The big item on the agenda last night at city council was the proposed purchase of the Renaissance Building by the city to house, among other things, the Fort Wayne Police Department.
Someone is in a hurry and will not explain why.
The building, in case you are not aware, is the old Wolf and Dessauer Building bounded by Wayne and Berry, Clinton and Barr. It was the home of Lincoln National for a while, and then the Allen County Public Library occupied it during the renovation of their current location. It is a large building with more than enough room to house the FWPD. Much more than enough, but that is another story.
Controller Pat Roller laid out the details last night in very general and sometimes nebulous terms. She said a task force had searched for a building to house the FWPD because their current home on Creighton is, among other things, a fire trap. Also, the lease is also running out and the cost of coming renovations seems excessive. The FWPD cited many other reasons to move. Whether they are justified is another story.
The building is owned by George Huber, someone whose name is on many downtown buildings, and associated with many Henry Administration projects. The building is leased to Lincoln National and is currently vacant. It is one of many vacant spaces in the city center where the occupancy rate is only around 60 percent. Plenty of space downtown, not all in one place, though, as is the case with Renaissance and that is why the city covets the building. It is centrally located, large, plenty of parking and relatively new. The purchase price and the renovation costs would be about $14 million, a few million lower than all other options, if you believe the City’s numbers.
But here is the rub. Lincoln holds a lease and will only release their hold on the building if the City acts by August 31st with a firm letter of intent.
?
I just don’t get it. Lincoln is stuck on a lease for a building they are not using. The City is willing to help Lincoln off the hook. Lincoln, instead of being grateful, demands that the city act very, very quickly. The City agrees, brings the proposal to council and demands action, now.
A few council members, principally Tom Smith, John Shoaff and Mitch Harper yell “whoa!” They questioned the demand to rush to a decision. They asked their fellow council members to accept a public hearing. Other members balked, the City urged a quick resolution. Hmmm. Is there something we do not see, something we do not know.
Debate on the hearing proposal of Council President Smith followed, finally most council members voted in favor of a heading for the 26th of August, the same night they will hold their final vote. Six votes in favor of a public hearing, two votes against! Interestingly enough, voting against a public hearing, a public hearing on a multi-million dollar matter, were Tim Pape and Marty Bender. Pape, to be clear, championed the administration’s efforts at the table. They are in a hurry, he is their ally. Bender, you might remember, refused citizens who were against the destruction of Calhoun Street a chance to speak to his committee. Bender thinks public input is a nuisance.
So, despite Bender and Pape, there will be a public hearing and you are invited, by Smith, Shoaff and Harper, certainly not by the other members of council and not by the administration. Considering the magnitude of the deal you might want to ask a question or two.
Also, considering the speed of the deal and the effort the Henry Administration is making to seal the deal it is doubtful your voice will carry much weight, except with Smith, Shoaff and Harper.
The lingering question is: why they rush? Why has Lincoln put a deadline on a deal that will get them out of a money-losing arrangement?
Will someone else snatch the three story building up? Doubtful. Will the price go down? Perhaps. Will the price go up? Perhaps, but doubtful. The question remains: what’s the rush?
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Steve Brody retired from Lincoln – was hired by the city to be “project manager” of the building of the new stadium – is one of the members of the Grand Wayne operations committee. – Does he still have financial”connections” to Lincoln? Is this maybe the “hidden agenda” source? Lincoln is “in bed” with the city on the new parking garage, also, plus they are still using the surface parking lots that are being saved for Phase II and Phase III of Harrison Square. Follow the money!
If the city buys it, does it mean the animated Christmas windows might come back?
………Controller Pat Roller laid out the details last night in very general and sometimes nebulous terms. She said a task force had searched for a building to house the FWPD because their current home on Creighton is, among other things, a fire trap…….
Looks like Pat Roller doesn’t have very much confidence in her husband, Fire Chief Pete Kelly.
I call bullshit that this is lower than “all the options.”
They can buy some cheap ground in the city (since “the city” covers nearly the entire county now) and build a building for half that.
Harrison Square
Calhoun Street
THIS BULLSHIT
Where does the city keep coming up with all this money, and why aren’t the people of this town down there with pitchforks and torches demanding someone’s head for this continual wreckless spending????
Pat most likly knows the inside story on the Willows, thus the lack of confidence in her husband and his team!
Three months notice in the summer is adequate enough? I don’t think so.
And the Henry administration knows it.
It is too bad the council members will have ALREADY made up their minds despite the public hearing before the vote.
I said it before an’ I’ll likely say it again- find the hand putting money in Tom Henry’s pocket and you’ll have yer reason. Frankly, I think Henry should change his last name to Soprano.