Click to enlarge
Rendering of the Hotel Enterprise District
desired by the majority commission
And just think, this rendering looks familiar--similar to those drawings accredited to Mulvehill that have been attacked and picked apart by the opposition like a pit bull in heat. This rendering mitigates any argument the opposition ever had on drawings that supposedly former Commissioner Mulvehill presented to support the referendum of keeping a low-rise city.
After last night's neighborhood association meeting for Bryant Park, I can see why I got a few nasty comments today all from the same anonymous person who is obsessed over the amount of property taxes I pay saying "who cares what you think, no one listens anyway." When you are losing an argument, some resort to being a bully but then, they have probably been a bully all of their lives. It just was not a good night for the Friends of the Gulfstream folks who were sitting in the back of the room with poker faces. And even though the city has had six months to "educate" the people, and going so far as to delay the election to March and spending $21,000 of taxpayer money to do so, their politics and false reasons are just not sinking in.
It certainly was obvious that the majority of those who attended the neighborhood association meeting hated the idea of a hotel district, the mayor's idea supported by the majority commission. Those in attendance made it clear that they don’t want that kind of height or massing in our city. They used the phrases “small town,” etc. They complained about parking, traffic, turning Lake Avenue into a "canyon" of tall buildings. They objected to a hotel district. They want small shops, walkable streets and the small town feel that we have had for 100 years. They weren't even that interested in the Gulfstream Hotel especially allowing additions to go to 65 feet. Some were even appalled.
You mean to tell me that Wes Blackman has not made a big to do about this graphic? Are you sure it's not Suzanne's? Wes, cat got your tongue?
ReplyDeleteThe existing buildings along the north side of Lucerne are 1 and 2 story buildings. There are no 3 stories.
ReplyDeleteThe gas station, the small business strip, single family house on O st behind the businesses are 1 story buildings yet the renderings make them appear to be taller.
Is this to portray the new 5 & 6 story projects as compatible?
I own a home by the Gulfstream and I am not happy that I might be looking at a six story building or parking garage. I would not have bought a home in such an area. Sorry to say but this town is unique. Sure the Lucerne building is here but bumping tall buildings in residential neighborhoods is not the answer. Does anyone want to buy a house on Lakeside?
ReplyDeleteThat is a rendering of what city? Nothing looks familiar to me. Very poor rendering of LW.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to mention William Waters comments about our downward spiral that is steeper than all our neighboring cities save Belle Glade where he puts us "two notches" above them.
ReplyDeleteHe also said our tax base was stagnant and said we needed commercial development in the POC and East of Federal which his talk was centered on.
He said the only buildings that would qualify to go higher than 45' in this area would be a hotel, not a condominium, apartments or office buildings. He also showed how there are only about three sites that could support the hotel concept. The Gulfstream property, the Chase Bank Block and the Wells Fargo Bank site on Federal and Lake Ave.
He reiterated that our blocks are not conducive to a small 4 story hotel like the Hyatt in Delray and that it could not work with no parking.
Mixed use makes sense between Federal and the waterfront.
Anti development keeps Lake Worth at the bottom of the barrel surpassed only by Belle Glade. And they are catching up.
This is not propaganda. Correct me if I misstated his words.
Guess I was sleeping through all of that, anonymous.
ReplyDeleteSo all the recently built townhouses didn't keep our property values from falling? Then why would we recommend building more?
ReplyDeleteYou didn't look quite your boisterous self last evening, but I didn't think you were sleeping.
ReplyDeleteEverybody showed up to represent the other side. Of course, the other side of facts is.....
William showed how it would NOT be a canyon with increased setbacks and large open "arcades" like that shown on the lower right side of the depiction.
I thought it was a very fair presentation.
He didn't say it, but you could tell it will be harder for the Gulfstream to open as a hotel without making what he said would be millions of dollars of upgrades. Most all scenarios mean the people who own in the Gulfstream Towers and the Gulfstream Condos will lose their free parking now provided by the vacant Gulfstream Hotel.
That is why they gave huge contributions to Mulvehill to keep the owner of the Gulfstream from accomplishing any of his plans. Then the economy tanked. Good job you guys.
I am never boisterous, anonymous. You have me confused with someone else.
ReplyDeleteNaturally you would think it was a "fair" presentation. It was one-sided. Anyone buying the Gulfstream will have to totally remodel it and bring everything up to code. If the bank will sell it cheaply, and they just might as well get it off their hands, it is doable.
The residents of the condo were against a high rise right in their face. Also, there was no parking for the hotel guests. If a high-rise was proposed right across the street from where you live, would you be concerned or is it just other people who should not be? The owner of the Gulfstream (and I say that lightly as he never paid toward the mortgage or paid little) NEVER had any plans. All he had was a bunch of ideas to help make his property more valuable. He made a horrendously BAD business decision and now the city wants us to figure out how to bail all these guys out with an enterprise zone. More government tax dollars for taxes we won't see. Everything for business. What about the pot holes?
DPZ.com
ReplyDeleteSee what EVERYONE is getting!
This is Agenda 21 agreed to by the Senate in 1992 - they just won't tell you and the APA - for planners even developed a "BootCamp" class w/power points to show them how to get around people who disagree. I love when they mention Miami as it took nearly 10 years to SHOVE through this crap that no ones wants but comes w/grant money so this is what we're getting!
There is ONLY an Illusion of Choice!