Demolition Patrol
Submitted by lmcshane on Sat, 09/29/2007 - 09:02.
I've enlisted the kids in the neighborhood to let me know of the most recent demolitions. West 34th St. is the most recent victim of these random hits (Address 3872, south off Denison).
Creating these gaping holes is not how to save the city. If there was some actual vision or plan to make use of these demolished properties, then I could see the rationale. To the people living with the bulldozers--it's as if someone has dropped a bomb on their street. (I will have to buy a digital camera to record the devastation a la Jeff Buster).
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demolition
you'll be very busy.
the city has increased the demolition budget to $3million annually and Mayor Jackson plans to triple that to $9 million. This from the mouth of Bob Brown, Director of City Planning.
Fresh voice
Thank you Lobelia--a pretty blue flower. I guess that 66 refers to your birth year? Am I right? Well, if so, than you are younger than me, which should provide some consolation :) Demolition funds tripled. No surprise there--I have long suspected that this provides the easy pay back to contractors for their support--the city's slush fund, in lieu of a major project like the airport expansion, the stadium etc. And the county has their medical mart and the Breuer debacle. And we have...crumbling streets, sewers collapsing, tangled electric lines falling...and there is a sinkhole starting in front of my house in the street, where an intermittent stream once ran down through Riverside Cemetery and on to the Cuyahoga River.
The lies continue
Why the push for demolition? What's the real story here? Look at this list from Councilman Brian Cummins:
No house listed on West 34th St, yet a house on the street was demolished overnight this past month.
So, who am I to believe, when any house is fair game? Two properties destroyed on Denison, one demolished in error in the Historic District with no Design Review approval, the other demolition, also questionable. 2606 Riverside demolished in error, with no credible explanation or recourse. 3110 Chestnutdale demolished and the bank has a sign on the lot offering it for sale. Councilman Cummins, enough is enough. You have it within your power to declare a moratorium. Save our history.
real-estate development as a profit center for the nonprofits
At the OBDC (Old Brooklyn Development Corporation) annual meeting last week, the board of directors and their hired executives made the point that they intend to ramp up revenue from real-estate development activities. In our area, there are few vacant lots to develop, so they're making some so that they can turn around and "develop" them.
The nonprofits and the banks and the real-estate developers who deal in the city, Cleveland, do not make much money off fixing what's extant, but move way larger dollars by tearing down, building back, and selling tax-abated.
We, the existing residents, subsidize this inefficiency. The nonprofits and the banks and the real-estate developers benefit; we lose historic properties, the local flavor, and the equity we have tried to build sensibly and sustainably over the years as the older properties are replaced with plain, cheap, and uninspired new stuff with very little architectural detail.
Our elected employees aid the nonprofit effort, for the most part.
Stonecrest Investments
On my way to work, I jotted down the phone number listed for the vacant lot 1-866-740-7575 Stonecrest Investments. Let the feeding frenzy begin.
Car lots...revisit this post
Demos for developers...
2401 Denison
A dilapidated workman's cottage with charming trim was demolished on the QT, just off Denison. It is now a vacant lot behind 2401 Denison. 3862 West 24th St.? Any explanations?
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Auto lot...Rainbow Motors...
Exactly -- where are the non-denial denials from former county treasurer Rokakis in this story?
To whom did former county treasurer Rokakis grant tax "leniency" and why?
And where's the list of property owners who've owed county property taxes for the LONGEST periods of time? Who are the top 10 property owners who've been in arrears for YEARS? Who are they and why didn't Rokakis take appropriate actions?
I know there's no such concept as "accountability" in Cuyahoogie County. But Rokakis was in charge and owes an explanation to the dwindling number of productive and responsible citizens who've footed the bills and fiscally enabled misfeasance and malfeasance in county government.
Obviously it's not politically correct to call the saintly Rokakis into question. That goes against the Official Narrative and any scrutiny of Rokakis is trumped by yelling "Land Bank!!!" (whatever the heck that's supposed to be).
But the sordid details regarding these millions of dollars in delinquent property tax bills are a definite symptom of government corruption and would would tell some interesting new tales to which county residents are entitled.