According to StimulusWatch.org, $74,510,000 worth of “shovel-ready” Knoxville projects are seeking a piece of the stimulus pie.
Here are the top 5 by cost:
- SOUTH WATERFRONT PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS – $18,000,000
- RESURFACING CITYWIDE – $12,000,000
- FIRST CREEK DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS – $3,500,000
- GAY STREET STREETSCAPES – $3,500,000
- ADA IMPROVEMENTS TO CITY FACILITIES – $2,500,000
Because we all need new Gay St. streetscapes – rights?
Photography by thousandshipz
Am I the only one who doesn’t know what a streetscape is?
@Suzy: I have no idea. Sounds expensive though.
Here’s an article on the Gay Street renovations: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/15/part-of-gay-street-to-close-for-a-year-starting/
You can do a Google search for streetscapes to get an idea of what they are, and why they would be important to Gay St. — and Jody’s link explains it all, really.
I know it sounds fruity and like there’s no tangible benefit, but they said the same thing about the “artsy” projects that were approved in the 30′s… you know, the ones where photographers, musicians, ethnographers and others went into the mountains of Appalachia and documented the people? The same historical records we covet today, none of which would exist if it wasn’t for the deep public investment that was made at a time of financial crisis.
Yet look: the curation and promotion of those documents still provide benefits in education, in culture and in real, live jobs.