My View on Grove View

Wow! Good news! The Fayetteville Observer reported last week that the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority announced what I think is great news for Fayetteville and the residents of Grove View Terrace, an out-of-date, low-income public housing community off Grove Street.

I have no idea how it came about, but, the United States Department of Public Housing and Urban Development has given local FMHA Director Dawn Driggers one year to submit a plan to relocate Grove View Terrace residents and rebuild the development. What? Did they say rebuild? Whoa! Why would we want to do that?

Surely, the mayor, city planners, city council and the city manager will weigh-in on this important matter. This opportunity is a godsend as we focus our time, talent and resources on reducing crime, beautifying our city and enhancing our quality of life. Think about it. From the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, past Festival Park to the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, Grove Street has the best potential for becoming Fayetteville’s premiere gateway into the city. And, with the recent success we have had with the Hope VI Development Project in replacing Campbell Terrace and Delona Gardens, why would we even consider “rebuilding” or “replacing” Grove View Terrace? The mere fact that Grove View qualified for this new HUD program confirms the need to rid the community of this crime-ridden, worn out, run down and dilapidated eye sore. The residents of Grove View deserve better and our community deserves better

.LIPSTICK ON A PIG

About 15 years ago we spent millions of dollars to camouflage the Grove Street blight only to enhance it. Check out the crime statistics for this area. Now, in 2014, we have a second chance to reclaim this 29 acres of natural, pristine inner-city beauty and to better the lives and living conditions of hundreds of low- and medium-income families while enhancing the quality of life of all Fayetteville residents. To do this we need strong, progressive and aggressive leadership.

What happens on Grove Street and the future of Grove View Terrace should not be left solely in the hands of its residents, the FMHA director or its board. We will have only one chance to get this right. Miss it and Grove View Terrace residents are guaranteed another couple of decades of mediocrity and we will lose our gateway. Again, this will take leadership. Let’s see who steps up — or who doesn’t.

Stay tuned and thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: The future of Grove View Terrace should not be left solely in the hands of its residents, the FMHA director or its board.