For decades, plans to build on the 3.5-acre parcel — bordered by Division, Camden and West Market streets, and Circle Avenue – were scuttled, one after another.
But Jake Day, president of the Salisbury City Council, is confident that won’t happen again.
“I believe we finally have the partner who can execute this. Our talks are complete. There is nothing left to be voted on. It is a decision that has been made and it won’t be reversed in any way. We will build on this parking lot,” Day told the Independent this week.
“We were one of the only development companies that has been successful in buying property from the city of Salisbury so our record speaks for itself,” said Brad Gillis, one of the up-and-coming young men at Devreco deeply involved in the renaissance of downtown.
The company bid on the property in April, but Gillis wouldn’t disclose the amount. Devreco was the sole bidder and the deadline has passed for anybody else to bid.
City leaders required those who bid on the property to agree to build housing there; Day said.
“It will be ground-floor retail, parking, outdoor space like parks, housing above and that can include office and civic use,” Day said.
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62 comments:
Sole bidder? Gillis? Son of the Perdue Prez running unopposed for the Mayorship?
Good ol' boy network is alive and strong.
The same Richard Heads wanting something for nothing.
So if this parking lot is full then why are they saying we don't need it? Where are they going to park?
So wait, they are building on the only free parking in downtown Salisbury? When are they going to get rid of meters?!
well now I guess people will have to use the PAID PARKING garage if they want to go to that area. Coincidence? that's what I thought.
Is anyone surprised? The corruption and inside trading that is the norm with our State, County, and City government has been going on for years. Certain developers (influential people) get their way most of the time in this area. If your name is Gillis, Rinnier, Perdue anything you want you get; regardless of the fairness to others. We continue to witness how corrupt and bad our leaders really are!
1.) Lot 1 is full every day, all day.
2.) HQ Live is a success how? It's closed every time I go by there. $5 shows once a week?
3.) If there ever was a crowd at HQ Live, where would they park?
4.) 90% of downtown residential space is vacant & has been for years. And more is needed to be a "success"?
5.) The Brick Room is empty as well...
6.) HQ Live hasn't even been open a year. Success is different than that.
The Good ol' boy network are those in stalemate, never accomplishishing anything. Devreco are innovators who see downtown as a vital part of our community. Hats off to them for wanting Salisbury to be a destination similar to Berlin. These guys are engineering the train and sadly many are still at the station unable to make a decision.
I hope Eric's Barbershop can move.
7:53 yes they are willing to take risks but they are also getting public property for a song. a few years ago the problem downtown was parking. a few years later they needed things to attract young folks so a bunch of bars opened up. that did not work. now they are going to be given the parking lot for next to nothing and if you read the article there is no firm plan to move forward with anything. they need to get funding and in order to get funding they need tenants. look at downtown and tell me who those tenants will be. certainly not more bars. look at Echelon, the cellar, I thought joe's old place was supposed to be a wine bar, what about the dance studio. downtown is tough and it is far from Berlin. so the question again has to be why sell the peoples property. my guess is that it fits into some urban development revitalization plan textbook from the school of progressive development. certainly not reality
LOL Headquarters Live is a success? Only goes to show how clueless these people are and begs the question as to why the residents of Sby can have such low standards. Very backwards people who would benefit by getting out of Sby once in awhile. No wonder Sby is the Crotch of the Eastern Shore, crime and blight everywhere you look.
I also saw the Headquarters Live is a success part and laughed my ass off. The only reason that it's been open this long is because they only paid $75K for the building.
If they think no one goes downtown now, just you wait until the parking lot is gone!
I guess a success is a business open twice a week.
Headquarters live is just open pt bc the owners are just holding on to it until tje market comes back then Believe me they will UNLOAD that property $$$$ dont forget where can u get a building like that for PENNIES on the dollar ? Huh mayor.
For you information there is a parking garage in Salisbury.
Absolutely agree! Do these people ever get out of their caves?
Here's the problem. Sby is stuck in the past. Gone are the days when urban renewal focused on the concept of clustering people where they can live, work, shop, eat, etc etc. This concept worked....but only in very rare instances. For each success story, there are literally 100's that failed. The phrase "mixed use" is passe and should rarely if ever be used in a planner's vocabulary these days.
Modern urban renewal now centers around home ownership and most importantly better employment opportunities.
Oh great. So Sby officials sell a building for below market value only to have the business it houses open 2 days a week. Too funny.
This situations called for a Tit for Tat approach. Officials agree to sell only if purchaser guarantees certain criteria one of which should include full time employment of X number of people.
I am beginning to think the rumors are true about at least 2 of the elected officials-drunks with pickled brains because a sane person would never allow themselves to be taken advantage of as they do.
8:52 Trust me NO ONE is going to purchase HL for pennies much less dollars. It's a lost cause. While it is a good idea it's not an idea anywhere suitable for this area. These people have no vision.
I agree however that being said Business News is reporting that malls will be extinct. The masses want convience and shopping online and Urban development is on the rise. Nothing like living in a neighborhood with a diner and in walking a distance for entertainment. Malls are closing and strip malls are on the rise. I own a residence in central Florida and we have every convience you can think of in walking distance. Salisbury has the potential to be the same.
They have vision but it's so convoluted and so like yesterday.
Sby Aka the bury is FINISHED.
The two Malls killed downtown Salisbury. Where is the next closes Mall to Salisbury, probably Dover. Another downtown that struggled significantly.
"I own a residence in central Florida and we have every convience you can think of in walking distance. Salisbury has the potential to be the same.
October 2, 2015 at 10:06 AM"
Maybe but the problem is too many are comparing apples to a clove of garlic. When comparing Salisbury to any other area you MUST take into consideration factors such as the total population in like a 30mi radius. The income levels, home prices, home ownership. The rural nature of the area surrounding Salisbury is not conductive to many certain types of businesses either.
This has been the major fault with every single discussion, study,proposal, presentation, etc that Salisbury has ever done. Their comparisons aren't comparable and this is why Salisbury has failed.
Are you saying downtown Dover has struggled is struggling? I don't see that in DT Dover and the reason why is because it is the capital of the state so a lot of government jobs, home to an air force base, hospital and several colleges. Also a lot of manufacturing jobs P & G, Kraft foods, Playtex.
On Tues and Fridays in Dover Spences Bazaar flea market/auction/Amish markets is bustling with people. The lines to the food counters are 20 people deep for a couple of hours and outside on nice days it's shoulder to shoulder people.
HQ Live building was sold to the same bunch for WAAAAAY under market value. Jim and cronies, how much are you giving away the parking lot for? Jim, will there be rent controls on the apts that are to be built on this site? Jim, where shall I park to go to the library? Pay to park in the parking garage to go to the FREE library?
Bob Culver, please let's just shoot this mule (the bury) and take it out of its misery.
Downtown is DEAD and has been since the last of the fine shops down there like HEss,Benjamins and yes even good ole Woolworths left town,.No desirable stores,no parking-way to go Salisbury.Let Gillis and Rinnier build a huge complex there and then wonder why there tenants get robbed.Idiots.I avoid the downtown like a plague because its full of street people
I work in Dover at one of the aforementioned. Yes downtown Dover struggled for years when the two Malls were built. It took innovation to bring downtown back to life. In my opinion, Salisbury has to do the same.
I don't disagree with you whatsoever. However it takes investment and ownership. I believe this younger generation, with their enthusiasm, deserves a chance. It's quite obvious the past city leaders held up progress. From a distance, I see more happening downtown in the last two years than the previous 10.
The old bait and switch...The only ones in favor are ignorant hipster doofus's.
There is NO WAY I would use the parking garage in the downtown area. Too many places for creeps to hide. At least in the free parking you are seen if trouble is going on.
Not all lawyers walking the streets downtown are bad, come on.
Any sale with only one offer received is a bad sale. If you can't attract multiple bidders, you'll never uncover market value. We either should have hired an agent and put it on the MLS, or we should have put it up for auction.
What we are seeing is a massive transfer of wealth from the city to the buyers. All the poor (and rich) just dug into their pockets and gave some wealthy people more money. The people who approved this plan have failed in their fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Salisbury.
One more good reason why I moved out of town.
This is all Agenda 21. In the name of sustainability, pack and stack the people into areas that are easy to control through limited entrances/exits. Use zoning to strip people of wealth and access to natural resources. Consolidate decision making into less and less hands, to make assimilation into a larger system easier and remove the competition of ideas.
Who do we all know who had a job dealing with sustainable development? Oh yeah...Jacob Day. Just wait until he has the power of being Mayor and a few council cronies.
How about access to the library for parents with babies and young children, the elderly and those with handicapped tags? The garage is a long walk especially when carrying children or books. Where will parking be located for those using the library?
"We either should have hired an agent and put it on the MLS"
Exactly. The problem is you all over in Salisbury aren't dealing with the brightest bulbs in the pack when it comes to the mayor and that council. I'm from out of area but do watch meetings occasionally online and with the except of the 2 older gentlemen no one can say the rest even remotely strike anyone as having the slightest bit of intelligence.
“If you look at millennials, and people in their late 20s and up to their mid-30s, they want an urban-type environment to live, work and play in. So, what’s happening is, there’s a resurgence of people wanting to spend time downtown."
So very very much out of touch with reality because this is an untrue statement. The FACT is Census data shows more millennials are leaving cities than are moving into them.
More Section 8 housing....
What? You don't like me being downtown or something? I think I'm a pretty good draw for the area, and a job creator...
Hey Eric long time since scotty and have seen ya!!!...anytime your in naples florida look us up!!!!! Hope life's treating you well....
John Q.Public should demand the details behind this sale of his property. HOW MUCH is the very least that needs to be exposed.
Rumor has it someone affiliated with Gillis bought the building that Temco resided in for years. Temco is out of business. (Old Mason Paper building). Someone is expanding.
Anonymous said...
Sole bidder? Gillis? Son of the Perdue Prez running unopposed for the Mayorship?
Good ol' boy network is alive and strong.
October 2, 2015 at 6:55 AM
The lovely self proclaimed millennials of Wicomico County. The young thieves who will mooch off the government for free deals at the tax payers expense. Better watch out for that lying Josh Hastings because you aren't done with him. Campaigner as a Republican but turns out to be the president of the Wicomico County Democrat Club. Those thieves are raping the tax payers blind under the disguise as economic development.
Anonymous said...
1.) Lot 1 is full every day, all day.
2.) HQ Live is a success how? It's closed every time I go by there. $5 shows once a week?
3.) If there ever was a crowd at HQ Live, where would they park?
4.) 90% of downtown residential space is vacant & has been for years. And more is needed to be a "success"?
5.) The Brick Room is empty as well...
6.) HQ Live hasn't even been open a year. Success is different than that.
October 2, 2015 at 7:51 AM
That's exactly what I was thinking. Smoke and mirrors where developers get rich and their buddies get to pretend they are political leaders.
Anonymous said...
The Good ol' boy network are those in stalemate, never accomplishishing anything. Devreco are innovators who see downtown as a vital part of our community. Hats off to them for wanting Salisbury to be a destination similar to Berlin. These guys are engineering the train and sadly many are still at the station unable to make a decision.
October 2, 2015 at 7:53 AM
Have you Fkg lost your mind!! Don't you dare compare Salisbury to Berlin! Berlin is a small town with a very large old and quaint downtown area. Salisbury is no where even close with it's dilapidated small block section of out of code buildings. You are an idiot that is trying to get rich at the expense of the tax payers.
Anonymous said...
Headquarters live is just open pt bc the owners are just holding on to it until tje market comes back then Believe me they will UNLOAD that property $$$$ dont forget where can u get a building like that for PENNIES on the dollar ? Huh mayor.
October 2, 2015 at 8:52 AM
No you are wrong. The are holding on to it long enough so the Lemmings who are sleeping won't be paying attention when they turn it into rental apartments. That's where the money is in this city. Duh!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
For you information there is a parking garage in Salisbury.
October 2, 2015 at 8:57 AM
Really! I guess no one ever knew that.
Guess what, it isn't free and it is to far to walk.
Anonymous said...
I don't disagree with you whatsoever. However it takes investment and ownership. I believe this younger generation, with their enthusiasm, deserves a chance. It's quite obvious the past city leaders held up progress. From a distance, I see more happening downtown in the last two years than the previous 10.
October 2, 2015 at 2:06 PM
No what is quite obvious is that the same group posting in favor of giving this property away are people from said group.
When the old Firehouse was sold it was the same song and dance by the same group posting to themselves over and over again.
When Feldmans was being sold after being closed down by the City basically through an eminent domain type procedure. The same group with the same song and dance from this same group that wants to own the entire down town and develop it into very high density rental housing that will have out of control rents. Jim Ireton and Jake Day are the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on people of Salisbury.
Anonymous said...
There is NO WAY I would use the parking garage in the downtown area. Too many places for creeps to hide. At least in the free parking you are seen if trouble is going on.
October 2, 2015 at 2:18 PM
You are correct. The times I have had to use the parking garage all you could smell is piss in the stairwells from the drunks and the homeless people.
Anonymous said...
Any sale with only one offer received is a bad sale. If you can't attract multiple bidders, you'll never uncover market value. We either should have hired an agent and put it on the MLS, or we should have put it up for auction.
What we are seeing is a massive transfer of wealth from the city to the buyers. All the poor (and rich) just dug into their pockets and gave some wealthy people more money. The people who approved this plan have failed in their fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Salisbury.
One more good reason why I moved out of town.
October 2, 2015 at 2:30 PM
I agree, but you should have stayed and fought!
HQ live is a success? Silence no more is their biggest venue yet. That place is just another drinking hole. If you haven't been then your doing yourself a favor. Day really wanted to attract with new development...... He would move without the county and build a real civic center/arena. One that holds enough people to bring real entertainment and still make sure jimbo/days plans to keep Salisbury a party town stays alive. Hell. It would make more jobs. With places like Delmar and their amphitheater popping up...... Either the city or county need to act fast.
Their vision is like Alice looking through the. 'Looking Glass", a distorted view of reality!
Definition of Lawyer - A person given a license from the state to steal with impunity.
The city never gets market value for anything they sell. They gave away the firehouse for $70k to the same people. That property was appraised at nearly $750k. Anything Gillis wants, Gillis gets. Downtown is known as Gillisville. The jobs they are creating are fine for kids or single people living at home. No one can maintain a family on minimum wage. Downtown is dead and no one can revive it. Bury it and move on.
Yes, there is a parking garage and in that garage anything can be found. Drugs, hookers, needles, urine stench, homeless, thugs. It is as unsafe as any street in Salisbury, especially the nights they have the drug and alcohol classes at the health department. The "patients" access the classes through the garage. No thanks!
At least Perdue provides jobs for people in the area. What does Rinnier and Gillis provide?
I agree, taking away the parking lot is going to be the final nail in the coffin, unfortunately.
With so many empty buildings, selling one of those would have made much more sense.
Having accessible, free, open parking is crucial for an area that is struggling to attract shoppers. The lack of safe, free parking is going to seriously deter people from coming downtown. When it was paid parking, I thought twice about visiting downtown for anything.
So the "vision" is "mixed use"?
Section 8, convenient to the drug and alcohol classes, the local bus stop, and the open air drug and hootchie market by the canal. Yep, that'll be a busy place.
Agree to disagree. correct in larger cities, just in opposite in small cities.
Evidently you are a democrat and would never ever vote for someone like Trump, who is business savy, the same as Gillis.
Your the idiot who can't except change.
Now we can have section 8 housing on both sides of Mill street.
Why don't we just change the name to Gillisbury. We have given him the town already.
As usual money talks and the thugs band together.
Downtown will certainly die now.
Who wants to visit a place with no parking.
And don't even talk about the garage where the thugs hang out and the cops won't patrol.
"Anonymous said...
Evidently you are a democrat and would never ever vote for someone like Trump, who is business savy, the same as Gillis.
October 5, 2015 at 8:48 AM"
business savy? Hardly. gillis needs to stick with building buildings and forget about developing. They don't have what it takes including the vision. None of their ideas have amounted to anything.
As far a parking in a parking garage? I don't do parking garages unless they have a valet to do the searching and parking for me.
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