First of two parts
[img]2441|right|John Nachbar||no_popup[/img]When the City Council determined the other evening that City Manager John Nachbar would be the drum major for “the visioning process,” a several-month exercise involving crowds of people — consultants, the general public, the specific public and politicians — declaring what they think of the Carlyle Group’s latest proposal.
The global asset management company, which thinks big, lost Round 1 to City Hall last June. They bounced back, however, with an elaborate if somewhat filmy counter suggestion.
Through various layers of representatives and delegates, Washington-based Carlyle would seek to develop properties around a cluster of three hotels, the DoubleTree, Courtyard by Marriott and the 4 Points by Sheraton.
How would the public find these newly furbished plots of land?
By digital signs, naturally, and that set off ear-shattering alarms in the mind of Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells and numerous her environment-conscious allies.
Meanwhile, what about Mr. Nachbar? The question put to him this afternoon was:
What does a director of visioning do?
“I will be working through (director) Sol (Blumenfeld) and the Community Development Dept.,” he said. “They and consultants will be guiding this.”
What does visioning mean?
What will Mr. Nachbar be doing?
“I think what it means is significant outreach with the community and with stakeholders,” he said.
“We are relying on their input to develop a concept.”
(To be continued)
