This condemned in November heap, owned by a Norfolk firm, Suffolk Commercial Properties, can be viewed from City Hall. It has received penalties of $5000, probably never will be paid, and is an unsafe eyesore. SNH reporter Tracey Agnew wrote the piece pointing out one thing wrong with downtown, too much of this stuff. Of course the Historic Landmarks Commission was 4-2 against demolition but the City will blow it up anyway...the city attorney’s office concurs with the recommendation to eliminate it. Thanks to the SNH for the courage to cover such rare events and the picture used to prove the point.
11 comments:
I encourage each of you to visit a residence downtown in a similar state of disrepair, photograph it and send the pic to the City and to the SNH. Trust me, they're not hard to find - heck, this one could be seen from the steps of the municipal building! Don't stop here, City - demolish the blight, fine the slumlords and give us a chance to actually revitalize downtown!
Demolition isn't the only answer. The deplorable state of downtown can be attributed to several causes.
Slumlords living off the government allowing their buildings to fall apart while ensuring their way of life continues with every fat campaign contribution check they send.
Local government myopic to the needs of the community and hell bent on building monuments to their egoes, making government bigger and more intrusive while gaining a healthy reputation of being corrupt with developers.
The Good Old Downtown Crowd of long time residents looking for their next victim to soak with lies and promises while bleeding away every dollar they can for their own benefit.
Residents of downtown preferring to shop out of town than be caught in one of the few shops or restaurants remaining.
Businesses left with no alternative between the big box retailers-restaurants and themselves having to make hard decisions about staying open, cutting margins, reducing staff and operating expenses.
But there is a bright side this year the Holiday Parade will be at night.
anon: 10:02
I am sure that you will leave Utopia to attend the parade.
Anon 5:35 so which one best applies; slumlord, government politico, old time townie, resident or business owner. Utopia is a state of mind. A night parade will be expensive and dangerous. Let's have it in the Riverview Section just to make it fun.
Three more bit the dust,this time they were this timne it was Mary Hill's Hobson specials. knows how they managed to stay standing through all the years they were beyond usefulness. Mary Hill put up a good fight to salvage dreams of restoration but few were convinced by her pleas. It seems the city treats demolition like the courts treat the death sentence, too many appeals.
Three more bit the dust,this time they were Mary Hill's Hobson specials. Only God knows how they managed to stay standing through all the years they were beyond usefulness. Mary Hill put up a good fight to salvage dreams of restoration but few were convinced by her pleas. It seems the city treats demolition like the courts treat the death sentence, too many appeals.
Mary Hill plays the race card once too often. The buildings were long overdue for the bulldozer. The only thing that would have helped her would have been a big fat check to the Mayor's re-election campaign.
"Mary Hill Hobson Specials" made me laugh. She certainly had a scheme in mind when she bought those properties, when when none of them worked out, she did nothing to maintain those structures. I'm glad to see the City take action.
After reading about Hobson, maybe now the North Suffolk naysayers understand that utopia doesn't exist except as a figment of their imgination.
Before you can wipe the bacon grease off your face from Suffolk Restaurant Weak, this weekend is the Suffolk Chili Festival at Bennett's Creek Park close to Sentera Emergency Outpatient Care Center. While aged buildings disappear under bulldozers be sure to take along the GPS just to be sure you find your way there. I'll be there to sample the fare chasing every spoonful with a heafty gulp of pepto.
One down and about 500 more to go. The real problem will be when they start to tear down some of Mr. Parr's poorly kept properties.
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