Let’s face it, the Downtown Parking Ramp probably has the 4 votes (plus mayor) to pass. But let’s pretend for a moment you or I were on the council. What would it take to change our minds?
I’m totally against the project personally, but let’s say I was sitting on the council and my fellow peers asked me what it would take to get my vote. Here is a list of things I think needs to change in the agreement before I would consider supporting it.
#1) Cut the parking ramp construction costs by $1 million. I think there is plenty of room to tweak the current plan. For instance, why does a bare concrete structure need a sprinkler system?
#2) Share the $6 million in soft costs with developer. I think the developer should have to pay $3 million of those costs which include upgraded utilities and a reinforced foundation.
#3) Change the lease to a 5 year lease with an opportunity for automatic renewal in 5 years. Base that lease on actual appraisals of similar leases. Right now the lease comes to $1,000 a month. That is highway robbery by the developers. It is ridiculous to sign a 80 year, one time payment lease with the developer.
#4) Take Aaron Hultgren’s name OFF of the contract guarantors and off the investor list. Legal counsel should know better signing a contract with a construction company owner who has been fined thousands of dollars for safety violations by OSHA for a building collapse just feet away from the new development. Until Mr. Hultgren clears his name (he is contesting the fines) NO city money should benefit him. If anything he probably owes us for all the issues he has caused for our city’s first responders and private downtown business owners. He is the LAST person that should be involved.
Like I said, personally I am against the project, but if I was on the council I would propose these amendments.
I could not believe what I was hearing when Aaron Hultgren’s name was revealed as one of 4 contract guarantors.
You’ve got to be kidding!
But then again, it’s probably easier to build a new load bearing wall then to try to manipulate an existing one…
#SkipTheFacebookPostingThisTime
I liked Stehly’s idea. This matter should be pushed to ahead of the next election. There’s to much Huether push and brown nose councilors. It’s a last hurrah for Huether to steer something with questionable merit into corrupt developers. He’s made the city insolvent. He should be curbed before there’s city bankruptcy.
Scott,
You obviously didn’t think your item #1 through when you mentioned the fire sprinkler; have you ever seen a car burn? Now, put them all together in a crowded (full of parked cars) multi-level structure difficult to access with fire fighting equipment scenario…good recipe to lose not only the cars but the structure. C’mon, leave those codes alone!
P.
Okay, in the past 20-30 years how many cars have caught on fire in SF parking ramps? I don’t know, but if I were to guess, I bet it was less than 2 if any.
BTW, are we going to install fire sprinklers in all the city ramps now?
Say what. The 800 pound gorilla in the room is the fact that the parking enterprise fund, as it stands, will not be able to meet the bond payments without raising rates considerably across the spectrum of ALL the public parking spots. In your view then, should all ramps be updated for fire sprinkler, for safties sake, since all ramp users are being asked to pay for just one?
Is this garage protected by fire sprinklers? Did I miss a video or explanation that details all the added features?