The Chandler Street Business Association requested a meeting with Gilberto Ledesma’s representation on Tuesday night to discuss the issue in private and this meeting took place yesterday.  Both parties are requesting the matter be tabled for an additional week beginning next Tuesday, so that the Chandler Street Business Association can have time to review a proposal being offered by Gilberto Ledesma.

It should be noted that the Chandler Street Business Association had 22 neighborhood business owners and residents at last weeks city council meeting prepared to testify in support of the City Administration and the Planning Departments decision to not allow the property to be removed from the “CCOD” but due to being told ahead of time that the issue was being tabled and being aware that the city council does not allow folks to testify two weeks in a row, it was decided to just have myself speak to the mistruths” being stated about the vacancy of 124-126 Chandler prior to the sale in August of 2015, to Gilberto Ledesma.

The Chandler Street Business Association takes its stewardship of Chandler Street and its long standing association with business and residents on Pleasant Street and Park Avenue very seriously and it has always tried to be respectful of others opinions and efforts even when not in line with the Chandler Business Association opinion. Our membership was very involved in the “CCOD” conversation and it worked very hard on the issue going door to door with fliers offering information on what the “CCOD” was all about and fliers inviting business owners and residents to meetings-Phil Niddrie went door to door also, this was not a clandestine operation.

The Chandler Street Business Association has never had “a bricks and mortar only mentality” or been an obstructionist organization when it comes to business matters and especially when it involves issues of the heart such as the relocation of the “PIP SHELTER”.

It has been forgotten by a few that no shoulders were broader on this issue than the Chandler Street Business Association’s when it came to the placement of a new “PIP SHELTER”:>) And it should be added that we have a long standing relationship with the youth of our neighborhood and have supported and sponsored a summer youth employment program for seven years now-many years putting up a sizeable amount of the money needed to fund the program as well as funding the cost of trees, flowers and bicycle racks on Chandler Street, Pleasant Street, Park Avenue and even Main South (the bicycle rack in front of Acoustic Java was paid for and installed at no cost by the Chandler Street Business Association).

To our supporters, please stay with us as we discuss this issue further with Mr. Ledesma and to those less reluctant to support us please understand that our only goal is the positive future of the Chandler Street/Pleasant Street/Park Avenue corridors as a vibrant business and residential community as a whole.

A Few of our membership will be making phone calls to discuss in person so you are comfortable that this is coming from us as an organization. Thank you for your due diligence to this important issue.

Lastly, both parties have agreed to make no statements to the media until we have an agreement or are unable to make an agreement-please be respectful of this, thank you.

Sincerely

 

Paul Collyer
Chandler Street Business Association