Comments on: Downtown Commission Says Yes To Parkside Condos http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/02/11/downtown-commission-says-yes-to-parkside-condos/ If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. — Samuel Adams Mon, 21 May 2012 20:21:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: barry http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/02/11/downtown-commission-says-yes-to-parkside-condos/comment-page-1/#comment-18182 barry Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:51:35 +0000 http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4889#comment-18182 Sorry for the typo - it's spelled "snout". BTW, I'm on the road doing craft shows in Florida. You wouldn't believe the number of people who know & love Asheville down here. I show them the picture of the Parkside building that the DC just approved, & the universal reaction is disgust. Sorry for the typo – it’s spelled “snout”.

BTW, I’m on the road doing craft shows in Florida. You wouldn’t believe the number of people who know & love Asheville down here. I show them the picture of the Parkside building that the DC just approved, & the universal reaction is disgust.

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]]> By: barry http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/02/11/downtown-commission-says-yes-to-parkside-condos/comment-page-1/#comment-18181 barry Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:35:15 +0000 http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4889#comment-18181 Gordon - thanks for following this. The thing to remember about this deal is that Coleman himself admits that he never planned to build his building on the parkland. He stated to the Conservancy last year that the plan (crafted with the help of then Development Director Scott Shuford. Remember him & why he had to resign?), was to buy this land and then "offer" it to the city for land that had been specifically placed off-limits to development. Get it? Wedge yourself onto a sensitive public space, scare the hell out of everyone, then "compromise" to swap for the most valuable property in WNC, land that no above-board developer had an honest shot at. Unfortunately for him, Council rejected this "deal" last July, apparently when Coleman refused to accommodate the needs of the hoped-for Performing Arts Center. This whole thing is the worst sort of back-room, screw the process, jerk-the-public-around deal. If Council gives in to this blackmail, it will be like ringing the dinner bell for every other land speculator trying to get his snot to the trough before the condo market crashes. Tell Council to vote No to the current plan, and No to any giveaway of City-owned land. Gordon – thanks for following this. The thing to remember about this deal is that Coleman himself admits that he never planned to build his building on the parkland. He stated to the Conservancy last year that the plan (crafted with the help of then Development Director Scott Shuford. Remember him & why he had to resign?), was to buy this land and then “offer” it to the city for land that had been specifically placed off-limits to development.

Get it? Wedge yourself onto a sensitive public space, scare the hell out of everyone, then “compromise” to swap for the most valuable property in WNC, land that no above-board developer had an honest shot at. Unfortunately for him, Council rejected this “deal” last July, apparently when Coleman refused to accommodate the needs of the hoped-for Performing Arts Center.

This whole thing is the worst sort of back-room, screw the process, jerk-the-public-around deal. If Council gives in to this blackmail, it will be like ringing the dinner bell for every other land speculator trying to get his snot to the trough before the condo market crashes. Tell Council to vote No to the current plan, and No to any giveaway of City-owned land.

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]]> By: Gordon Smith http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/02/11/downtown-commission-says-yes-to-parkside-condos/comment-page-1/#comment-18130 Gordon Smith Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:11:35 +0000 http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4889#comment-18130 A petition could do a lot, Doug. Now's the time to build the groundswell on this. A petition could do a lot, Doug. Now’s the time to build the groundswell on this.

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]]> By: Doug Gibson http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/02/11/downtown-commission-says-yes-to-parkside-condos/comment-page-1/#comment-18128 Doug Gibson Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:46:20 +0000 http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4889#comment-18128 Well, my question is: at what point do we launch a petition drive? Could a petition do anything at this point? Well, my question is: at what point do we launch a petition drive? Could a petition do anything at this point?

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]]> By: hodi650 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/02/11/downtown-commission-says-yes-to-parkside-condos/comment-page-1/#comment-18127 hodi650 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:03:11 +0000 http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4889#comment-18127 As usual, I recommend that citizens serve on boards and commissions to learn what they're dealing with. The Downtown Commission is a pro-business, pro-growth commission. That is their mandate. It should not represent the population at large because it is not a representative body, except for those who would further it's mandate. If you are dedicated to a development moratorium downtown, for example, then City council would be in violation of the establishing ordinance if they knowingly appointed you to the Downtown Commission. I do not agree with the Coleman decision, however, the commission was probably following the guidelines in their approval. If you want the type of oversight required to stop or limit projects such as this, then you should push to expand the already established Downtown National Register District into a local historic district. As far as the height of the building, Coleman has always presented it as 10 stories, don't let the perspective drawings fool you. City hall is about 7 stories, plus embellishments. Do the math. I have no opinion about the legality, that is for the courts to decide. I do like the idea of building across a city street - Park and walk, bitches! As usual, I recommend that citizens serve on boards and commissions to learn what they’re dealing with. The Downtown Commission is a pro-business, pro-growth commission. That is their mandate. It should not represent the population at large because it is not a representative body, except for those who would further it’s mandate. If you are dedicated to a development moratorium downtown, for example, then City council would be in violation of the establishing ordinance if they knowingly appointed you to the Downtown Commission.

I do not agree with the Coleman decision, however, the commission was probably following the guidelines in their approval. If you want the type of oversight required to stop or limit projects such as this, then you should push to expand the already established Downtown National Register District into a local historic district.

As far as the height of the building, Coleman has always presented it as 10 stories, don’t let the perspective drawings fool you. City hall is about 7 stories, plus embellishments. Do the math.

I have no opinion about the legality, that is for the courts to decide. I do like the idea of building across a city street – Park and walk, bitches!

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]]> By: Ralph Roberts http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/02/11/downtown-commission-says-yes-to-parkside-condos/comment-page-1/#comment-18119 Ralph Roberts Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:41:24 +0000 http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4889#comment-18119 <!--douche-->test post Douche Bagtest post

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]]> By: Drama Queen http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/02/11/downtown-commission-says-yes-to-parkside-condos/comment-page-1/#comment-18115 Drama Queen Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:11:41 +0000 http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4889#comment-18115 Perhaps Mr. Gantt should have proposals set before him checked out by an independent source before he votes. I've sat on Planning Boards and after being burned once, I never again assumed that what I was being told by a developer (or even a resident) was the truth. I had a responsibility to citizens and abutters and to the law, not just to the person appearing before me. If I voted for something because I was being lied to, my vote was irreversible. Not rocket science. Perhaps Mr. Gantt should have proposals set before him checked out by an independent source before he votes. I’ve sat on Planning Boards and after being burned once, I never again assumed that what I was being told by a developer (or even a resident) was the truth. I had a responsibility to citizens and abutters and to the law, not just to the person appearing before me. If I voted for something because I was being lied to, my vote was irreversible. Not rocket science.

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