Saturday, July 26, 2008

Greenwood status report.

At last count, there were 13 available retail spots between Pilot Butte and Bond. Yesterday, I counted 15 spaces. I believe 2 have been filled, and 4 more spaces have become available.

My wife's store, the Bookmark, is on Greenwood, and I'd think for some businesses it would be a great location.

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Meanwhile, a restaurant at the Northwest Crossing has closed -- which you know wouldn't surprise me. I still think it's going to be hard for that area to become a retail center.

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The Bluteal has an ad in todays Bulletin saying they're closing after 31 years. They haven't been
downtown that whole time, and I'm not certain if it's the same owner(s). 31 years is a long time, and it may just be natural evolution. Still, again it's one of the older businesses that has decided to quit....

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There have been at least 2 prominent individuals in Bend who have committed suicide in the last couple of months because of real estate -- or, at the least, who were heavily over their heads.
Should the media mention this fact?

I think in both cases, yes. Because of the way in both cases there was a great deal of promotion on the front part, it ought to be revealed what the end result was. If it wasn't for all the media attention these individuals and their projects got upfront from the media, I'd say leave them alone. But how is anyone ever going to get warned about the dangers of speculation if we sweep it under the rug? Real estate became the biggest news story in Bend; so people in real estate are news.

Nevertheless, I'm glad it's not my decision.

Calculated Risk blog has a whole entry on how the media has a tendency to sensationalize suicides. Our local media doesn't do that.

Like I said, it's a judgment call. It's very sad for the families. But I think the real estate boom was so extraordinary in Bend, that news that ordinarily would be respectfully ignored needs to be revealed.

It can be done in a respectful manner, but with perspective. This is what this person was saying at the height of the boom, and this is what he ended up doing.

2 comments:

The Natives Are Restless said...

Let's not forget 1 prominent individual in Sisters during that same period. Though not officially a suicide, my friends there tell me that was the cause of death.

Bewert said...

Re: Sisters death

Yeah, I just talked to a guy who knows ("knew" him I guess, now) him and his family. He left a note and walked up to where he jumped off the cliff.