Voter: The lawsuit is indeed holding up major elements of the redevelopment project. The article above makes it clear that the window for getting Phase I started and Phase II in the works is closing fast. Were it not for the lawsuit (and the reluctance on SET's part to settle it) then the bulldozers would already have started rolling and construction begun on Etowah Village.

The McCall piece, part of Phase II, came up recently. It was not a "Hail Mary" pass, as you called it. The opportunity to restore McCall Hospital came up after the building was declared unsafe for occupation and the tenants were moved out. The property is in foreclosure, in deep disrepair, and is crying out for someone to step in and do something with it. Mercy was given the opportunity to view the property and were excited at the possibility of restoring it. (They have, in fact, already restored a historic hospital in Savannah.) The concept was presented to SET and MACA with the purpose of inviting them to help and participate in the project. It would be wonderful if they would do so.

The reference to single-family housing at McCall (as part of Phase II) was an error by a reporter. It would be multi-family housing, but it would not be limited to senior citizens as would be Etowah Village. The reason that I "bundle" McCall and Etowah together is because both of these blighted properties would be redeveloped and restored by Mercy. They would be Phase I and Phase II of a larger project.

I resent your characterization of Karen Moore as "incompetent" and an "obstacle". If you actually attended the SRRA/SRRC meetings each month (like I do) you wouldn't be so misinformed about Ms. Moore or about the redevelopment efforts overall. It is sad that you put forth such strident, negative comments when you haven't taken the time to actually learn the facts about what is going on. The caricature of Ms. Moore that you have made could not be further from the truth. If you are really interested in South Rome (which I doubt) and care about the redevelopment efforts (which again, I doubt) then you would take the time to attend meetings and perhaps even ask for a meeting with Ms. Moore herself to ask questions and get answers from the source.

I ask you yet one more time: Should the judge allow SET's lawsuit to proceed, are you going to take some of your large investment here in Rome to help pay the lawyer to take the case to trial? Would you really be willing to invest thousands of dollars to halt the redevelopment of South Rome? Do you really hate poor people that much, to spend your own money to see that South Rome is left in the terrible state it is now?

And what did you really mean by the population of Etowah Village "spilling" into downtown? I am completely unclear on what you meant with that comment, as are others.

Voter: You are correct that at least one person living in the Etowah Village apartments will have to be 55 years old. However, I sincerely doubt that a majority of the residents there will be taking in ex-con grandsons or the spawn of unfit mothers. The purpose of the project is to create affordable housing for senior citizens, which is a definite need in Rome.

As to the population there "spilling" into downtown, I don't understand what you really mean. Would you please elaborate on that for us?

Voter, I do not blame SET or its lawsuit for the state of South Rome, which indeed is the result of years and years of neglect. I do, however, blame the lawsuit for bringing much of the redevelopment project to a halt and stopping the renaissance of Etowah Terrace. Due to the lawsuit we now stand at risk for losing Etowah Village entirely, and the proposed Phase II (including the restoration of McCall hospital) as well. It is very sad that such a small group of people could prevent the creation of assets that would benefit literally hundreds of other people in my community.

I ask you again: Should the judge allow SET's lawsuit to proceed, are you going to take some of your large investment here in Rome to help pay the lawyer to take the case to trial? Would you really be willing to invest thousands of dollars to halt the redevelopment of South Rome? Do you really hate poor people that much, to spend your own money to see that South Rome is left in the terrible state it is now?

Voter..You are right that McCain "suspended" his campaign.

Yep, and when he went back to Washington, he was rejected by Pelosi, Reid, Frank and Obama, with their comments that "What's he doing here? This is a done deal. WE'VE already gotten it taken care of. WE'VE got OUR PLAN in place. HE'S just messing it up."

The Stimulous Bill WAS WRITTEN, PLANNED, AND PUT INTO EFFECT by the Democratic majority that CONTROLLED Congress.

The Reublicans who joined in with almost 100% Democratic supporters have paid, and are continuing to pay, at the ballot box.

It's fine to blame Bush for what he's responsible for. He asked for this crap, and crap is what he got. But let's not be DISTORTIONIST'S when it comes to history.

McCain suspended campaign...McCain rejected by Pelosi, Reid, etc....Democrats pass bill, which they wrote, with some Republican support,...Republicans who sided with the Democrat majority get hammered at the polls. End of story.

Voter, those "undesirable elements" you talk about are *senior citizens*. I doubt that they are going to be "spewing" anything or anywhere.

And what about the undesirable elements that infest Etowah Terrace right now? Maybe if you actually lived in South Rome and had to deal with the reality of life here, you'd feel differently. It is easy to sit in Summerville Park and opine about what other neighborhoods should do.

Do you also oppose the streetscape project? We "undesirable elements" in South Rome probably don't deserve nice sidewalks, new streetlights and repaired retaining walls, do we?

Should the judge allow SET's lawsuit to proceed, are you going to take some of your large investment here in Rome to help pay the lawyer to take the case to trial? Would you really be willing to invest thousands of dollars to halt the redevelopment of South Rome? Do you really hate poor people that much, to spend your own money to see that South Rome is left in the terrible state it is now?

Voter: I really "fell" sorry for you. Why do you consistantly argue with EVERY opinion/comment/post? Are you that miserable or is it a result of your german heritage? After all, we southerners know how pigheaded the Germans can be. Enlighten us, maybe we could rationalize your bitter behavior. Rome would be such a better place if people like you would take your zealot attitude and hit the road preferably to a place that is very, very hot and a little steamy.

Sourcebook: I thank you for the much needed comments supporting removing those dilapated, drug dealer infested buildings SET and a select few MACA residents are trying to save. Like you, I am STILL waiting for honest explanations to the lawsuit. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all know the obvious reasons, but what are the REAL reasons behind it? If SET/MACA(again a select number) are willing to settle now, why did they file the lawsuit in the first place? Im sure we will never get a complete answer. At the next tent revival I'll pray that justice will prevail.

What a wonderful thing for South Rome, and the entire city of Rome, if Etowah Village doesn't get built. Why don't the powers that be try leadership instead of prayer?

It is my understanding that Save Etowah Terrace and Mt Aventine have tried negotiating with the city to win concessions in exchange for allowing the Mercy project to proceed. Given the circumstances, this is only fair. I would like to think that the South Broad streetscape plan -- which would not be cheap -- would go a long way to fulfilling such demands. (Cracking down on slumlords, who have had and continue to have an adverse impact on property values as severe as the Mercy project would, is another.)

I don't pray, but I sincerely hope both sides can come to an agreement on this issue that is mutually satisfactory -- emphasis on "mutual."

Voter: I am a third generation Roman and my mother would tell you she "raised me right". If the worst thing I ever do is add a few extra letters to a word for emphasis, I think most folks would forgive me.

I'm not interested in debating issues with you. Your mind (and heart) appear to be closed.

Voter: Everyone who reads these blogs knows your views on the Catholic Church, which has nothing to do with Etowah Terrace. Only in your mind is there a connection.

Everyone's opinion counts. It just would be sooooo helpful if you would get your facts straight.

You don't seem to have a very good opinion of the City of Rome. Perhaps you should consider moving

across a bigger sea of water. You might be a less negative person.,

Is the lawsuit petty? If you live on Etowah Terrace or in the Mt. Aventine neighborhood, you might not think the lawsuit is petty. Perhaps the signage was an oversight by the City of Rome. I don't think it was. I think it was deliberate and an attempt to mislead.

UMU zoning was needed for housing but also for the arts district.

So, do you think the number of signs posted on the property (tract vs. individual lots) should cost the community 200 construction jobs? Much less the loss of outside, private investment and $50,000 annual payment to the local tax digest. The lawsuit appears to be petty to me.

WHY? South Rome Redevelopment did not follow the rules. They broke the rules. If the rezoning had been done properly there would not of been a lawsuit. The City of Rome did this to themselves. They have no one to blame but themselves.

Thanks for that excellent comment, sourcebook. I could not have put it better myself. I am very concerned that the reluctance to settle the lawsuit is going to put much of the redevelopment effort in jeopardy. It will be embarrassing and very sad to see the Etowah Village project halted, and one has to wonder what will be gained by a SET "victory".

I sincerely hope that even if SET is successful in derailing the redevelopment that the city and SRRA/SRRC move forward with the demolition of the houses on Etowah Terrace - ALL of them. At the very least a major eyesore for South Rome will be gone. I'd much rather look at an empty lot than continue to see those shacks standing, inviting vagrants to set up housekeeping.

I hear between 9 and 11 people (about a third of this group do not even live in South Rome) are holding the entire South Rome community and redevelopment effort hostage. The question is WHY?

It would be interesting to know what this costly litigation is really all about. Is it about saving Etowah Terrace? After years and years of neglect there is nothing left to save. Go look.

Is it about the lost dream of an arts district for that location? Even the consultants who drafted the original master plan had serious reservations about the financial implementation of an arts district. The master plan calls for a local tax payer subsity for the artists and for RACA to be the fiduciary agent for the effort. The local supporters of the arts are doing a great job of surviving during tough economic times. They do not need to be in the real estate business.

Is it about the vision that everyone in South Rome would be a homeowner? Residents who still are holding on to that concept need visit other communities where redevelopment has taken place and become educated on the realities of development. Having affordable housing choices is a must for any community that wants to turn itself around.

The South Rome community has everything on the line now due to the lawsuit filed by so few. There is a 10.5 million dollar investment, the restoration of the McCall Hospital, and the opportunity to support the Board of Education by attracting new families into a neighborhood that would have great housing and a great new school. The streetscape will tie all that together and South Rome would become the desirable neighborhood it was many years ago.

A new low-income complex for seniors has just been completed on Pennington Avenue. Why has Mt. Aventine/SET not objected to this development?

South Rome residents and the broader community deserve some honest answers.