Open Question For Bill White

In 2012, I appeared on a Business Matters show about the upcoming arena and NIZ.  I and Steve Thode from Lehigh spoke against it, while several people were chosen to champion it, including Mike Fleck and Sy Traub. 

I had been helping out the former merchants, and attended a couple meetings at City Hall with them. They were being threatened with eminent domain if they refused to sell. Although they were compensated fairly for the real estate, they got nothing for their businesses. While one of them relocated to 7th Street, all the others went out of business. In all cases it was more than their livelihood, it was also their past and future.

Bill White wrote a column about the debate, and referred to me as dour and misguided. Not one business from anywhere on Hamilton Street prior to the NIZ remains. No businesses, including restaurants, had any lasting success. Nobody still considers Hamilton Street a business district, it is now an urban office park. Mr. Fleck got indicted along with Pawlowski. Sy Traub remains on the NIZ board. 

I hoping Bill White responds to this post. Was I as misguided as you thought?  BTW, I'll accept the dour label, especially when it comes to the NIZ.