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Community Corner

Patch Reader: 'EPers Must Embrace Diversity and (The Plaza Redevelopment) Must be Upscale'

In recent articles about The Plaza Shopping Center, Patch readers have hinted toward the apparent change in demographic in town, and in the types of stores in the mall. Read what a few of your neighbors had to say and join the conversation.

The introduction of a new development can shape a town for years to come. Along with developmental changes made locally — and globally — over the years, demographics have inevitably changed, and so have the actual shops in , a concern many Patch readers have voiced on the site.

If you want to share more, then meet us at The Well, , 3450 W. Maple St. at 7 p.m. on June 28 for  : an open forum on the development of The Plaza. If you can't make it in person, join online and  We'll field your questions and comments to the crowd.

Last week,

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Reader stated:

In order for this development to be successful, EPers must embrace diversity and it must be upscale. Any development in this area will attract residents from the diverse Beverly area. People must look at the individual behavior of a person and not their skin color. The businesses must be places that the urban riff raff doesn't shop. We should say absoLUTELY NOOOOOOOOOO dollar stores, family dollars, currency exchanges, fast food, hip hop wear, gym shoe stores, etc. We need some boutiques and fine dining places. This development should be interesting and diverse.

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Also it should be mixed used. Every suburb that is revitalising itself is turning away from strip malls. The developers favor strip malls because they are cheaper to build and maintain. Mixed use makes the area more localised and there is limited parking. Less parking and very limited parking discourages the riff raff from the undesirable areas outside of Beverly/ EP from becoming patrons. Also we should lobby CTA to run less frequently and shut down at an earlier time, keeping the undesirables out as much as possible. They can have shuttles for employees of the mall. I believe the CTA will agree to this as it will save them money.

 adds:

"...We need upscale stores for the upscale people of our neighborhood..."

But what do you think? Do Evergreen Parkers need to "embrace diversity" for this new development to work? What constitutes "upscale stores?"

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