condo in their neighborhoods

By MICHAEL THOMPSON

Staff Writer

Feb. 22, 2000 11 PM

At best Troy residents would prefer that a condominium not be put in their neighborhood as a whole.

At worst, they’d be kicking and screaming about it.

In the wake of a request by Troy State University to have a lot near the corner of Highland Avenue and George Wallace Drive re-zoned from residential to commercial, some local residents had some ideas about the request.

If approved, the lot would be sold to a company that would build condominiums on the property.

Phyllis Swindall of Troy said she wouldn’t want a condominium in her neighborhood.

"If I were a resident of the neighborhood, I do not believe a condominium would be an asset to my neighborhood," she said.

Teresa Thomas feels the condo would present a traffic problem along George Wallace Drive.

"I think there is enough traffic there without having a condo," Thomas said. "I definitely think it would have a negative affect on the community."

Jerry Barron, though, disagrees. He believes the facility would be an asset to the community.

"I think it would be nice to have alumni housing," Barron said. "It would be good for the community. It would only become a problem if it was low income housing."

But Stacey Hughes isn’t so sure the facility should be welcomed into a residential neighborhood.

"I would not want a condo in my neighborhood," she said. "I think they should stick to main 231 instead, because otherwise it would become too congested."

Kim Shirley of Troy is close to the situation. As a former resident, she is opposed to the location of the proposed structure.

"I used to live there and I would definitely have an issue with it," she said. "I believe it would hurt the neighborhood."

Donald Jordan agrees with Shirley about the proposal

"If I was a resident, I would not want more commercial property in my neighborhood," he said. "Traffic count gets higher and it looks like a business area. I believe neighborhoods and business should be kept separate."