Paul Wilber said it best last night when he stated that even though the agreement was NOT a contract, asking them to come up with a final plan within 60 days was just too aggressive.
Now, mind you, Terry Cohen stated, (more or less) that this wasn't a game and she understood a contract to be a serious commitment. The fact that Gillis didn't deliver a disposition contract telling the City their final intention just wasn't good enough.
Tim Spies stated, "This is the 4th extension." "I won't put my name on this." "Its time to knuckle down and get what we deserve from this project."
The group LORA chimed in with several representatives during the meeting, all of which stated that unless Palmer was willing to sign a contract stating they were not going to be government funded, they wouldn't support it.
Brad Gillis met with the LORA group 15 minutes before the meeting started and openly discussed their concerns. Brad Gillis seemed to be very open but in the end LORA was afraid one thing would be said and another would be delivered, just like Salisbury University did.
One thing every one needs to really look at here is this. Palmer and Brad Gillis have been and are doing the best they can to help revitalize Downtown Salisbury. Should they make money at it in the process, absolutely. If they are the only ones willing to pony up the money to do so, they deserve the right to a good deal.
However, I have to agree 100% with Council President Terry Cohen. Taking 2 years to get nowhere is not good for the taxpayers. A previous Council made the decision to surplus that building and quite frankly they were very wrong for doing so.
I have stated from day one, it should be leased to the Wicomico Library for a children's library and this will allow the library to open up enough space to expand the way they CLAIMED they needed to. It should remain a taxpayer asset and IF the City wants to sell it they can do so when the market is better.
Unfortunately I can see Palmer and Brad Gillis losing some interest but I doubt it will completely stop them from doing what they think is right. Downtown Salisbury does need to be revitalized but it needs to be done so with those businesses already heavily invested in that area in mind.
Brad Gillis told LORA he is done with this project, it's time for LORA to step up and do something with the building instead.
Mayor Ireton stated, At your earliest convenience please bring this to a work session or put it back on the agenda. This is a giant step backwards.
Let's just hope someone comes along with a bright idea. As for me, I have NO interest as I will NOT be told what I can or can't do with a property I own/purchase. If they want to drop that from the sale, I might be interested.
There's a simple and quick way to resolve the matter. Put it up for auction to the highest bidded with no strings attached.
ReplyDeleteThat's the normal way to dispose of surplus property for which there is only one interested party that you have scorned. It's hard but fair for all concerned.
Maybe Palmer can build a skyway to PRMC and they can use it.
ReplyDeleteThe president of LORA should buy it so he has a restaurant. Less flies.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Put the property on the market, or set an auction date. As long as the new buyer can finance the acquisition and the subsequent project, and conform to current zoning and other building code, Council, stay out of the way. They should have zero input other to enforce current zoning.
ReplyDeleteThat's the most feasible idea, 4:47, but I can almost guarantee you that the building would not fetch more at auction than the $100K the Gillises offered. To redo that building would cost too much to make it worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteIf they didn't have strings, like the very one that they used to take back the building, it still could be sold and sit there two years like has just been done.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I drove by the old mall today and seen people working on the parking lot.
Joe, do you know anything about this and what they are doing? Looks like the part the county bought for parking at the civic center.
The county bought two parcels for a parking lot for the civic center.
ReplyDeleteThe county bought two parcels for a parking lot for the civic center.
ReplyDeleteSeptember 27, 2011 6:34 PM
Yeah, I said that already. I wanted to know what work they were doing, if anyone knows.
I watched the meeting and I've watched this saga since the beginning.
ReplyDeleteCohen was right and she wasn't blaming the Gillis'es. She said how the city messed up and she said how they weren't ready to go. I think her take was very fair. This city doesn't do things right and Palmer Gillis has been in the game long enough to know you fix those screw ups early on.
What happens next is anybody's guess, but after going by it and seeing those winterfest light figures stored in it, maybe they should keep it. A building like that isn't going to suddenly collapse.
A building like that isn't going to suddenly collapse.
ReplyDeleteSeptember 27, 2011 8:22 PM
That's what they said about building 7.
building 7?
ReplyDeletei hope that's not a reference to 9/11.
not even a close comparison and not even close to funny
Well... well. The last time I participated in these discussions in 2010 re the value of the building I kept seeing people claiming that the building was worth up to $ 500,000 (at least!), and I kept telling you it was the mid 200s or less given the market, the condition of the building, and (especially) the use restrictions.
ReplyDeleteWho was right? I was.
Who was wrong? You were.
Lesson? Don't argue with Mr. Real Estate. You know nothing.