THIS IS A POST WE PRINTED LAST SEPTEMBER 9/24/10. THE ONLY CHANGE IS THE COST
They know where it will be, how much it will cost, exactly what they want in it, and the City Mothers were seen in a fabric shop picking out curtain material. It will require at least $37,500,000 dollars, probably ours, and a way to pay for it will magically appear after the Finance Director realizes Council is serious about this. Best estimates for repairs is about 17 million.We have not heard what will happen to Old City Hall. It could be retrofitted and made suitable for future city departments necessary for additional paper work as Obama’s Social System grows. You can’t just stop government but it could be disastrous to allow employees and taxpayers to continue treading those weakening floors; what to do in the meantime, limit the weight of personnel? One thing to consider is purchasing an abandoned JfCom building in North Suffolk where they really wanted to be until Gates closed the gate on that rapidly expanding empire. You will be proud of your new City on Washington Street, soon the place to be. Think about it...new Social Services Center, new Police precinct, the coming Fairgrounds Apartments, and now a new City Hall with a guaranteed one stop shop for small business entrepreneurs. Are you for repairing the building or building a new one?
rpock
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Just a short walk down Market Street and a left turn on to Clay Street brings you to the expensive and never popular SCCA. This structure has been largely bought and paid for with OUR money. Since we really are the defunct owners why not cut our losses and admit this is another failed experiment in government public/private partnership. The Professional Building on North Main Street will soon be vacated by the Suffolk Public School System and will likely stay empty and resume deteriorating as no one is willing to invest in the Age of Obama. So with two major structures in downtown under-utilized what justification is there to spend tens of millions to build another ego trip? Thankfully we elected a team of highly competent city councilmen that will stay the course and make sure we don't go too deep into a hole. Right???
First, how is this project going to affect other projects that have already been approved and included in multi-year plans? Road improvements, new public safety centers, rec centers...are they on the chopping block now that the City Manager will be getting a fancy new office?
Second, is the proposed building going to add space (plan for the future, people!) or merely provide comparable space for current operations? I believe the SNH carried stories about how the new Police HQ building was already inadequate before it was built. If we are really a city committed to growth, our City Council needs to understand the idea of investing in the future.
I do not necessarily object to a new City Hall building. I just object to tax dollars being spent in a wasteful and irresponsible manner.
No doubt we need a new City Hall. City Council . . . please make the new building easily expandable. Second, keep it practical. In other words, no fountains, large and wastful open areas (saves on heating & cooling)and wood-panel walls. Use good quality exterior materials. Keep costs in check. Nobody visits City Hall for looks.
Throw this in for good measure.
Kevin Hughes HEARD that they are going to cut just half over at the JMCO, so I guess that leaves out that complex from being considered the new CH. He HEARD this folks. He has a connection that no one knows about?
Why not do the smart thing and build this new white-elephant up in the north end of town were the peoples is? We do not need anymore spending by a council that already is famous for wasting our money. Just look at the waste in the redone old courthouse as the last best example of burning a cool million plus dollars of our money.
About how long will it take to recover the million plus it took to restore the courthouse for the ladies that produce about ten dollars a day via tourists? I sure hope they are comfortable with their own little home away from home. I would feel better if they would at least keep an honest daily record of tourists, from out of town, that come in each day. Maybe a record of gift sold versus donuts given away.
This is from a Virginia Pilot.
"But sentiments favoring new construction(City Hall) became clear during an update presented by Deputy City Manager Patrick Roberts and representatives of a Virginia Beach architectural firm."
What would you expect from those two? Is that all it takes to convince Council members?
Great a new city hall. Lets guess who among the good old boys is going to get this big fat contract. A quick look who gave to who's campaign should be ample proof. Then again we have a brand new councilman elect, maybe he will make this an open and transparent process. Yeah Right.
How about building a facility that is not covered in flat screen televisions? I encourage everyone to visit your new Social Services building on Hall Avenue. Prepare to be impressed by the HD programs you can watch while you wait. Money well spent, right, City Council?
Wasnt it Patrick Roberts who took the word Christmas out of our parade? Nuff said. Hey Patrick are you taking off from work for your CHRISTMAS vacation? Hypocrite
We are already surrounded by huge flops in our local housing market.
"Lofts" that sit empty and can't be sold or even rented. The East Washington failed new "entrance to Suffolk." The Lakeside empty apartments with parking into the street. The Constance Road Prentis project.
When will our City leaders learn and stop this madness. A developer may make money off of a failed project because of construction charges, development and management fees, tax credits, etc. But our City now has become a joke to serious investors interested in the long term and to neighborhoods that have frquently been degraded by barren "new" buildings and developer promises that no one now even believes. In fact, there is even in some cases a regret that some well intended people may have even believed their own hype and damaged themselves beyond saving.
Ironically, our poor and homeless continue to suffer while the city gives subsidies to the SCCA that infuriates all but the most vain with a failed season (see ticket sales on the web), a continuing cash crunch even though the "expenses" seem more staff and private party oriented and ignore "incomes" such as memberships and sponsorships and even rent and upkeep for the Garcia "lofts" parking lot, a disasterous restaurant being forced on those using the Center, and almost non-existent continued public support.
Our Council in several cases seems to be aware of this and of the continued likelihood that our tax real estate gross will continue to plumment if we don't stop real estate speculation based on public concessions and trying to force "culture" on our homeless and hungry.
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