321 E 5th Street: It's coming down!

[ChriswUfGator]

May I suggest that those of you/us that are interested in saving homes in Springfield from demolision become involved in the process. While it is easy to throw SPAR or any number of people under the bus, one must become involved in order to stop the process that we have in place now. I believe Nicole has begun a process that all interested parties can be a part of, and to make changes in the way the demolition process has been handled over the years by the COJ concerning the Springfield HD.

I was involved. Highly involved. I had multiple properties in Springfield at one time or another, and those idiots at SPAR did nothing but sit on the phone calling code enforcement on me constantly for every minor thing, when most of their own properties were/are in far worse shape. Nobody is throwing SPAR under the bus, rather, they're an active and intentional plague on the neighborhood and they really should be eliminated.

[02roadking]

The here and now. Negative Nancy 

[02roadking]

May I suggest that those of you/us that are interested in saving homes in Springfield from demolision become involved in the process. While it is easy to throw SPAR or any number of people under the bus, one must become involved in order to stop the process that we have in place now. I believe Nicole has begun a process that all interested parties can be a part of, and to make changes in the way the demolition process has been handled over the years by the COJ concerning the Springfield HD.

...and we are...planting signs, flowers, projects.  But public awareness must raised about this issue.  Turning a light on, is not "throwing someone under a bus." 

Perhaps Brenda @ SPAR could call Elaine at Code Enforcement and ask her to put this on hold.

Perhaps. Maybe we all should.

[sheclown]

May I suggest that those of you/us that are interested in saving homes in Springfield from demolision become involved in the process. While it is easy to throw SPAR or any number of people under the bus, one must become involved in order to stop the process that we have in place now. I believe Nicole has begun a process that all interested parties can be a part of, and to make changes in the way the demolition process has been handled over the years by the COJ concerning the Springfield HD.

...and we are...planting signs, flowers, projects.  But public awareness must raised about this issue.  Turning a light on, is not "throwing someone under a bus." 

Perhaps Brenda @ SPAR could call Elaine at Code Enforcement and ask her to put this on hold.

Perhaps. Maybe we all should.

Amen.  Whatever we do, let's work together on this.  We can't lose any more houses.

[sheclown]

The here and now. Negative Nancy 

Chris's experience is still going on, so it is "the here and now."

[ChriswUfGator]

The here and now. Negative Nancy  

Chris's experience is still going on, so it is "the here and now."

Well actually, it's over now for me, since I sued COJ in 2008 to get the $140k worth of code enforcement fines invalidated.

So SPAR can KMA.

But it's still a shame, because I'm a unique situation and most people they screw with won't have unlimited free legal work. And at the end of the day it's the property that actually suffers, and thanks to tactics like these, easily 1/4th-1/3rd of the neighborhood has been demolished.

[iloveionia]

Please feel free to PM me for more information about preservation efforts in Historic Springfield.

Nicole Lopez

[Debbie Thompson]

After I read this string at lunch time, I called Brenda Boydston at SPAR.  Brenda wants to save the old houses...any that can be saved.  She has already contacted this owner, and is trying to reach the 6th Street owner.  She is also trying to obtain a list of the homes approved for demo a year ago that are just now coming up for demo, to see what can be done to save them.  (Apparently, until recently, it was possible to request a demo through the administrative process instead of going through the COA process and the public hearing!  This stopped recently after Brenda called and asked why it was still going on when the Code Enforcement promised to stop that procedure over a year ago.)

Since I spoke to her at lunch, Brenda has already been in contact with this owner, who is willing to sell this house for what he has in it....$24,000 plus a year's taxes, or about $26,000.  We have to move FAST since a demo order has already been issued.

He also has a house at 1528 Walnut, which he was going to request demo on but has not yet, and is willing to sell that one for $17,000.

Now's the time to step up to the plate, folks.  Get out there and find a buyer for these homes.  Call Brenda at the SPAR office with any leads you get.  We want homeowners, not "investors" who will board them up or flippers!!!  

[sheclown]

Yeah!  Good work Debbie and Brenda.

[KuroiKetsunoHana]

that is some good news--i just hope someöne can be found who can take it/them on...

[sheclown]

a beautiful posting on myspringfield.org

I have an old photo of my home and a quote from a historic home restoration book framed in my front entry. It reads like this.... " Old buildings are not ours. They belong partly to those who built them, and partly to the generations of mankind who are to follow us. The dead still have their right to them: That which they have labored for.... we have no right to obliterate. What we ourselves have built, we are at liberty to throw down. But what other men gave their strength, and wealth and life to accomplish, their right over it does not pass away with their death." John Ruskin

http://myspringfield.org/bb/viewtopic.php?p=4232#p4232

[Timkin]

a beautiful posting on myspringfield.org

I have an old photo of my home and a quote from a historic home restoration book framed in my front entry. It reads like this.... " Old buildings are not ours. They belong partly to those who built them, and partly to the generations of mankind who are to follow us. The dead still have their right to them: That which they have labored for.... we have no right to obliterate. What we ourselves have built, we are at liberty to throw down. But what other men gave their strength, and wealth and life to accomplish, their right over it does not pass away with their death." John Ruskin

http://myspringfield.org/bb/viewtopic.php?p=4232#p4232

This is a beautiful piece.  I would love to see it .

[fieldafm]

He also has a house at 1528 Walnut, which he was going to request demo on but has not yet, and is willing to sell that one for $17,000.

Is that the light blue house, boarded up, down from Three Layers?

[Debbie Thompson]

Yup, that's the one. It's about three doors south of Three Layers.  Are you familiar with it? A quick ride by, it looked pretty good on the outside. I didn't have time to get out of the car and walk around it, and I don't know if the boards are there to protect the windows, or if the windows are gone.  But that's the one.

[JSquared]

a beautiful posting on myspringfield.org

I have an old photo of my home and a quote from a historic home restoration book framed in my front entry. It reads like this.... " Old buildings are not ours. They belong partly to those who built them, and partly to the generations of mankind who are to follow us. The dead still have their right to them: That which they have labored for.... we have no right to obliterate. What we ourselves have built, we are at liberty to throw down. But what other men gave their strength, and wealth and life to accomplish, their right over it does not pass away with their death." John Ruskin

http://myspringfield.org/bb/viewtopic.php?p=4232#p4232

This is a beautiful piece.  I would love to see it .

The quote itself is from The Seven Lamps of Architecture by John Ruskin.  Hope that helps.