Quote Originally Posted by Hammersmith View Post
I don't think it's really a NIMBY situation. Some context is needed to understand why people are upset.

The section of Fargo between Main and 19th is serviced by three elementary schools: Washington(Broadway and 19th - near Fargo North), Madison(near the I-29/12th Ave Stamart - south of the old 12th Ave Stop-N-Go), and Horace Mann/Roosevelt(two schools - K-2 & 3-5). All of these schools are under capacity and the district is already looking at closing one of them and splitting the kids between the two others. Because Horace Mann and Roosevelt are two of the oldest buildings left in the district, it's likely those schools will be the ones closed. If that happens, most of the kids in the area in question will be bused across the 12th Ave viaduct to Madison.

When you hear residents talking about how this project could be the death of their neighborhood, what they mean is that the loss of single family homes between this project and the project across from the SHAC with cross the tipping point in regards to Roosevelt enrollment. The district won't be able to justify keeping it open, and when that happens the desirability of that area for families will plummet. It could start a death spiral for that whole area.

OTOH, it's also not right to artificially freeze an area forever. I feel for the residents affected, but I think that area of Fargo needs to change. Still, we shouldn't just dismiss their concerns out of hand or act like they're just being selfish assholes. That whole area has been mostly single family homes for 80+ years. The increase in NDSU enrollment and demands for additional student housing has only picked up in the last decade or two.
Fair point. They’re suggesting that enrollment will further decline as a direct result of this project. Others are suggesting there aren’t very many families with elementary aged kids who are going to be displaced by converting what were/are single family structures to something designed for higher density housing because few of those structures are actually single family units today. Does anyone know who’s actually more correct on that point?

I’m not unsympathetic to their situation but it seems like the change that needs to happen is probably here and their version of that neighborhood isn’t coming back. What’s their plan to induce 20 young families to come live on that block instead?