Liz -
There is no irony here. At all.
Let's try to understand a few things here:
1. The zoning board in Philadelphia is NOTORIOUSLY political in its
decision-making.
2. Nearly any development will need a variance of some sort from the zoning
board. Due to lack of design review for most construction, the zoning board
acts as a de facto design review board, inappropriately.
3. Historic designation has absolutely nothing to do with this.
As far as 1 and 2, this is an issue with all new development in Philadelphia,
and has been a prominant topic of discussion at ULI (Urban Land Institute)
events. It is a known problem, and I think that the City is aware of it, and
is now trying to rectify it. Do you have any idea of how long Toll has had the
Naval Home? Do you think that they wanted to be sitting on the property while
waiting for permits, wasting a pile of money on interest? No, of course not.
Developers like to get their permits, get the project done, and move on, and
Philadelphia is not well geared to accommodate that.
As for 3, I am not getting into that. Read your ordinance, look at the NPS
website.
Finally, Liz, you should be nicer. You know nothing at all about this
"developer," and yet you make all of these horrible accusations about him,
assuming the absolute worst. I do happen to know him, and am offended by your
rude, inconsiderate and uninformed accusations. Elisabeth wrote that message
for information, not in an attempt to provoke your tirade against her friend.
Christine
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth F. Campion [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wed 2/9/2005 7:22 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [UC] Fox Non-News
I can't resist pointing out this irony.
Below is a post by one of the "Pro-HD" who is upset at the injustice of
"Fox 'News'" and the "Zoning Board" for delays that left her friend
looking bad.
Try to forget that delays may have been due to resolving the fears of
neighbors who might have been worried that condominiumizing a vacant
Post
Office might lead to problems associated with increased residential
density (parking, garbage and trash disposal, night noise, prolonged
construction, etc.)
But, imagine compounding the friend's problems with HC commission
review
and ...
Try to guess when the work would have begun.
Personally, I believe her friend (any developer) has an obligation to
keep the sidewalks swept and snow free and any flower boxes planted and
windows clean and intact, while waiting for any delays to be resolved.
Zoning disclosure is a condition of every sale in this State. Her
friend
knew (or should have known) the zoning before Settlement, in fact,
before
signing of the agreement. And, it is not fair for anyone to hold a
neighborhood hostage, while gambling on zoning change.
My experience is that the accusation of "dead beat" only kicks when
developer's (like Rappaport) use the deteriorating conditions at the
property to extort the concessions they want (whether for tax or zoning
or HC waiver, etc.) from the neighbors and the city.
So, while I don't know anything about this specific case, and maybe ED's
friend was a peach who maintained decent oversight over this wannabee
project, I suspect that Fox news got involved because neighbors were not
happy, because sidewalks were not shoveled and litter was left
unattended.
ED, provide the address and we can check out actual conditions for
ourselves.
Liz
On Wed, 9 Feb 2005 16:37:47 -0500 "Dubin, Elisabeth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
writes:
> Did anyone happen to catch a segment on Fox "News" last night
> regarding
> a supposed dead-beat developer at 18th and Christian? It seems from
> what I've heard that the network reported the story without regard
> for
> the facts, and I'm upset by it and wish I could somehow see the TV
> segment.
>
> The gist of it is that a friend of mine has been struggling
> valiantly
> with the Zoning Board for almost a year to get the appropriate
> permits
> to redevelop a 20-year abandoned post office into condominiums, and
> the
> building has appeared to languish during this process. Meanwhile,
> Fox
> news reports that the developers "abandoned" the project and that
> it's
> now a public nuisance. The funny thing is that my friend finally
> did
> just get the zoning permit, so work will begin immediately.
>
> Anyway, I'm curious if anyone saw it or, even more unlikely, TIVO'd
> it?
>
>
> ELISABETH DUBIN
> Hillier ARCHITECTURE
> One South Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3502 | T 215 636-9999
> | F
> 215 636-9989 | hillier.com
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struggling
> valiantly
> with the Zoning Board for almost a year to get the appropriate
> permits
> to redevelop a 20-year abandoned post office into condominiums, and
> the
> building has appeared to languish during this process. Meanwhile,
> Fox
> news reports that the developers "abandoned" the project and that
> it's
> now a public nuisance. The funny thing is that my friend finally
> did
> just get the zoning permit, so work will begin immediately.
>
> Anyway, I'm curious if anyone saw it or, even more unlikely, TIVO'd
> it?
>
>
> ELISABETH DUBIN
> Hillier ARCHITECTURE
> One South Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3502 | T 215 636-9999
> | F
> 215 636-9989 | hillier.com
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