It was recently learned that portions of Market Street home of our officials is in trouble according to engineers that have pointed out serious flaws. And just as quick the city found dollars reserved for future parking lots, 170,000 of them, and moved them into an account to fix up the front entrance before it collapses. Apparently building codes when City Hall was constructed were not up to today’s snuff, and soil beneath was not well compacted. According to many the same thing one day will happen to the Hilton just before it slides into the river. But how far will that amount of money go toward a fix when they find other parts of City Hall unsafe. It wasn’t too long ago they found the Police Department quarters unfit for human occupation.
Or is just the opening chapter of a story about how it would be less expensive to build a new City Hall in some other location, like up in North Suffolk where more fitting grandiose construction is taking place? I mean look at what Chesapeake has done. As for the $170,000 who needs a parking lot anyway. And like the SCCA, couldn’t we just pay for a new City Hall by having taxpayers pay for their name on a brick? But it would be sad to lose the building after all the recent remodeling.
10 comments:
The old police headquarters was in bad shape. The walls had long cracks, doors and windows didn't close and there is obvious signs of settling. What better excuse then to spend tens of millions on a new City Hall in beautiful and safe, Northern Suffolk. Besides being closer to the population center, big business and the intellegencia, there is ample room to add more structures like in VAB's Princess Ann. In no time new strip malls, office buildings and fast food joints will pop up all around all with the name of Johnson attached to them. OR the city could deny further funding for the SCCA and take it over making it the new Johnson Municipal Center for government.
We should just build a new city hall on the old Obici site and over future years migrate all the other city functions to that area to create a municipal complex.
The city hall entrance shifting problems was pointed out years ago and nothing was done nor was there a sense of urgency. All of a sudden it's a problem and the money all $170,000 is right there. Wow, talk about being lucky. Good thing too, our little girl Ms. Seward was there with fast cash from the cash for property titles store down street. Maybe one day someone can explain how there was not so much as a dime in the wheelbarrow of city money for the Obici House and other projects.
Yep all of the cuts backs our non citizen CM will find plenty of savings to fund the new municipal center for Johnson government.Use the old Obici property? ROFLMAO
The photograph accurately depicts what happens to a municipal building when long overdue staff cuts are not taken. If Public Works was on the ball(?), they would be checking the Garden Hilton and the Marina Seawall. Both show definite signs of roll and vertical migration. These municipal projects will very soon be joined by the H&HS Building and anything else that's built on the old Fairgrounds land fill.
Once the Market Street building is razed, I'm sure we'll see a Johnson Realty 4-Sale sign standing next to the Johnson 4-Mayor banner on the empty lot.
Want to bet that a friend of the mayor will get the contract to build a new city hall for tens of millions? Another good example of how they waste until it hurts. The Suffolk way!
I say let them work out of their homes and telecomute. saves all a lot of money. Oh, but then the mayor's friends' could nto make big bucks. Sorry fellows.
Not to let grass grow under their feet, alternatives for the Market Street Municipal Center are being evaluated by council. Parr has a Route 460 property available, Bennett proposed his site on Nansemond Parkway close to SPSA, Brown in an oblique statement offered the Fairgrounds site provided he has the development rights, Milteer suggested the Suffolk Executive Airport, Gardy volunteered the non-comp plan school site on Copeland Road, Johnson recommended the Sleepy Hole Golf Course property, and Barclay wants to establish another authority. In the meantime no one has said where city employees are going to be working?
Here is a good time for the mayor to establish jobs. Hire in some illegals to make the repairs.
There is no doubt in many minds that the city recent announcement of problems with their recently remodeled headquarters was planned as the opening salvo to abandon Market Street and head north. A clue will be the quiet purchase of property up there. Perhaps by individuals who would resell later to the city. If we are wrong we should hear a statement from the city Manager now. Or do they, city hall, pretend Inside Suffolk does not exist? We remember the rec center was torn down so SCCA could be seen from Main. Suddenly, though, there is another building there. Strange.
The Mayor recently has told a truth. She has said that the new city hall should be up north were the people is. She has been always talking about how much she do for the city and told members of my church that she going to get the new city hall built up north Suffolk where we are. I thank mayor for her honest work for this as they have more enough downtown and they not going to need to have city hall in old downtown anymore. Time to move ahead and do as mayor says and build new municenter in north Suffolk to better serve the most people.
Mr. Pair on council may not like that, but he a friend of mayor and will do what she wants and they trade for something he wants. Time to just do it as mayor said and get this done now.This is a good idea for all in Suffolk to.
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