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Friday, April 19, 2024 |
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Rose Furniture |
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John Beagle
MUSA Official Joined: Apr 23 2007 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1855 |
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Posted: Jul 14 2017 at 3:44pm |
Well said, I also have the same opinion.
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buddhalite
MUSA Citizen Joined: May 11 2017 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 499 |
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Viet,
You answered the question I was eventually getting to and that is - there's not but a couple of folks willing to put money in downtown - and it should just be left to implode. I'm not in favor of monies going downtown (and I'm on record for that) unless it is private money. The real money is going elsewhere. There's a reason. Bob
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"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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VietVet
MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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But Bob, Robinette isn't a typical investor. A typical investor sees and opportunity and uses/risks THEIR OWN MONEY to finance the endeavor. Robinette, a former city employee I believe, takes the CITY TAXPAYER'S MONEY GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS CITY PALS, and uses other people's money to do business. Vast difference in investment techniques.
It does not take guts to risk other people's money with no consequences if the transaction fails. Anyone can do that. It does take guts to invest your own money though. Robinette, as I have heard in the past, has no money of his own to risk so he gets it from his buddies in the city building.......on multiple occasions I believe. And what is the history of the Robinette city money give-away to date? We have the Rose Building----a bust so far We have the Goetz Tower incident----has this produced anything worth noting so far? Anyone? And, we have the brewery place where the last I heard some brewery tanks were installed but is it functional as yet? Haven't heard. Anyone? Do these examples of dealing with Robinette seem like a worthy endeavor to you Bob? If the answer is no, then why does the city keep giving him money if he doesn't produce viable results? The guy is a snake oil salesman and the city leaders are actually buying into his bs. IMO, public taxpayer money should NEVER be used to stimulate development, especially in the downtown area. It should have been private money from day one down there. Let the investor take the hit if a failure, not the taxpayer who has no sayso as to how their money is being used. If the downtown can't be developed using private money, then let it die on the vine. They have spent millions for over a decade down there and look at the pathetic results we see to date. Ridiculous waste of time and money IMO. Downtown speculation building purchases, using taxpayer money, is as wrong as it gets. Let these business people who believe in their downtown take the risk. I hope they are all successful but don't help them out using other people's money. Just flat out wrong. Hell, the east end is more active with more viable shopping than the dam downtown ever was and it was all done with private monies. The downtown died in 1958 when the Middletown Shopping Center and I-75 were built. The downtown migration to the east side of town started then. We older residents remember the location transition well. |
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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buddhalite
MUSA Citizen Joined: May 11 2017 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 499 |
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Okay - all digs aside - I have a serious question.
Who else beside the 3-4 names that have been mentioned here on the forum are interested in revitalizing downtown and have cash to pay to rebuild/repair these buildings and put them back in use? Are we talking another 3-4 people, 25-50 people or more? I am curious as to how many contractors/investors out there are interested. Bob
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"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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Analytical
MUSA Citizen Joined: Nov 19 2015 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 562 |
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Over six months later, are there any new developments to report on the vacant, blighted and decaying Rose Furniture property?
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whistlersmom
MUSA Citizen Joined: Mar 11 2016 Status: Offline Points: 722 |
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Douglas Adkins posted this on Jan. 20, 2017 at 8:56 am under “Manchester Inn sold”
“Rose Furniture will be rebuilt as part of the Goetz Tower project with retail first floor and upper level apartments. Took a long time but it will get done.” John, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Rose Furniture to be completed. The now deteriorated condition of the structure is obvious. Just stand by a window on the sidewalk and look up inside – you will see the sky due to the roof having fallen to street level. In 2013, Robinette was given (free and clear) Rose Furniture plus $300,000 to fix the roof. Nothing has been done. How much has the delay added to the cost of rebuilding? Why didn’t (shouldn’t) the city have a contract requiring start and completion dates? No urgency here! Wonder what Robinette did with the $300k for the roof!!? Has Robinette run out of money? Is that the reason the city had to lease the first floor of the Goetz Tower? What else can we give him to support his lifestyle? Oh yeah, Liberty Spirits. After the Rose Furniture debacle, why does the city continue to favor Robinette over any others who might want to make a real contribution to their revitalization plans? |
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John Beagle
MUSA Official Joined: Apr 23 2007 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1855 |
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Pacman
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612 |
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Spider, I agree with you 100%. Personally I believe the city needs a "kick ass and take names later" personality to straighten things out. Pacman |
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Pacman
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612 |
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Libertarian, these are questions that should be taken up with the City. I believe one of the reason the Middletown was declared over 50% below poverty level was so that these funds could be used anywhere in the city. You could find the answer to most of these questions on the City's website. Pacman |
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Pacman
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612 |
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LMAO
MUSA Citizen Joined: Oct 28 2009 Location: Middletucky Status: Offline Points: 468 |
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WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A FAILURE OF COMMUNICATION. All of them are nothing but LIARS. They have been doing it such a long time they have to make up a new lie to cover up another lie. |
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over the hill
MUSA Citizen Joined: Oct 19 2012 Location: middletown Status: Offline Points: 952 |
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That's the questions that has been asked all along, but we can't seem to get answers. The only way to get these answers is probably an outside audit.Every time someone goes to city offices for answers, you get stonewalled and put off.
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Libertarian
MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 09 2013 Status: Offline Points: 37 |
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Vivian, Steve, Terry, Mike and Pacman -
As you know, Mr. Akins had over $3 Million in two separate NSP allocations at his disposal. Despite the fact that he wasted up to $75,000 per individual housing acquisition/rehabilitation project, whatever happened to the funds that were netted from eventual sale of these frivolous undertakings? How much funding is involved? Were these funds diverted to "downtown" projects like the acquisition of the asbestos-laden movie theater on Central Avenue? Or, is he using these taxpayers dollars on more property demolition? What is going on?
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Miss Kitty
MUSA Immigrant Joined: Oct 29 2012 Status: Offline Points: 61 |
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Most of our problems began when we had Bill Becker as a city manager. We lost AK general offices and many more bad things happened because we had a man(A police officer) with NO knowledge on how to run a city. Now we have Judy (who's a joke) investing everything into Downtown and making other crazy decisions. We haven't had a city manager running this city since Ron Olson.
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over the hill
MUSA Citizen Joined: Oct 19 2012 Location: middletown Status: Offline Points: 952 |
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Spider, I think you struck a cord: "Tough but Fair" I think that's all anybody wants.
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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Filling low-end properties with non-productive S8 lifers may not be the answer either--wherever in the city they may be.
The current strain on schools, public safety and the retail business sector has taken a toll that will take a generation to repair(if we ever get started). What we offer now as a community is probably not going to bring new contributing families here, and actually may cause them to look elsewhere with more comfortable demographics. A small splatter of an art district and a couple of decent restaurants is not going to do it either. Trying to force development with continual subsidies hasn't worked either. The only way to make this community attractive and successful again is by changing the demographics imo. The beginning work will be ugly, but necessary. Tough luck for the landlords, but they have milked the govt. dole long enough, at our expense. I am definitely open to a better solution--just lay it out for me. |
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Libertarian
MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 09 2013 Status: Offline Points: 37 |
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Steve -
If HUD were to allow a reduction of 1,000+ S8 vouchers, what would be the impact on the housing market in Ward 2 and parts of Ward 1. With the reduction of vouchers, is it true that current montly market rents for non-subsidized properties are significantly less? Where will the up to 1,000 new renter households come from? How will the reduction of S8 units adversely impact residential property owners? The majority of S8 vouchers added took place (for the most part) prior to the hiring of Marty Kohler. You should speak with Neal Barille and Angela Tucker about that. However, as recently as 2006, Mr. Kohler bragged about the benefits of S8 insofar as rental property reinvestment was concerned. The damage is now done and I have no issue with reducing some of the vouchers. What I do not agree with is the lack of a cost-effective strategy to reclaim our declining neighborhoods. The wrecking ball alone is hardly a comprehensive plan of attack. It is true that quite a few structures warrant demolition. However, surely there must be a more logical approach to accomplishing this goal. Tear it down and they will come is not the answer.
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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The guy is out to cut the program, therefore breaking the addiction to federal money that has been spent dis-proportionally on cronyism and special interests instead of improving the entire city as made possible
The guy is willing to take down blight, including facing off with the downtown money-grabbers and the hysterical society. He was in no way involved in ?able spending or buying useless buildings. Do I like everything ? Absolutely not Do not like losing big money on rebuilds--- which seems to have been abandoned for demo policy A good move IMO Too hard on poor people trying to maintain a home. With picky preferential code violations also We need tough but fair right now Seems like a guy to start just that unless the power people lay on him Still-not time to turn back now Jmo |
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over the hill
MUSA Citizen Joined: Oct 19 2012 Location: middletown Status: Offline Points: 952 |
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Thank You Libertarian,You hit the nail on the head!!!
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Libertarian
MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 09 2013 Status: Offline Points: 37 |
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Over The Hill and Vivian -
It's strange how two frequent MUSA participants continue to sing the praises of Mr. Akins. When you look at the past four years you see many bold proclamations like the 2,300 home code violation blitzkrieg, the 20-year $50 Million NSP plan for impacted neighborhoods, the loss of up to $75,000 per home in the NSP boondoggle, the replacement of CONSOC with Nelson & Associates, the world famous Inspection Group that was brought in to "upgrade" Section 8 property violations (not to mention their quick departure because of numerous problems), blanket demolition of 300 houses mostly in Ward 2, the absence of any known redevelopment plans for the 300 vacant lots, the high cost of program delivery and program administration fees as a percentage of the budget, etc. etc. What a record that city sttaf has created (not) with milllions of HUD funds! Mr. Akins boosters, please tell us your version of cost accountability, housing market rejuvination in Ward 2 plus parts of Ward 1, proper expenditure of HUD funds to upgrade the city and its' image in S.W. Ohio?
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over the hill
MUSA Citizen Joined: Oct 19 2012 Location: middletown Status: Offline Points: 952 |
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LOL Hope he gets his MOJO workin' with that power, he's going to need it. GO ahead, Doug, bully HUD
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Over the Hill
He acts like a bully when he stands before City Council also.
Remember his famous quote "Give me the POWER and I will make it happen". Let's see if he enjoys being bullied by HUD |
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over the hill
MUSA Citizen Joined: Oct 19 2012 Location: middletown Status: Offline Points: 952 |
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Thank you Ms. Ramero for standing before council and telling us how Adkins REALLY treats people when he thinks no one is watching.
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409
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Mar 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
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From MJ:
Historic Commission chair says ‘shame on you’ to City Council By Michael D. Pitman
Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN — The chair of the Middletown Historic Commission voiced her disagreement with City Council this week about the city’s attempt to have the former Rose Furniture building demolished. Last month, the Historic Commission voted 5-2 to support the city’s hardship appeal as to why it needed to demolish the building at 36 S. Main St. in the historic South Main District. But the commission said everything but the facade is permitted to be demolished. Commission chair Nancy Romero told City Council on Tuesday “shame on you” for acquiring a building “you had no intention of doing anything with,” not maintaining the building “to the level you expect the citizens” to maintain their properties, and intending to spend $300,000 to demolish the building “when you could have repaired that building for only $47,000 two years ago.” The building has fallen into disrepair, mostly because of a leaky roof. The damages sustained to the building have also affected the adjoining building to the north at 34 S. Main St. She also was critical of the city for its hardship appeal to the Historic Commission, which turned down the order for demolition earlier in the month, “when you did not meet the three points necessary for a hardship case.” She also did not think the city should have had Community Revitalization Director Doug Adkins “bully and threaten” the Historic Commission into approving the appeal. Last week, Romero told The Journal that Adkins had “bullied” the commission into approving the appeal, saying City Council would “override” any negative decision. Adkins said he was “candid” in his presentation and was honest of what the city’s next steps would be if the commission would turn down the request. Adkins said last week that the next step in demolishing the building will be to seek request for proposals for demolition estimates. |
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VietVet
MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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I like this comment from Lewitt.......
“A complete demolition would create a dead space, a black hole, a front tooth missing in the smile of that block,” said Lewitt, who represents the ownership of the adjacent U.S. Hotel at 34 S. Main St. “It will be another lot for the city to mow, maintain and to sit on for who knows how long. Instead, why not save the facade?” UHH.........RACHEL, WHAT ABOUT ALL THE "DEAD SPACE"...."BLACK HOLE"....."FRONT TOOTH MISSING IN THE SMILE OF THE TOWN IN VARIOUS PLACES" (COMICAL COMMENT FROM RACHEL BY THE WAY) COMING FROM THE EMPTY SPACE FROM ROOSEVELT SCHOOL,OLD JEFFERSON SCHOOL, SUNSET POOL, HALF THE FRIKKIN' DOWNTOWN, BY THE TRAIN STATION, THE OLD HOSPITAL AREA AND OTHERS? KINDA LOOKS A LITTLE DESOLATE IN THOSE AREAS TOO, RIGHT? IT AIN'T JUST YOUR PROPERTIES AND IT AIN'T JUST YOUR DOWNTOWN THAT THIS APPLIES TO, RACH. IF DEAD SPACE BOTHERS YOU, WHY DOES IT BOTHER YOU IN JUST THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND NOT THE ENTIRE TOWN? THIS DAM TOWN IS LOOKING A LITTLE "APOCALYPTIC" THESE DAYS WITH ALL THE EMPTY "NOTHINGNESS" THAT IS LEFT AFTER THE SATURATION DEMOLITION. WHERE WAS THE OUTRAGE BEFORE THE OTHERS WERE TORN DOWN? |
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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