleytown, but if I did I would be falling down to thank GDS for pledging its money to turn a decrepit, boring stretch into a vibrant streetscape."
Of course, if you did live in Tenleytown, you would probably care more about local traffic and congestion issues. |
I just saw the early plans. The GDS 21st Century campus is going to be amazing for the school and a good urban revitalization benefit for the neighborhood! |
I saw the plans too. And I think you'll be proven wrong on both counts. It'll be a substandard campus behind a couple of out-of-scale residential buildings.
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My understanding is that people in the neighborhood were begging for more commercial development and were upset when GDS bought the properties. So the school is just trying to give them what they have been asking for. |
Worst of both worlds for the neighbors:
No grocery store, more rush hour traffic and negative parking impacts. Not sure how anyone but the core GDS boosters can see it otherwise. |
This. |
I think that some of those who trash GDS and its ambitious plans just have a grudge, maybe because a DS or DD didn't receive a coveted admission letter. |
You can call the plans ambitious, but face reality, the school is wedging many more kids on to a campus, that as compared to any of its peers, will be sub-standard. Add to that the financing mechanism that is wholly dependent on its Board member-developers and the whole thing is fishy.
As to the local neighbors, they rightfully pushed back against the 50's style grocery/parking lot and were on a track with Safeway that everyone seemed to be happy with, until Safeway sold the lot. The GDS proposal is worse for the neighbors because they are getting all of the negatives without any benefits. |
And I think people who make statements like this do so because they can't really defend the project on its merits. GDS will be a less attractive school after this project is completed. |
If the GDS plans every come to fruition, it will be a cramped, ugly campus with continued sub-standard facilities compared to nearly any other private school in the area. It is overwhelmingly tasteless and way, way, way too intensive for the site. It must and will be scaled way back. Good luck to the neighborhood! |
you seem really nice. |
I think that some of those who trash GDS and its ambitious plans just have a grudge, maybe because a DS or DD didn't receive a coveted admission letter" Hey GDS Arrogance is not going to help you win friends in this situation. Sadly, GDS is still the third or fourth choice for most families that apply. |
I call BS. GDS students tend to be among the most gifted and talented around. Their parents put GDS as their first choice for the amazing faculty and strong social history tradition. And GDS parents are pretty high powered -- they've served as judges, White House aides, even AG of the United States -- and are not ones to be settling for third or fourth place for anything. |
What is the total acreage of the existing building/fields plus the Safeway property? (Excluding the dealership as that won't be used for school space). |