Here's the latest presser from John Crawford, the 4th District At-Large Council Candidate.
His ideas about saving the Cosby should appeal to a great many denizens of the 4th District who practice amateur Urban Planning.
Check it:
"My reason for writing this morning is the article by Kevin Collison about the Cosby Hotel — it's current risk of being needlessly demolished.
I have had decades of experience with urban redevelopment, and I can tell you that the City can and should save the Cosby:
# The property is virtually certain to already be in both a TIF District and in an LCRA redevlopment area
# As such it already has a blight designation
# The building can be taken away from the irresponsible current owner in an entirely legitimate and straighforward way using eminent domain
# All the City needs is money (it’s not that much, and could be funded by the City and/or Downtown CID in anticipation of civic/foundation funding)
# The TIF Commission or LCRA can the designate an appropriate redeveloper (like Adam Jones), and end up granting him redevlopment rights
Anyhow, I just wanted to share these thoughts . . ."
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WOW! He actually knows something. he isn't a simpering, self proclaimed menopausal "Obama Girl" Yep, he's my guy for the fourth.
ReplyDeleteYes, but honestly, as landmarks go, it's not that great a building to save. There are better. Among them, the blocks of bldgs a few blocks over on and off Broadway. OLD isn't always worth keeping around just because it IS. Real money's better spent over THERE for renovations. And encouraging business like the old Spaghetti Factory to renovate and move in.
ReplyDeleteAnd apparently we DO need more cops downtown and cameras.... so the hoodlums won't scare people from the area. Nothing will kill off business, entertainment and theater like roving gangs randomly shooting at people--an incident a few days back!
What we actually need is some community policing so that the police have some relationships in the neighborhoods and can get some information from residents to try to get to the thugs BEFORE they show up for gunbattles downtown.
ReplyDeleteKCKPD has an entire department dedicated to community policing and building relationships in neighborhood. Much better results in KCK!
Worth a try in KCMO?
Does anyone care to do some research. We know that this developer took the building by condemnation. The Cosby building is project 4 of the Baltimore Place TIF (www.edckc.com) go to TIF Projects. The project schedule shows completion to be dont by 3rd quarter of 2008. He is not in compliance, if the TIF staff were doing their job, development rights would have been taken away long ago.
ReplyDeletehttp://mcgregor4kc.com/
ReplyDeleteIt appears that Mr. Crawford didn't do any basic research. If he had, he would have known that this property is already in a TIF (as pointed out by the previous poster) and within the Central Business District Urban Renewal Area. Both the TIF Commission and the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) have the power of eminent domain, but the TIF Commission may have greater potential clout since it is a TIF Redevelopment Project Area. The real question is whether there is a Redevelopment Contract between the current owner/developer and the TIF Commission? If so, the TIF Commission would have more legal standing to seek an injunction to prevent the demolition and then start the eminent domain process. If not, the TIF Commission may not be in a good position. The LCRA doesn't seem like a viable option since it hasn't received a redevelopment proposal and, therefore, would have no grounds to seek and injunction or to start eminent domain proceedings.
ReplyDelete1AverageGuy
Resolution is always good. Maybe the current owner bought the building on a wisker with a great idea and fell short.The problem with this city and the EDC should have explained all the options and made things easy for the current owner. How is it in the 11th hour the presevationist know better.That is why this city is loosing jobs and is thought of as anti-development. Give the current owner a break.
ReplyDeleteNo private equity moves into a rickety-ass building downtown to rehab and repurpose it in this economy. The City has 5,000 better things to do with its money than buy a building for Adam Jones. Give us our historic artifacts back from Beacon Hill first, Adam. Then explain how you charged the City all that money for those two little bungalow rehabs, Adam.
ReplyDeleteEminent Domain = a city's way of stealing from others to use for the governments good. Anybody who supports eminent domain is not a favorable candidate in my book.
ReplyDeletewerd.
ReplyDeleteIs he running against Beth?
ReplyDeleteTrue dat. That's why Jim Giles was busy tonight on these boards.
ReplyDelete7:49 inaccurately said:
ReplyDelete"The LCRA doesn't seem like a viable option since it hasn't received a redevelopment proposal and, therefore, would have no grounds to seek and injunction or to start eminent domain proceedings."
Actually, there is no statutory obligation that requires the LCRA to have a prior private proposal to take action to address blight. The LCRA has authority to acquire the property and then seek proposals.
9:50 is technically correct - the LCRA could acquire the property first (which is likely to take 6 - 12 months and cost tens of thousands of dollars - dollars the LCRA doesn't have) and then seek proposals. Given the economic conditions, I suspect that the LCRA would be unwilling to take that risk; it would be very easy for them to end up owning the property after having spent a great deal of money and receiving no feasible proposals - and having a building that the City has already condemned. Sounds like something I wouldn't be willing to bet on.
ReplyDelete1AverageGuy
Another boring old white guy running for City Council. I am not voting for any incumbents or anyone over 35.
ReplyDeleteHow old is Beth? She seems pretty young.
ReplyDeleteBeth is pushing "the change" and she will not stand up to this demolision because several Jewish families stand to make cash out of the deal.
ReplyDeleteMy vote goes for Anne McGregor because I love big hangers.
ReplyDeleteIs John Crawford running for city council, or a spot at another "redevelopment" organization?
ReplyDeleteWhat are his proposals for city services that actually have something to do with the people who live here?
OK. He can save it. Let him buy it and fix it without any taxpayer money. Fine with me.
ReplyDeleteAnother boring old white guy running for City Council. I am not voting for any incumbents or anyone over 35.
ReplyDeleteMost people don't have any brains before they reach 35.
A nice guy who knows Kansas City government vs two interchangeable candidates named Anne and Beth. Thanks to Crawford, we have someone to really represent 4th.
ReplyDeleteTony says old white guys should go somewhere and die. The brown people rule now.
ReplyDeleteJohn Crawford is my choice for the 4th District. While Anne and Beth may be nice, Anne virtually has no experience outside of her neighborhood and Beth has not done anything on the council or on her campaign until recently once she realized she has a qualified candidate running against her. John Crawford all the way.
ReplyDeleteBeth conveniently started using Facebook and showing her face around town after John announced his candidacy. Not very subtle on showing concern for her seat. I'm sure she won't have too much to worry bout since her rich family will give her the money she needs get re-elected. John is what we need for this district.
ReplyDeleteAnne, you need to post your website address....again.
ReplyDeleteAnne, you are really lame.
http://mchangers4kc.com/
"Another boring old white guy running for City Council. I am not voting for any incumbents or anyone over 35."
ReplyDeletewhat a HUUUUGE score for democracy! let's just automatically rule somebody out who is actually qualified for the job simply because we all fancy ourselves too liberal to vote for another "boring old white guy." ohhh, you're SO edgy--so against the grain--that you always vote for the alternative, man!
maybe if you weren't so close-minded you'd actually realize that hey, just because john crawford is white doesn't mean he doesn't have great ideas for the city and is actually more fit to be on city council than beth.
No one is more fit to be on City Council than Beth.
ReplyDeleteAnother boring old white guy running for City Council. I am not voting for any incumbents or anyone over 35. Same lame bullshit that keeps this town from progress.
ReplyDelete