Possible buyer for Hayden Burns Library Downtown

[Adam W]

Jeffrey I don't think anyone said this effort equated to a "homeless center".  The focus of the structure is social services.  I agree partnering with a mixed use for the structure could be a win.  Stephen, I would also agree that the Dupont organization seems to be a really fine organization and as you put it "thoughtful".  Frankly I think your white paper ideas is "excellent"!
Sometimes all it takes is constructive input to turn something nice into something exciting.

Forum member "tpot" in reply #8 posted:

"Non profit offices and a day center for the homeless???"

I think that was what Jeffrey was referring to.

[sheclown]

When I mention the city getting out of the way, it primarily focuses around situations like this.  It's one thing to decide the uses of publicly held property but completely another when dealing with the market driven private sector (i.e. Avondale Mellow Mushroom situation).  While everyone would have loved to see something like Latitude 30 (which would have also had offices in most of the building) go in there, they decided not to.   While everyone loved the mixed-use Main Branch proposal from a few years back, it clearly wasn't feasible for that development group to pursue that plan.

If Dupont believes this space is viable as an office building, is willing to purchase it, and their use is not in conflict with current public policy and future goals, they should be allowed to. Cities infill and evolve organically.  We should steer clear of trying to force certain uses on other's projects (i.e. Shipyards). That rarely turns out well. As long as the intended product doesn't harm the mission of creating a vibrant pedestrian scale downtown core, everything should be good and allowed, imo

100% agree. 

As do I.

Doesn't really matter what type of paperwork the admins are doing as long as bodies fill the spaces.  Offices are offices.  Fill the offices with breathing human beings, and they might just wander around looking for donuts and sandwiches. 

And next thing you know, another cafe opens to accommodate this building full of people. 

[Cheshire Cat]

Perhaps some of the folks connected with this deal will read the thread and at least consider the ideas discussed.   

[strider]

The term non-profit  covers many, many different type of companies that do everything from social service work, housing , supporting the arts and even job finding and creating.  For both here in our country and many others.  And the Dupont Trust provides funding for all sorts of programs, no just low income type programs either.   What if the building was used as a showcase for what the various non-profits do?  A place that the students from the various training programs available can get real world experience?  A restraunt, an arts studio of sorts, lots of possibilities.  All of which will do nothing but make downtown better and more used.  People, not just certain "preferred" social economic groups, but all sorts of people with a purpose to be downtown is what is needed to make Downtown vibrant.

[Cheshire Cat]

The term non-profit  covers many, many different type of companies that do everything from social service work, housing , supporting the arts and even job finding and creating.  For both here in our country and many others.  And the Dupont Trust provides funding for all sorts of programs, no just low income type programs either.   What if the building was used as a showcase for what the various non-profits do?  A place that the students from the various training programs available can get real world experience?  A restraunt, an arts studio of sorts, lots of possibilities.  All of which will do nothing but make downtown better and more used.  People, not just certain "preferred" social economic groups, but all sorts of people with a purpose to be downtown is what is needed to make Downtown vibrant.

These are my thoughts as well Strider.  A creative approach could product a lot of positives. 

[thelakelander]

Luckily, this would not be something they haven't already done before. Here's the history behind the Wilmington project:

Collaboration for the Community Service Building began at the level of Delaware’s top community funders. Representatives of the Longwood Foundation and DuPont Company’s Corporate Contributions Office met in 1993 to reflect on the way that major fund campaigns for facilities were handled. Two observations were made: one, that there was a constant flood of applicants for facility related capital projects and the other, that not all the needs could be met immediately by the current method of funding.

Inspired by the Meadows Foundation nonprofit campus in Dallas, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia’s Robert Woodruff Volunteer Center they saw benefits in funding a nonprofit center in Delaware. After a search for property for new construction or rehabilitation, Wilmington’s Montchanin building, a twelve-story office tower next to the DuPont building in downtown Wilmington was chosen. Parallel to the site acquisition process was concept development with the nonprofit community. Nonprofit organizations were consulted to explore their requirements and interest in such a collaborative effort. Parking was identified early as a requirement for participation.

The IRS required that two nonprofit corporations be formed since a portion of the building was to rent to for-profit entities in addition to the nonprofit organizations.

So two major events occurred at the end of 1995, IRS recognition as nonprofit corporations and the purchase of two properties from the DuPont Company. One the office building and the other property one block away to construct a new 473-space parking garage. Because the DuPont Company was now selling property to the new nonprofit entities for market value ($1.5 million) they were required to keep an arms length from any further involvement in the project and could not contribute funds.

DuPont used the building as an office complex for fourteen years after its purchase from the Wilmington Trust Company in 1980. It was constructed in 1925 and underwent expansions in 1930 and 1958. When the Community Service Building Corporation purchased it in 1995 it was in need of complete renovation and was closed for a year and a half. Approximately $24 million was spent to purchase the properties and to renovate the building and construct a new garage. Seven foundations, sixteen corporations and the State of Delaware (almost 90% of funding coming from the Longwood Foundation, funded the project with no debt.

The Community Service building was open for its first tenants April 1, 1997. On that date, only about six nonprofit tenants and the DuPont Company (with an agreement to lease five floors for five years) moved in. About twenty-four additional nonprofit tenants had signed leases to move in by year’s end. Ribbon cutting ceremonies with enthusiastic attendance of the nonprofit community took place May 7, 1997. Grand opening ceremonies were held September 7, 1997.

Today, the Community Service Building is fully occupied by 73 nonprofit tenants in 177,000 rentable square feet. Tenant suites range in size from one room to full floors. We are pleased by the diversity of the nonprofit organizations in the building. Please see our web site at www.csbcorp.org for further information.

http://www.csbcorp.org/pages/aboutUs.html

[I-10east]

Jeffrey I don't think anyone said this effort equated to a "homeless center".  The focus of the structure is social services.  I agree partnering with a mixed use for the structure could be a win.  Stephen, I would also agree that the Dupont organization seems to be a really fine organization and as you put it "thoughtful".  Frankly I think your white paper ideas is "excellent"!
Sometimes all it takes is constructive input to turn something nice into something exciting.

Forum member "tpot" in reply #8 posted:

"Non profit offices and a day center for the homeless???"

I think that was what Jeffrey was referring to.

Right on, it was Tpot who added zilch to this conversation, other than the mandatory pessimistic 'common responses' not Jeffrey.

[Cheshire Cat]

You guys are correct.  My comment should have been directed to "tpot", lmbo.  My apologies Jeffrey.  Yes people, that slid right by me until 1-10 pointed it out again.  I plead brain blip and the fact that my mind has more years on it that most of yours. 

[Ocklawaha]

We really have no idea what they are going to do or how they are planning to divide up the space, I was thinking about this when the thought struck me that we DO KNOW what it in all probability WON'T be. Here are a few of those thoughts:

1. A really super king sized Krispy Kreme Donut Shop.

2. Aircraft assembly plant.

3. New World Corporate HQ of 'Out Magazine'.

4. Worlds largest indoor cotton gin.

5. National Institute of Health Cannabis Research Facility.

6. Monster Truck Showroom.

7. The 'Second Baptist Church of Jacksonville'.

8. Ballistic Missile Silo.

9. Cuban Embassy.

10. Tyson's Chicken packing plant. 

[Charles Hunter]

11.  Multi-modal Transportation Center
12.  Kayak launch site (at least not until the river rises)

[billy]

13. Headquarters of the North Florida Invasive Species Association.
14. A library.

[ben says]

15. Anything worth visting

[Noone]

16. An inside parking lot with window views.

[I-10east]

17. A DT Best Bet

[FSBA]

18. Something that will help downtown become a vibrant place to be in either the short or long term