I now stand for TRANSPARENCY!

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Middletonians:
My conscience has not let me sleep as I thought over the events at last night’s public hearings. I fear that I was WRONG to have ever brought the issue of the TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS to the attention of Council members.
Therefore, I hereby publicly switch my position and declare that I am 100% SOLIDLY behind Mr. Kohler and Mr. Robinette in their views as ORIGINALLY stated in the workbook and quoted EXACTLY below:

(3) Façade Transparency. At least 25% of each principal building façade shall be covered by glass (see Figure B). On building facades to which the ground floor transparency standard applies, the façade transparency standard shall apply only to the upper floors.
(4) Ground Floor Transparency. All principal building ground floor facades that face public streets other than interstates in the BCI and BCH Districts shall be covered with at least 50% transparent window glass (see Figure B).
I also agree ENTIRELY with their comment also taken from the proposed zoning ordinance and quoted EXACTLY here:

"Excellence in property development will only happen if proper protections are in place to assure that everyone in the district is held to the same high standards."
In fact, this last OPINION rings so true that I feel it should be extended not only to all existing buildings within the newly re-zoned areas, but also to ALL commercial, and especially all PUBLIC, buildings blessed to be within their benevolent jurisdiction! To assist in this crusade, I managed to find just a few commercial and PUBLIC buildings that seem to be lacking in the “façade transparency” area. As a PUBLIC service, I am posting photos of these buildings, and I know that most of you will join me in DEMANDING that the owners either rectify the situations immediately, or cease all public or commercial operations in the structures.

This looks like a good place to start:

And then let's go here:

Now let's move out EAST of I-75:

And perhaps over to the good, ol' So. Main St. "Historic Distict" for a commercial building or two?

I'm unsure where this is next one is , and the temporary structure in the foreground is nice and open, but what about the building seen behind?

Here are a couple more in the background that appear to need "fixing":

I saw a couple more around town, that I recall from my youth as being buildings with multi-story, large, SOLID walls.  However, my memory has failed me in my old age.  (My EYESIGHT, too, because at those buildings, it looked as if the windows were PAINTED on!!!  Could someone have gotten advanced warning of Mr. Kohler's and Mr. Robinette's new-found zeal for TRANSPARENCY, and is trying to fool them with MURALS???  If so, the tricksters must pay!!!  OUT with the murals, and IN with 50% GLASS!!!)

And friends, I saved the most egregious violations for last.  This structure below has at least TWO HUGE wals with nary a peep-hole in sight. We cannot hope to have Excellence in property development unless proper protections are in place to assure that everyone in the district is held to the same high standards.

This last example MUST be rectified as soon as possible, but I am unsure exactly where this building is located!  Perhaps one of YOU will recognize it and rat out the owners to Mr. Kohler, Mr. Robinette, or I so that we can get them to contribute to our city's RENAISSANCE!!!  REMEMBER:  EVERYONE must be held to the SAME HIGH STANDARD!!!

I'm positive if ANYONE at City Hall were aware of this, they would DEMAND that the owners comply, but I'm sure that NO ONE at City Hall Knows about it!
 OOPS!

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Mike_Presta Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mike_Presta Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: I now stand for TRANSPARENCY! Posted: Jun 16 2010 at 12:28pm
	Middletonians: My conscience has not let me sleep as I thought over the events at last night’s public hearings. I fear that I was WRONG to have ever brought the issue of the TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS to the attention of Council members. Therefore, I hereby publicly switch my position and declare that I am 100% SOLIDLY behind Mr. Kohler and Mr. Robinette in their views as ORIGINALLY stated in the workbook and quoted EXACTLY below: (3) Façade Transparency. At least 25% of each principal building façade shall be covered by glass (see Figure B). On building facades to which the ground floor transparency standard applies, the façade transparency standard shall apply only to the upper floors. (4) Ground Floor Transparency. All principal building ground floor facades that face public streets other than interstates in the BCI and BCH Districts shall be covered with at least 50% transparent window glass (see Figure B). I also agree ENTIRELY with their comment also taken from the proposed zoning ordinance and quoted EXACTLY here: "Excellence in property development will only happen if proper protections are in place to assure that everyone in the district is held to the same high standards." In fact, this last OPINION rings so true that I feel it should be extended not only to all existing buildings within the newly re-zoned areas, but also to ALL commercial, and especially all PUBLIC, buildings blessed to be within their benevolent jurisdiction! To assist in this crusade, I managed to find just a few commercial and PUBLIC buildings that seem to be lacking in the “façade transparency” area. As a PUBLIC service, I am posting photos of these buildings, and I know that most of you will join me in DEMANDING that the owners either rectify the situations immediately, or cease all public or commercial operations in the structures. This looks like a good place to start: And then let's go here: Now let's move out EAST of I-75: And perhaps over to the good, ol' So. Main St. "Historic Distict" for a commercial building or two? I'm unsure where this is next one is , and the temporary structure in the foreground is nice and open, but what about the building seen behind? Here are a couple more in the background that appear to need "fixing": I saw a couple more around town, that I recall from my youth as being buildings with multi-story, large, SOLID walls. However, my memory has failed me in my old age. (My EYESIGHT, too, because at those buildings, it looked as if the windows were PAINTED on!!! Could someone have gotten advanced warning of Mr. Kohler's and Mr. Robinette's new-found zeal for TRANSPARENCY, and is trying to fool them with MURALS??? If so, the tricksters must pay!!! OUT with the murals, and IN with 50% GLASS!!!) And friends, I saved the most egregious violations for last. This structure below has at least TWO HUGE wals with nary a peep-hole in sight. We cannot hope to have Excellence in property development unless proper protections are in place to assure that everyone in the district is held to the same high standards. This last example MUST be rectified as soon as possible, but I am unsure exactly where this building is located! Perhaps one of YOU will recognize it and rat out the owners to Mr. Kohler, Mr. Robinette, or I so that we can get them to contribute to our city's RENAISSANCE!!! REMEMBER: EVERYONE must be held to the SAME HIGH STANDARD!!! I'm positive if ANYONE at City Hall were aware of this, they would DEMAND that the owners comply, but I'm sure that NO ONE at City Hall Knows about it! OOPS!
	“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012

Mike_Presta Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mike_Presta Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jun 16 2010 at 12:52pm
	So it will be interesting , folks, to see exactly how some of the Atrium big-wigs, the local hysterical society gang, and local politicians feel about this "transparency" issue. Will they AGREE with Kohler and Robinette and their "Excellence in property development will only happen if proper protections are in place to assure that everyone in the district is held to the same high standards." B. S.??? If so, They need to start with all of the EXISTING buildings that they allowed on the Atrium Medical Complex, and one-by-one, explain why the "same high standards" didn't seem to apply to them, and why the PHILOSOPHY shouldn't apply downtown, starting at ONE Donham Plaza , a building that sticks out like a sore thumb due to its completely different standards from ANY OTHER STRUCTURE within a couple of MILES!!! (Except maybe Frost, Brown &Todd--where our newest councilman is a MEMBER!!!) It'll be interesting to see how our people vote. Perhaps we'll find out clearly somethinjg about CHARACTER, and something about plain ol' HORSE-HOCKEY!!! Remember, all of you Public Servant--It's "the same high standards."!!! That's the bar that you've allowed two double-shufflers to set for you. We'll be watching to see who jumps OVER, and who sneaks UNDER!!! Ta, Ta, for now!!! Have a nice day!!!
	“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012