Update – The Struggle of Little Havana

(the comments section of the original post is worth some reading if you’re interested in this story)

So I have received some feeback from Bill Henry, the councilperson (4th district) I emailed regarding this ongoing saga. Granted, he’s not on the committee that decides the fate of Egan Marine, but in my mind that actually makes for a better method of getting honest, somewhat apolitical answers out of elected officials. At any rate, here’s what Bill had to say:

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Basically, the deep-water advocates/port-related businesses want the MIZOD as big as possible, not only to maximize possible expansion, but also to provide as much of a “buffer zone” as possible.  The industrials are uncomfortable about letting Little Havana’s new location out of the MIZOD because none of them want to be right next to any busy residential or commercial use…they figure, if a couple hundred residents or customers are coming and going from the site next to them every day, that just increases the chances that someone is going to have an unpleasant industrial-related experience.

For instance, say one of their smokestacks belches a little ash one day and the wind blows it onto the property next door. Ideally, there’s another port-related industrial use there that doesn’t mind a little ash; heck, they’re probably making some of their own.  What they don’t want is for that ash to fall on a bunch of [cars] in Little Havana’s busy, busy parking lot next door…or worse, into the drinks of the people enjoying margaritas on the outside deck.

It’s easy to say now that this is the price you pay for putting your restaurant next to a factory…but it’s doubtful that the person whose car or drink has just been defiled will take it so philosophically.  At which point, they’re going to call their councilperson and demand that someone pay them for the damages and the trouble and why isn’t the City doing something to require that these factories have more safeguards to prevent this from happening – for heaven’s sake…there’s a restaurant right next door!  So that’s why they don’t want Little Havana to opt out.

All that being said, the good news is that I believe negotiations are underway to find Little Havana another location, closer to the Inner Harbor and already outside of the MIZOD.  Keep your ears open…

Will do Bill, will do.

Additionally, a commenter over at Midnight Sun sent an email to 11th district councilman Bill Cole and received this response:

Subject: RE: Let Little Havana/Egin Marine out of the MIZOD

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I fully support Tim and the rest of the group at Little Havana, but the Egan property will remain in the MIZOD. Councilman Reisinger and I are working with Little Havana to come up with a better plan for their waterfront relocation.

Bill Cole

So at least that bit of rumor has been confirmed by another councilperson. It’s somewhat sad to see that the decisions have all but already been made according to the powers that be. But it would seem that in the face of labor unions and industrial advocates, and being the councilpersons of a VERY industrial set of districts, it’s politically impossible to give a small restaurant what it wants. With any luck, Obrecht Corp. (the owners of the warehouse being leased to Little Havana) will continue to renew their lease for as long as the need it. But then, if they do sell, you can bet dollars to donuts that Harborview developers will be front and center making a grab for it. 17 story highrise condos, anyone?