I wonder if “elephant in the room” is the right expression here. It seems to me that Farhi is an oft-discussed element of downtown stagnation and hardly ever unremarked. I’d propose that the ‘thing-we-all-know-but-have-stopped-talking-about’ is something else. A short thread. 1/n
When I walk Downtown & the core — I do it a lot — I see vacant space all over. As a former business owner, born entrepreneur & community connector, I can’t stop scouting opportunities, and I see spaces owned by all manner of landlords. These are all steps from Market Tower. 2/n 
Granted, many properties are owned by a few — this isn’t unique to #ldnont — the real question is ‘why is demand for core commercial & retail so weak?’ Why is it an issue who owns which properties? Why is there no hope to fill them all, or at least lower the vacancy rate? 3/n
The answers to downtown vacancy are no doubt complicated & waaaay beyond my expertise, but I'd propose the ‘elephant in the room’ is also ‘the prisoner in the tower:’ the ‘thing-we-all-know-but-have-stopped-talking-about’ is the London Plan, held hostage by developer appeals. 4/n
We're coming up on the 3rd anniversary of #ldnont City Council adopting the London Plan — a brilliant document whose community consultation & vision are the envy of other cities — and, not long after, a 3rd anniversary of the plan’s descent into the purgatory of OMB appeals. 5/n
The @lfpress ran this story in Feb, 2017 with comments by then @ULLdn President @WesKinghorn. It's been so long that I'd forgotten @100In1DayLdnOnt was partly about animating the vision and exuberant energy of the London Plan. lfpress.com/2017/02/23/the… 6/n
So, part of the "it's complicated" has to include what the City already knows about urbanis-interuptis. "Unfortunately, the scope of the appeals has the potential to ‘tie up’ implementation of important parts of The London Plan for years....”
pub-london.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ash… 7/n
pub-london.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ash… 7/n
I don't have answers, but I do wonder if we're asking the right questions. Focused on one often-blamed owner, we may have forgotten that we *already* have *public* ownership of city-building solutions for @Downtown_London & all of #ldnont. We just don't have custody yet. 8/n
Notwithstanding important considerations of heritage maintenance, I don't think ownership is the 'elephant in the room' at all. I think it's the loss of momentum gained from @ReThinkLdn & the London Plan. Interested to hear from better-qualified people on these ramblings. 9/9
.@threadreaderapp unroll please.
