Archive for the “Harrison Boondoggle” Category

By Jim Sack

So, I have given some consideration to candidate Russ Jehl’s recent news release on the “profligate” spending of the Henry Administration “exemplified” by the parking lot at Citizen’s Square. He makes some good points, goes a bit strong on others and overlooks a few important details.

You may know the story, but in short here it is: the city paid $17 million for the new Citizens Square government center (and its remodeling): now, a few months later, leaders in the administration have announced the north parking lot “needs” to be reconstructed. The measure was presented to council a couple weeks back and sailed through with bi-partisan support. But, just recently, in a news release, Republican candidate Russ Jehl, voiced his election year outrage. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

“Murky.”

That was how Tom Obergfell, council appointee to the Redevelopment Commission characterized one aspect of the new deal concerning the construction of the Harrison, that troubled condo-retail building that is to go on a slice of land just north of left field at Parkview Field. Convoluted would be another word to describe the deal and the robbing Peter to pay Paul arrangements that are yet to be reduced to un-murkey writing.

Embarrassed is how the mayor must feel that last March he hoisted, in Council Woman Liz Brown’s words, the “Mission Accomplished” banner only to see the deal fall apart before the promised groundbreaking at the first of last month. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Simon Dragan is the epitome of the American dream. He came almost penniless to America in the late 1960s as a political refugee from Communist Romania and has, through hard work and a cautious business approach, risen to personal, financial and corporate success in Fort Wayne. Yesterday, he joined Mark Hagerman, himself a determined and generous business leader, in signing on to the mayor’s deal to build the Harrison, that troubled “last” piece of the ballpark-complex puzzle. As a long standing critic of the arrangements of the deal, but as a champion of more downtown development, Simon’s participation in this deal gives me a great deal of heart that it will be finished on time and without shenanigans. Read the rest of this entry »

I just happened over to Tom Henry’s redesigned campaign website, (has a nice look to it), and went to the “Accomplishments” page.

A few of them jumped out at me.

• The Courtyard by Marriott hotel, a key component of Harrison Square, requiring vision to bring together a team of local and regional banks to make it happen;
• The near realization of The Harrison, the residential and retail element of Harrison Square, and the final piece of this catalytic downtown development
• The successful merger of Fort Wayne and Allen County 911 communications services
• Significant progress on the Long Term Control Plan to clean our three rivers, removing one billion gallons of sewer overflow annually
• A trail system that has tripled in size over the last six years

These are all accomplishments for certain, someone’s, but are they really things Tom can pat himself on the back for?

Comments please.

By Jim Sack

It is what is missing that should be noted.

Yesterday’s jubilant announcement that the Harrison complex will finally, we hope, be built, should be tempered by the silence on Phase Two and Phase Three of Graham Richard’s massive project. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Mitch Harper was on time, in plenty of time, but is still getting his sea-legs.

Marty Bender was mercifully silent.

Sampson and Udris were stellar.

Mrs. Brown had her attack collar on again.

Mr. Howard clarified with a smile.

Mrs. McGauley went on and on and on.

And the smell or a rat was detected. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Cue the triumphal music.

Cue the dazzling visual graphics.

Cue the montage of us out there being well coiffed reporters.

Cut to the announcer on the plexiglass set.

“I’am Biff Vacuous. Good news and bad news today about Harrison Square.

Let’s go to a snow pile near the hole that is Leatherman Park. Are you there Brian?

Yes, Biff, I am standing next to the hole, precariously close to the hole, with news that the City of Fort Wayne is itself precariously close to announcing the deal that will make the four-story 30,000 square foot Harrison a reality and cover Leatherman Park. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Wednesday, the Fort Wayne Redevelop Commission will meet. Top on the agenda will be the Harrison, the source of great frustration for the administration, its Redevelopment director Greg Leatherman, the volunteers and staff who are the RD Commission, nearly every member of city council, pundits, sages and a few thousand interested citizens. Perhaps I should add to that list of hand-wringers the principles of Hardball Capital and Barry Realty. Everybody is frustrated, angry and befuddled by this project, fingers have been pointed, blame assigned and plenty of citizens have made recommendations, some civil, as to what to do with “that hole.”

Truth is, more than anything else, the market is to blame. Wall Street, Goldman Sachs, Phil Gramm, everyone who cheated on a mortgage application, Freddie, Fannie, sleazy get-rich-quick brokers, six camels in Kuwait and me. I accept full blame. Time to move on.

But to where? Read the rest of this entry »

Ironic.

Central Atlanta Progress, in partnership with Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) of Atlanta, has set the line ups for the breakout panels at CAP’s Eighth Annual 2010 Downtown Development Day, which will take place Nov. 4 at AmericasMart Building 2 WestWing.

Experts from Cousins Properties, Forest City Enterprises, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Atlanta Development Authority and other esteemed companies will offer their knowledge and insight into what’s happening in Downtown. The panels will run concurrently from 10:45 a.m.-12 noon.

Panel 1 will discuss how to attract retail and residential development to Downtown.

Panelists include Jim Borders, CEO, Novare Group; Michael I. Cohn, executive vice president retail investments, leasing and asset management, Cousins Properties; Sarah Kirsch, senior principal, RCLCO; and Harvey Rudy, senior director of development, Barry Real Estate Cos. The panel will be moderated by Herman H. Howard, vice president – Atlanta regional practice leader, HOK.

The W Atlanta-Downtown hotel and condos project went back to its lender this week. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the hotel tower, which was developed by Barry Real Estate Cos. was foreclosed upon by the senior lender, a joint venture between the FDIC and Square Mile Capital Management. Barry Real Estate had ceded its ownership stake to Capri Capital Partners, the hotel’s mezzanine lender, in order to avoid foreclosure.

Barry walked away from it’s ownership in April. Makes you wonder when they’ll walk away from Fort Wayne.

By Jim Sack

Budget time again, that annual process of setting priorities and stretching pennies, has begun, Councilman Tom Smith in charge.

The administration, in the person of the chief financial officer, the controller, presented a slide show to preface the discussions and debates. It was a overview of revenues and expenses and how they have changed over the past ten to twenty years. In short, most of the city’s expenses are in personnel costs, (78%) and most of the revenue still comes (74%) from property taxes, although, as Controller Pat Roller bragged, the city over the years has developed new streams of revenue to “diversify” government resources, unlike other cities that are in much worse financial shape than Fort Wayne. She introduced a budget that is essentially flat for a city, she noted, that is physically some 38% larger than ten years ago and has 35% more roads to pave and repave and repave than years past. The number of city employees is down and costs are contained, she smiled. Read the rest of this entry »