Real estate watch; beyond reaction

Calendar Note

Tomorrow, at the Homewood Carnegie Library, local producer Kevin Amos and oft-returning Homewood expat Andrew W. Thornhill will lead a discussion on "Economic Development through the Arts." The free event runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Real Estate Watch

Just a couple of transactions reported by RealSTATs this week:

7210 Frankstown Ave., for $130,000

7514 Hamilton Avenue, for $4,000

If you clicked the links, you know that 7210 Frankstown is the former site of the KFC that closed in December. A couple of Saturdays ago, I was at a meeting where some folks expressed concern about the rumor that the new owner is planning to serve beer. Pizza and beer, actually. The feeling was that we don't need another place that serves beer.

I did not, and do not, understand the concern. Maybe we don't need another place that serves beer, but I also do not see how one more place that serves beer would make much of a difference. And I am willing to let the next guy have his beer if I am able, for the first time in a decade, to buy a pizza in Homewood (I can order one now from East Liberty, but I can't buy one in Homewood).

Now, having said that, I'll add this: if the new establishment contributes to the deterioration of the intersection, I'll join with whomever to confront the owners.

But in the meantime, I want to make a larger point.

7210 Frankstown was vacant for eight months. Property does not care who owns it. During those eight months, anyone could have bought it - including people who are now concerned about what the new owners will do.

We could have been the new owners.

One reader, homewood movement, wrote in January:

The point people miss is that that building is about to be snatched up by another one of these foriegners the community (or to the country, for that matter). And although they are gonna provide a service, they are gonna look down their noses with disdain at us, but happily pocket our money and take it elsewhere...Keep an eye on it. You'll see.

To which I asked, "Have you considered snatching it up yourself?"

We MUST break free of the mindset that waits for others to act, and then reacts.

Someone may ask, "So why didn't you buy it, Mr. Green?" Fair question. I didn't buy it because I had no idea what to do with it.

But I would have been glad to be part of a group of folks discussing the question, "What could we do with that property?"

Am I the only one who would rather talk about what we can do, than about how we can stop what somebody else is doing?

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