Why is it the City's (Tax payer) responsibility to tear down the old Daily Times building?
By the way, these new plans are going against the idea of Historic Downtown.
City Council Approves Grant Application for Demolition of Former Daily Times Building for Revitalization Efforts in Downtown Salisbury
The Salisbury City Council approved the Ireton administration’s intent to apply for funding under the Strategic Demolition and Smart Growth Impact Fund (SD-SGIF) for the demolition and redevelopment of the former Daily Times Building located in Downtown Salisbury. Funding for this project (if awarded) is available to municipalities and non-profit community development organizations within designated Sustainable Communities and Priority Funding Areas (PFA) in the state of Maryland. Terence Arrington, Assistant City Administrator announced, “If this grant application is funded by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), this site will become home to the Eastern Shore Medical Center in Downtown Salisbury.” This Allied Health mixed use facility is envisioned to offer space for Salisbury University Nursing Program, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Pharmacy Program and include street level retail and commercial space for businesses in Downtown Salisbury. This proposal is the result of Mayor James Ireton, Jr and Council President Jake Day’s efforts to increase Public Private Partnerships (PPP) centered on revitalization in Downtown Salisbury.
55 comments:
The Hospital bought that property, and bought it for a reason! If they want the building torn down, they need to pay for that out of their own funds, not ours! If I want to tear down my house and build another on my property, do you think for one minute I could get taxpayer grant funding for it?
HELL, NO!!!!
This is a great use of public GRANT money. Wicomico taxpayer won't be made to pay for this. What the hell is wrong with you. Progress is going to happen with or without you naysayers and whiners. Get the hell out of the way.
This is a great thing. If built, this will bring more good quality jobs to the downtown area. I'd rather see my tax dollars (Maryland) go to something like this here in Salisbury than another project somewhere across the Bay. Yes. There will be plenty of naysayers but this is a whole lot better than some derelict old Daily Times building. Salisbury and particularly the downtown area needs this.
Here come the LIBERALS.
Look, it's EASY to give things away.
Here's the deal.
PRMC bought that property WITHOUT any help from the taxpayers for future construction.
Now WE have to pay to tear it down?
PRMC pays NO TAXES, they get enough breaks and from what we have exposed over the years, are they actually donating half of their profits back to the community, or are they lining their own pockets.
Jim Ireton continues to prove he is NOT worthy of being a Mayor and instead is only there to help the special interests.
At least the Daily Times paid TAXES on the property and NONE have been paid since.
Feldman's, the old Fire House 16 and now the DT's old building. Let's not forget developer reimbursements, the old mall and Sassafras Meadows.
This is why AMERICA is FAILING. Those who CAN AFFORD it do NOT pay and those who cannot are charged with the BILL.
And, (Thanks, Joe) I'll add to that, just where the hill does everyone think GRANT money comes from????
Heaven?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's taken out of everyone's paychecks EVERY WEEK!
THAT'S where it comes from, you ignorant Liberals!
The nursing school and pharmacy school will be joined by a physician residency program extension of U of MD.
The bottom floor will be retail, so taxes will be generated. Having students and advanced students in the downtown area will give rise to additional retail opportunities. Foot traffic will be increased.
It might work.
Building design is kind of too-Baltimoreish, but it isn't carved in stone.
Community development grants come only with viable plans of specific development.
With all due respect Joe, no one said we HAVE to pay to tear it down. We could just let it sit another 10 or 20 years. Or we could do what any local government SHOULD do and provide incentives for positive growth. Yes. Maybe someone will come along and redevelop the site with their own money and not ask anything of the local government. That would be great and I'm all for it. However, when an opportunity presents itself that would be good for the community, I fully expect our government to see what they can do to nudge it along. Like you, I am dismayed at the state of the economy and past fruitless efforts to revitalize down town Salisbury. I grew up in Salisbury and unlike a lot of folks, I try to remain optimistic about its future. In my opinion (in which I respectfully differ from yours) this is a small step in the right direction.
I understand "some taxes" will be collected for retail but let's be serious here. Start asking every resident of Salisbury IF they'd be interested in shopping there. Have you EVER tried to make a LEFT hand turn out of that parking lot?
With the increased volume of traffic, will they need to add a traffic light there?
Come on now, use your heads and THINK. Starbucks and the likes have NO INTEREST in Downtown Salisbury. The BS statement about more foot traffic is ridiculous, just as the Bike Trail/Route has INCREASED traffic in Downtown.
It's all LIBERAL BS. Just like Ireton manufacturing SUCCESS by placing STOLEN bicycles in front of the GOB to make it LOOK like people are actually coming Downtown by bicycle.
That is why I call him and Idiot and a LIAR. By the way, look how many of his same Idiot followers actually voted for Pagano. LMAO
An unground pool would benefit my neighbors and I think the citizens of Wicomico County should apply for a grant to pay for it! This sounds silly on it's face, but it's not really different at all because the net return to taxpayers will be the same a big fat ZERO!
6:07, Good point. Let me see though. Something FOR THE CHILDREN, wouldn't actually work now, would it? Gift Cards for the adults is a much better idea, right Jimmy?
Yes, drown the children in an underground pool, paid for by taxpayer dollars. Perfect.
This property is owned 100% by PRMC. If you think they are so poor that they need to apply for taxpayer funded grant money, take a look at your last hospital bills. These are paid for by insurance companies and your co-pays, and the insurance payments are now paid by our new taxpayer funded Obamacare. Taxpayer funded, PRMC has their OWN money to develop their OWN property.
6:22, Oh come on, drowning children in a pool?
TEACH your kids to SWIM. Are we to cut off the OCEAN as well, to save the children?
Is that massive building supposed to fit on that lot? Are they (PRMC) swallowing up the existing med building and the bank next door? Where is the parking?
I ask, you always complain when Owemally brings business to the west side of MD and now we have a chance to get some of our money back with grants and you now complain about that.
Whats the deal?
6:33, AT WHAT EXPENSE?
Come on now. I would have NEVER allowed such a proposal.
PRMC makes an absolute FORTUNE and I would NEVER suggest taxpayers help assist them financially in any way,. shape or form.
As for the jobs, AT WHAT EXPENSE? Should car dealers give away FREE cars to build their industry and charge back the expense to all taxpayers?
Liberal have their heads so far up their A$$ it isn't funny.
They have no idea just how to build a business. Instead, charge the taxpayers and put our children and grandchildren in further debt.
I'll also challenge you back. Do YOU have ANY clue the advantages Wicomico County offers over ANY community on the Western Shore, No, you don't. I DO.
You do NOT have to give anything away here. You just have to get off your fat A$$ and go to these businesses and industries and show them the advantages.
Maybe when you lose your home to foreclosure you'll finally get just how bad things are here.
Joe no need to fling insults to make your point.
But I do not understand your point of - at what expense?
If PRMC owns it as a non profit the grant is tailored to this.
I also do not understand who Allied Health is and why is UMES and SU are now part of the picture.
These funds are already earmarked to give away whether we like it or not, so what... we pitch a fit and not make use of our hard earned tax money coming back to the community?
If we had any advantages they would be flocking here instead of fleeing.
We had big businesses and they couldn't run away fast enough.
6:48, At what expense, TAXPAYER EXPENSE.
You Liberals always use the statement, the money is there and it's going to be used by somebody.
Are you mentally challenged, seriously? PRMC makes MONEY. BIG money. Those funds should be set aside for ACTUAL businesses showing a great future that is NOT a non profit and or a business proving to make hundreds of millions of dollars and NOT paying any taxes.
Now, start responding to what I said in reply to your first comment or I'll stop this conversation.
You cannot GIVE things away and rebuild a community, industry or economy. Do you pay your child allowance if they do not do chores?
6:50, you had the likes of Barrie Tilghman and Mike Dunn rewarding special interest friends and pissing on big business./ Now you have Ireton doing the same thing.
It's time to go back to paper ballots so the corruption can end in Wicomico County and get some real business minded people in office.
Then again, you can always re-elect a Mayor who uses the Ladies Room instead. Oh, that's right, you did that, allegedly.
Looks like a great idea to me. Sorry, Joe.
Again with the insults. I answered your question.
If there were such great advantages to being here, businesses would, and those that were, would not have left.
Maybe instead of berating the public you should focus your ire at the politicians who wrote this grant.
I never said this was a phenomenal idea and in fact my first thought was oh yeah, more minimum wage jobs.
But I do continue to stand with the fact that it is money coming back into the community.
I personally see this as a failure down the road. Didn't UMES pull out of the firehouse deal? I doubt they will remain anywhere for any length of time... then what? This monstrosity of a building will sit empty just as Dresser did.
If your point is (hard to tell between the insults) that they should be developing relationships with actual businesses instead of non profits, I can agree. But like I said, it appears this grant was tailor made for this. Gotta wonder how that all came to be.........
This is 6:50 - and I did not vote for him, or Day.
7:04, Maybe I'm just upset that this is even being consider. So forgive me for my insults?
These Grants need to END. Liberals continue to bury America in foolish debt. IF a business can't survive on its own, let it fold and shut down.
Everything is on taxpayer life support.
When a guy like Jim Ireton stands in front of the Chamber of Commerce, (the entire local business community) and says, yes, I support a local lock out ordinance in which we can close ANY business that gets two complaints over a two year period, "if you can't police your own business, we'll police it for you and if we can't police it, WE'LL SHUT YOU DOWN'. THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW THE GUY IS ALLEGEDLY ELECTED????
Pollitt needs to go. Culver is business friendly, VOTE FOR HIM.
It's time the Eastern Shore put some trust in my background and experience. I spend all this time educating people every single day, ARE YOU PEOPLE BLIND or are you just waiting for JESUS to come along and fix everything?
My goodness , I just thank my lucky stars I don't live or depend on the city for anything , including the hospital.
I feel so sorry for the residents there , of course we realize that most are ignorant when it comes to politics . The city is nothing more than a large housing project for entitlements such as welfare , food stamps , foster children and the like.
The are actually encouraging these people to have children to fill the needs of housing.
I agree with stopping the grants. Tax the crap out of me so that you can decide how to spend my money? How about tax me less so that I can spend it in the community how I see fit and support who I want to.
Joe, what would you envision for this property?
7:33, Hey, I'm all about the progress of this exact project, AT THEIR RISK AND EXPENSE. NOT YOURS AND MINE.
I do not believe government should ever tell you what you can or can't have in a business location.
Speaking of bicycles, Last Friday afternoon, I noticed a man riding a bike pulling another bike on the Plaza. There were only a few people on the plaza at that time. There were a few bikes chained to the rail outside of the Pizza Shop, but there didn't appear to be any bicyclists around. I thought it was odd that he chained the second bike to the rail, near the others, then rode off.
Such grandiose plans for what could turn out like the Old Mall plans for development. Obnoxious overgrowth and isn't properly maintained by the city. The city can't maintain their own property according to city code, why should citizens be fined and get citations for the same crap. When the city can't fund proper maintenance for what we already have, are we to continue building while so many buildings sit vacant and derelict?
Joe, it's astounding the myopic views of the liberals displayed in these comments! I hope our Republic can survive this disease!
What pray tell is a underground pool and if he needs one and can get the grant (qualifies) more power to him or her!!! 6:48 you made the most sense yet, truly glad you responded!
I hope you run for mayor again next year (and insist on paper ballots this time). We need you Joe.
People that vote for liberals, and democrats are just to damn dumb to see the point. Liberals are nothing more then window dressing.You end up with people like Fake Day, Jim Liarton, Rick Pollitt, Owe'malley , Obama,and Anthony Frown. Until you wake up the brain dead democrats this county is going to hell!
The property is not owned by the town, therefore, it is NOT the town's responsibility to pay to tear it down. If PRMC bought it, PRMC pays for it. That's only logic and business sense. Anything else, screams corruption and the tax payers should be screaming and beating down the doors on the Mayor's office to stop it. Likely nary a one will. Not even as higher taxes ensue.
Thank you, Tidewater, my original point exactly. I'm the first post. I'm astounded at the lack of comprehension of who should pay for what.
Anonymous said...
The Hospital bought that property, and bought it for a reason! If they want the building torn down, they need to pay for that out of their own funds, not ours! If I want to tear down my house and build another on my property, do you think for one minute I could get taxpayer grant funding for it?
HELL, NO!!!!
June 25, 2014 at 4:35 PM
Bingo!!
Jake Day said...
This is a great thing. If built, this will bring more good quality jobs to the downtown area. I'd rather see my tax dollars (Maryland) go to something like this here in Salisbury than another project somewhere across the Bay. Yes. There will be plenty of naysayers but this is a whole lot better than some derelict old Daily Times building. Salisbury and particularly the downtown area needs this.
June 25, 2014 at 5:11 PM
I think it's a great idea. If my tax dollars are going to be spent, I'd rather have the liberals spend it on something worth while that will create jobs rather than the all the failed programs in Maryland.
If these types of Pork were to go away.. which they should, we could start to apply that money towards the deficit or more worthy requirements. Maybe they could stop stealing from the transportation fund, or use the money to hire doctors at the VA. Reality, PRMC wants to expand, they should pay for it, they don't give me a break because I've now partially funded they expansion. PORK - Needs to stop!
It's NOT HISTORIC! I (we) OBJECT!
I think it's a good thing
It's ok crime is down Duncan says so down town will come back
Joe I respect you for initially being against this but I just can't understand why you are taking this position. I'd have a lot more respect for you if you changed your mind on this.
Anonymous said...
It's ok crime is down Duncan says so down town will come back
June 26, 2014 at 8:28 AM
You are wrong, Duncan is doing what Ireton tells her to do. Crime is down because Ireton worked out that scam with Matt Maciarello. Matt told me so I know it's a fact and Matt played along to make his office look good.
Anonymous said...
I think it's a great idea. If my tax dollars are going to be spent, I'd rather have the liberals spend it on something worth while that will create jobs rather than the all the failed programs in Maryland.
June 26, 2014 at 6:28 AM
Only an idiot would make this comment. The right thing to do is to give the tax dollars back to the people who paid the taxes and watch the economy come back.
8:47, NOTHING was even GIVEN to me, I EARNED everything I have.
That is what the old American Pride is all about. That is what this Country was founded on.
I have Family members that came from Italy and Ireland who helped form America by building railroads, bridges and tunnels. They also helped build the steel structures for many of the big buildings in NYC.
Nothing was handed to them. When they were hard hit from the great depression, they SURVIVED and yes, even starved at times, just like many of your Family members did.
You cannot rebuild America on DEBT. If you cannot afford something, you don't buy it, right?
Well, PRMC CAN afford to build this project and even when they do it will be at taxpayers expense because they do not pay full taxes on this property when completed. They'll only pay a very small portion of the retail space.
Ireton, Cook, Pollitt, O'Malley and Brown are all about raising taxes, (proven every year) because of projects just like this one.
It is out of line and it must be stopped. Respect me or not, this is how I feel and I will NOT change my mind.
WORK for it, EARN it and make America proud once again.
Finally, if you cannot see the future downfall, the money we already owe to China, the forever long BS wars we are funding, the Bailouts of Banks, Auto Industry and the list just goes on and on and you can't figure there is absolutely no way out of this debt, you're nuts.
America has NO Industry left. We need products manufactured here in the U.S. like we had in the past where every household needs two or three of them. TV's, CD players, Cell Phones and the likes, all of which are now made elsewhere and not in the U.S..
If you can't afford it, don't buy it or build it, PERIOD. Now YOU tell me just what Industry is going to help rebuild AMERICA?
I'll be sitting here waiting for your response or anyone else's.
Healthcare industry. That's why rather than build a community center, like other cities, where people can live an active lifestyle, mayor jimmy contributes taxpayer money to an industry that profits of people's illnesses
LOL, you crack me up with your responses Joe, but I would have to agree with you on this one. It would be different if it was a smaller local businessman trying to develop it...maybe the grant money could be better justified, but PRMC? They should have already incorporated the cost of tearing the old building down BEFORE purchasing it!
Funny how there's been NO response to my final question in my 9:41 comment. Come on Liberals, what is the next BIG industry to boom in America?
Because there are NONE, America IS going to fail, period.
Every American needs to wake up and demand we turn things back around and STOP Free Trade. STOP the Bailouts. STOP the Grant money for extremely stupid projects like the one at PRMC.
Come on Liberals, what does the future hold for American jobs??????
PRMC should be able to afford to demolish the building just on funds they are getting form all the layoffs and firings. They are still forcing the older employees out the door. No folks left with experience to train any nurses if the place opens. Scary place to have to go anymore. They are all about money....
1:07PM your comment "They are all about money..." is spot on. First step in selling a business is to clean up the books and make them look more profitable than they are ;)
Add this to the equation that the UMD Healthcare System is buying up everything, along with Hopkins buying up everything....
You see where I'm going with this...All speculation, but as someone in business I called this the moment the capital funds budget was not touched. They are still building infrastructure and renovating, but there cutting down their labor budget, and cutting back other budgets.
Building infrastructure is an asset and looks good, high labor costs do not.
What a bunch of losers always wanting Free Money!!
When your not politically connected in this city you can't build a project just look at the old mall land and that's why this city won't grow.
I made it to the second comment and found the first liberal IDIOT!
These "grant funds" (tax money) are exactly the kind of PORK we can not afford! It is certainly not Governments responsibility!
Y'all got not problem with Perdue getting government money….
June 26th @ 9:22, you know nothing and are just spreading filth around. I bet you've never even met Matt..
Post a Comment