Bostwick Building To Be Demolished?

[sheclown]

The demolition of this building comes before HPC on the 22nd. 

It is not a landmark, but it is eligible and that status stops the demolition for 45 days.

Email Lisa Sheppard :  sheppard@coj.net   to communicate with the commissioners

[Timkin]

On it.

[BackinJax05]

The only two buildings that came down for anything really significant were the Heard Bank for the city's tallest and the Rhodes building for the new Main Library.

Pretty cool pic:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35547288@N00/605029944/in/photostream/

I would hardly call Helmut's pencil significant, but that's only my opinion. (We still miss you, Heard National Bank)

[JFman00]

What the Botswick could have been? From 1925 Bank Vault to Swanky Eatery: The Story of Cleveland’s Crop Bistro

[sheclown]

It goes before the historic planning commissioners this Wednesday.

[Timkin]

And will probably be the next demolition featured in the Times Union.  Next up will be Genovar's Hall,  and the Houses there,  Fire Station 5 and School Four. ..


God, I so want to fire the entire city Government for allowing this to continue.

[BackinJax05]

The only two buildings that came down for anything really significant were the Heard Bank for the city's tallest and the Rhodes building for the new Main Library.

Pretty cool pic:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35547288@N00/605029944/in/photostream/

Looking at this picture, its a shame the old Rhodes Building couldnt have somehow been incorporated into the design of the new library.

[mtraininjax]

And will probably be the next demolition featured in the Times Union.  Next up will be Genovar's Hall,  and the Houses there,  Fire Station 5 and School Four. ..

Optimism, I love it in your voice Timken! If Brown can get elected as a Democrat in a conservative town, anything can happen here.  The key, like Brown's victory is to make people aware of the issues, more than us on MJ, Save the Bostwick can happen if there is a movement, signs at every food truck, every restaurant we discuss, make people aware of the issue, most live in a shell of their life and never know what they don't know.

As far as the Bostwick's decay, I put that squarely on the owners. Not the City, the COJ has enough trouble with real estate, shipyards, JEA SS station, Courthouse/Annex, do we really want bureaucrats running a real estate development service? Me, no, I want them to manage the taxes they collect and provide me with the services I need for me and my businesses.  If any of my houses starting falling in, the Code Enforcement comes after ME, not itself, and rightly so. Let the city do what it is good at doing, or at least supposed to do, provide services, and leave the property management to the property owners.

[thelakelander]

As far as the Bostwick's decay, I put that squarely on the owners.

About five or six years ago, I was working with a development team that was interested in acquiring this building and restoring it into a mixed use project.  During the tour, a family member spoke of all the great history it had and why it was so important to their family history.  While inside the building and looking up at the sky, the only thing that kept floating in my head was if it was so important, why didn't anyone feel the need to patch up the roof 25 years earlier.

[mtraininjax]

why didn't anyone feel the need to patch up the roof 25 years earlier.

Lake - I am working on a house in Avondale, pictures to come later of before and after, but it had the same issues, a roof leak at the chimney allowed water to enter and then the termites and ants feasted on the boards over a period of years of neglect. I have it managed now and rebuilding it, but the neglect by people is amazing and sad.

[Debbie Thompson]

mtrainjax, while I agree owners are responsible, the City has the right under muni code on historic preservation to step in and repair historic buildings to preserve them if the owners are negligent.  Gosh, just put a lien on the building for the amount of the repair.  They already put fines on them without DOING anything.  Why not do something for that lien money and save the building while the needed repairs are small?  Yes, the owners should have patched the roof.  And yes, Lake, I agree the family who thought it was so important to them should have done the repairs.  But if they didn't, the City could have.  And then invoiced the owners.  If they didn't pay it, they could have filed a mechanics lien.

[sheclown]

As far as the Bostwick's decay, I put that squarely on the owners.

About five or six years ago, I was working with a development team that was interested in acquiring this building and restoring it into a mixed use project.  During the tour, a family member spoke of all the great history it had and why it was so important to their family history.  While inside the building and looking up at the sky, the only thing that kept floating in my head was if it was so important, why didn't anyone feel the need to patch up the roof 25 years earlier.

We have demolition by neglect laws on the books, what we don't have is the stomach to use them.  Perhaps this is the place and this is the time.

[peestandingup]

Can we officially change the city's name to Demolishville??

[mtraininjax]

the City has the right under muni code on historic preservation to step in and repair historic buildings to preserve them if the owners are negligent.

Debbie - What happens when everyone with a house or building in neglect asks the city to repair it for them? Where do you draw the line? What about insurance and issues with contractors fixing items in properties. No, no, no, let the City do what it does best and manage the services we pay for, let owners be responsible and leave this on the shoulders of the owner.

If the Bostwick's wanted to sell the building for a reasonable amount, given its structure, I am sure there are folks and investors who would have purchased it, but sometimes pride costs more in the long run.

[sheclown]

When the city repairs a building or mows a lawn, it costs the homeowner about ten times what the going rate is.  It is a good fundraising technique.

In fact, one guy who was mowing lawns for a while in Springfield rode around with a sign "Hire me...I'm cheaper than the city."

So there is a built in penalty for those who choose not to take care of what they own.  Additionally, there is revenue for the city.  Finally, there is relief for the community.

Not a bad deal.

Rolling fines are a different matter.  They are not based on anything real.  Just punitive.  Not a fan.

I'd love to see the city mothball this building.  It could save it.