UPDATE: I forgot to mention that the bonds were sold before PTH came into office. So if he would have killed the project, it likely would have cost us in fines. I think I predicted about $2 million at the time. But in hindsight it would have saved us in the long run, because now we have a structure without a private partner.
Over on the WussCollege chief talking mouth, Pitty, is trying to defend the mayor’s position on the parking ramp. But early on PTH could have killed the project, and did not. As one commenter said;
When Mayor TenHaken took office, he announced his administration was vetting the project and development agreement and subsequently endorsed the project during a press conference in July 2018
I also find it a bit ironic that while Pitty likes to throw Stehly under the bus, she is the only one (with Starr) who has tried to stop this project while Pitty’s buddies Neitzert and Erickson steamed forward.
VIDEO BELOW is last night’s CC meeting;
So why didn’t PTH stop the project before it got this far? As someone put it to me last night, he didn’t have a legal team in place at that time that knew their heads from a hole in the ground. While I commended PTH last night for killing the project, he really could have stopped it much sooner. While real leaders do get things done, they also get things done right and know how to say NO when necessary. It seems the only two leaders we have right now in city government is Stehly and Starr who had the vision and foresight to know this was doomed from the very beginning.
I will speculate and guess Killing it at that time would have cost a tremendous amount in lawyer fees. Waiting to kill it after legacy missed the deadlines places the city on a better legal stance.
I give PTH a big kudos for letting this play out and driving a stake in norm drake. I’ll bet you Mad man Mike and Ketchum was in on the bait and switch plan all along
Oh, but PTH had TJ Nelson the wonder boy with him last summer when they reviewed the project and gave it an enthusiastic endorsement at their 7/31/18 presser. These arrogant brats were duped. “Give a boy a man’s job . . . . “
Remember this previous post from Greg Neitzert?
http://www.southdacola.com/blog/2018/07/stehly-and-neitzert-on-hultgrenlegacy-debacle/
“But Neitzert would not have voted differently on the project even if he knew then what he knows now.
“The optics though – they are undeniably awful because of the perception and the ties of various individuals to both the project – if even fleetingly – and the entity involved in the terrible tragedy that occurred.†The terrible tragedy Neitzert mentions is, of course, the downtown building collapse. Hultgren was remodeling the old Copper Lounge building before it came down in a pile of rubble, killing a young construction worker.”
Good job protecting the rights of Ethan and us Greg!
Does this mean we get to roll back the building permit numbers to reflect the failure of this project?
Message from SF taxpayers to the Rysdons (Sioux Steel) and the Friends of the Levitt:
We have just been ‘burned’ on a public/private partnership involving a parking ramp. Do not come looking for a handout from the taxpayers in the form of a TIF for your parking ramp.
Dear Council Members,
During my presentation to the council on Tuesday, Councilor Stehly asked if I felt the 2700 identified free parking spaces were adequate for our expected attendance at Levitt at the Falls. As parking has been the primary concern I have heard from residents, I was hesitant to go too far in answering Ms Stehly in such a public forum. However, I am following up to voice my concern. …..Nancy Halverson, CEO, Levitt at the Falls
We, as constituent/taxpayers, will be relying on the eight councilors we have elected to protect our interests. It’s time to get back to the priorities a majority of Sioux Falls residents care about and that does not include another parking ramp!
While we waste millions on this debacle, hopefully Domino’s can fill some of our potholes for free.
Complete debacle. I’m still fuming over having the new admin building snuck through before Huether left and this just brings it to a new level. No wonder our property taxes are going nuts. What will be the next multi million dollar want? They keep spending House Money on stuff we don’t need
The absolute failure on the part of the city council is insane regarding this matter. There is at most amoderately full parking ramp right across the street and that is at best on summer weekend during business hours. The fees charged for parking in the newly constructed ramp will not cover the cost of its construction, because if citizens aren’t already parking in the Shrivers ramp and spending time downtown, they aren’t going to thinkâ€new, ugly parking ramp, we should totally go downtown and check it outâ€. This is redundant and every city councilor that voted to approve this project should be ashamed of themselves. Councilors Stehly and Starr, I appreciate your continued efforts to act on behalf of all citizens of Sioux Falls.
Ultimately, this failure is going to lead to increased meter and existing parking ramp prices to offset the loss. And Nancy, I highly doubt anyone is going to park on 10th and walk to the Levitt when they won’t walk even a block to have dinner.
Some wingtips got us into trouble and some Converse didn’t know what to do with it.
#OpenGovernmentNotOpenCollar
But Rachel, can’t we just set up a pedal pub shuttle between the hotel/ramp and the Levitt?…. 😉
We totally could take a pedal
Pub from 10th to the Falls. 😃. We should give the pub driver a big tip though and we will have to ditch our byob philosophy once we hit the Levitt. It would be my
Hope that downtown is affordable and accessible for everyone. The gray behomth outside
My window won’t be. Dig Yang, he’s a good guy😃
So do we have slick Mike and Slick Tenhaken in the highlights now.
Ten haken/beck/Lloyd hard to know the difference