LexRides

[elzie5000]

When I passed by on my way to lunch they were loading out furniture and fixtures from the Dame. Sad.

[catamount]

I got this message from the Save Downtown Lexington Facebook group today:

[politicalhero]

Wow finally, everything that needed to be said, and all in one article.

No TIF for CentrePointe? Yeah, fine
Tom Eblen
Herald-Leader columnist


Dudley Webb now says he can build his CentrePointe tower without public money.

Maybe he should.

Originally, Webb wanted as much as $70 million in tax increment financing ­— known as TIF — to pay for ”public“ improvements related to the $250 million project. Those could include additional underground parking, a giant outside video screen and some public art.

Last week, after a city panel gave Webb permission to tear down all of the old buildings on the block, he surprised everyone by saying he could do the project without TIF financing.

But if he did that, of course, the public amenities would be ”scaled back.“

You get the idea.

”The community and the Urban County Council need to tell us, do they want us to go ahead with the TIF application?“ Webb said.

The Urban County Council and a state board must approve any TIF financing for CentrePointe. The council could begin discussing it Tuesday.

Maybe council members should call Webb's bluff and say, ”Fine. Go ahead.“

CentrePointe has always seemed to be questionable as a TIF project.

The state TIF program allows a portion of future taxes generated by a new development to go toward paying for public improvements needed to make the development possible.

The idea is to help build ”signature“ projects that will spur economic activity around them.

Others have proposed TIF projects to replace Rupp Arena and create an entertainment district along Manchester Street. It's easy to see how those projects could accomplish the goal.

CentrePointe, on the other hand, would house a luxury hotel, luxury condos, stores and restaurants.

When Webb spoke to the Bluegrass Hospitality Association recently, hoteliers expressed skepticism about the market for a new luxury hotel. Meanwhile, downtown is awash in unsold condos and vacant retail space.

Would CentrePointe create new economic activity downtown, or just compete for what's already there?

Not to mention that Webb is trying to build CentrePointe during the worst construction and financing market in years. Aside from vague references to ”international“ money, Webb hasn't disclosed his financing.

All of those factors should give local and state officials pause about putting public money into CentrePointe.

Plus, there's this: Kentucky law requires officials to certify that a TIF project couldn't be built without public assistance. Webb's comments last week seem to undermine that idea.

So what if there is no TIF financing? The developer should still be required to provide adequate on-site parking and streetscape improvements.

Webb has resisted meaningful public participation into what would be one of the biggest, most high-profile developments in Lexington's history.

When preservationists heard rumors of his plans two years ago and expressed concerns about some of the historic structures on the block, Webb listened politely — and ignored them. With help from some city officials, he kept his plans secret from the public until March, when they were unveiled as a done deal. While Webb has made some design improvements to respond to critics, they have been minor.

Given Webb's lack of interest in public participation, it may not be a good idea to put public money at risk on CentrePointe.

If Webb does apply for TIF financing, the council should ask a lot of questions, and insist on some safeguards.

The first safeguard would be to prohibit demolition of the buildings now on the block, some of which date to 1826, until the TIF application is approved and other financing is secured and documented.

Remember the World Hole Center?

When the Phoenix Hotel block across Limestone Street from the CentrePointe block was cleared in 1981, future Gov. Wallace Wilkinson was promising to build a 50-story office tower he called the World Coal Center.

It never happened.

Instead, Lexington was left for several years with a big hole, dubbed the World Hole Center. Eventually, the public library, Park Plaza apartments and Phoenix Park were built to fill the void.

Here's the best thing that could have happened with CentrePointe: Webb could have incorporated a few of the existing structures, or their facades, into a contemporary development that would be uniquely Lexington.

But here's the worst that could happen: Webb could clear the block, his development plan could collapse and we could be left with another hole in the middle of town — and no historic fabric for a more creative developer to work with in the future.

[brokebike]

and if it does happen (the worst case scenario), Mayor Newberry, Lee Todd, the current City Council, and especially the Courthouse Design Board should all be held accountable for supporting this fiasco, and not listening to the majority of their constituents (and by that, I mean those of us who work, pay taxes and vote - not those who wine and dine and make shady deals for the betterment of the city).

[catamount]

[politicalhero]

So the council has their "council meeting" this Thursday and another one on July 8 and that is it until August 14.

They have to decide today at the work session if they are going to discuss TIF at the Council Meeting on Thursday.

This is from the council site.
COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Work Sessions are informal meetings held every Tuesday at 3:00 pm. The Council decides what actions will be taken at its formal meeting on Thursday nights.

COUNCIL MEETING
Council Meetings are formal meetings in which previously discussed ordinances and resolutions are legally enacted by the Council. These meetings are held at least twice a month on Thursday evenings at 7 pm.

[brokebike]

if they do decide to use the TIF financing for public "enhancements", I'm going to be fucking pissed if they decide a Jumbotron is a good investment. I think it may become my new rallying cry against this whole stupid project. Think of all the improvements that could be made instead; bike facilities, new downtown greenspace, improvements to existing greenspace, pedestrian boulevards, murals, whatever....

if they decide that a big ass TV screen that will be constantly running (with ads to supplement someone else's bottom line, no doubt) is what Lexington needs as an incentive for Centrepointe, I'll freakin' pull my own hair out.

[brokebike]

[catamount]

I really have to wonder what there is for the council to discuss if

[brokebike]

well, now considering that Webbs' laywer claimed in public... in the council chambers... recorded on tv... that they didn't need the TIF financing, perhaps they just shot themselves in the foot with that little display of arrogance?

wouldn't they need to back that statement up, or risk contradicting themselves in order to get a certification for the funding? That's why the whole room sighed out a collective "bullshit" when they announced that at the meeting, because everyone knew it was just a poker move.

[politicalhero]

Last I heard they still had not found a company to finance the hotel part. They were in discussions with marriott but that was it.

[elzie5000]

Does the "can't build it without" criteria of the TIF funding apply to the entire project, or could they call the impossible underground parking structure a separate project and restrict the TIF money to that?

[catamount]

I just spoke with theend and he asked where is the discussion on the Environmental Impact Statement for tearing down these buildings – lead paint, asbestos, etc.

The follow was another article from HL today. B.Fortune brings up the questions many have wondered...why did the review board not question the numbers, statements, etc. webbco were making.


CentrePointe: To be or not to be? By Beverly Fortune

Preserve Lexington has appealed last week's decision by the Courthouse Area Design Review Board to permit developers to raze a stretch of buildings on West Main Street to make room for a luxury hotel and condominium high rise.

The appeal was filed with the Planning Commission, which has 90 days to hold a public hearing.

But Hank Graddy, attorney for Preserve Lexington, which opposes the demolition, said he expects the case will be heard “fairly quickly.”

Also Monday, Graddy asked the city's legal department to deny demolition permits on the buildings while the appeal process is underway. There is some ambiguity in the law on whether demolition might be allowed to go forward, he said.

In the appeal to the Planning Commission, Graddy said the only basis for Courthouse Area Review Board's staff report gave for granting a demolition permit was that to deny it would amount to “taking” the buildings.

However, the appeal states that CentrePointe developers and businessman Joe Rosenberg bought buildings on the old Woolworth block knowing their zoning designation, knowing they were in the Courthouse Area Design Review Zone and knowing they were generating income, though not a high level of income. The developers are planning a $250 million project that would use the entire block.

Denying a permit to demolish does not constitute “taking” the property, which requires a fairly high burden of proof, Graddy said.

Preserve Lexington also charges that CentrePointe LLC did not successfully rebut the preservation organization's arguments that new construction would “greatly exceed” the cost of rehabilitating the buildings.

Nor did the Courthouse Design Review Board require factual support for CentrePointe's figures on a number of points, including yearly maintenance of the building, rent paid and vacancy rates.

In fact, the Review Board “simply adopted wholesale the information submitted” by CentrePointe “with no analysis or consideration of the rebuttal information submitted by Preserve Lexington.”

Bill Sallee, manager of the city's planning services, said his staff will begin reviewing Preserve Lexington documents starting Tuesday and will make a report to the Planning Commission.
_________________
"The path of least resistance is what makes the river crooked!” - Utah Phillips

[elzie5000]

[brokebike]

couldn't they fucking wait until after the 4th of July parade, so that we can at least have a downtown that doesn't look like its been ripped to shreds?