McKennan Park House trial comes to a close

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[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxriLTLhyyY[/youtube]

I’m not sure how Judge Pekas will rule in the case, it’s complicated with several parties and facets involved, but if I had to rule, it would be simple.

The house is NOT up to code and needs to be altered, moved, or torn down. Allowing it to stay in its current condition would set a precedent for all historic neighborhood associations in Sioux Falls. I would also split the cost of bringing it up to code between the city and the family that built it, and their general contractor. I don’t believe the McDowells, the original architect or the historic board share any guilt.

In all fairness, it is really the city’s (building services department) fault for not inspecting and giving proper permits, but as homeowners you do share a certain responsibility to make sure things are done right. It’s not like the Sapienzas are a couple of twits, she works as a pediatric surgeon with a resume longer then the Book of Morman. Not sure what Mr. Sapienzas does, but he seems to be very knowledgeable in the ancient Asian art of Feng Shui. (I found it ironic, because he was concerned about northern negative energy. Want to bring on some negative energy? Piss off your neighbors.)

It’s unfortunate in this case that east coast elitism wasn’t against the law, because the Sapienzas would be spending time in prison. Claiming you are building your home based on a strange combination of Philly building codes and Asian architecture isn’t a real good defense in good old podunk Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

“Yo, Adrian! We should make the house a little taller so we don’t receive a left hook from Apollo Feng Shui.”

As for the look of the house, as an artist, I would say it would look fantastic sitting on an oversized prairie lot in the country. In the crowded historic neighborhood of McKennan Park, I will say it is too tall, and the color, egg salad yellow. Ick. Not sure if they use this saying in Philly, but ‘two pounds of shit in a one pound bag’ seems appropriate in this case.

I often tell people that just because someone is rich doesn’t mean they can buy class or taste. The Sapienzas proved that if anything in the trial. The next time our fine mayor has a press conference about ‘bad neighbors’ he needs to place the podium in front of their house, I couldn’t find a more fitting place.

HUGE FAIL! $27 million Federal tax dollars and rail traffic in Downtown Sioux Falls will remain almost the same

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railyard winter 15

The cold hard truth about the RR relocation project

Yesterday at the informational meeting there was an update on the RR relocation project. And while the switching yard will move outside of town (that is why we are getting ten acres of land) it was confirmed by planning staff that rail traffic will remain ‘almost’ the same.

I guess when the environmental study was done, BNSF explained that while the longer trains will not be switching cars for smaller deliveries downtown anymore with Eastern and Ellis, that those deliveries will still have to be made Downtown. Planning described it as ‘Smaller trains, but more frequent traffic’.

I went to the city council meeting last night, and during public input I expressed my disappointment in how this project has really changed from its original intent, which was to close the switching yard downtown AND reduce rail traffic. In fact, it could get worse with more frequent train traffic.

Not sure where the train went off the tracks with this project (no pun intended) but it seems the feet dragging and delay after Huether took office may have affected the final result. It was no secret that Huether was cock blocking the project so talk of an Events Center downtown could be quelled. The ten acres would have made a perfect spot for a parking lot for a downtown EC. In fact many still burning from the sting of that whole fiasco have argued that is all that property is good for, besides a public park. As I expressed last night, you won’t be able to build residential, and retail may be questionable also. Besides the noise of the more frequent trains running along the development land, the close proximity to the river could flood the Southern edge of the development. There has been talk about making the area a ‘quiet zone’ which requires crossbars on the street, but as I have understood Federal law on that, there will still have to be some kind of (audio) warning system in place. And even if the whistles are NOT blowing the rattle and clank of trains is loud enough.

Of course all of my whining really is coming to late. Our media really failed pointing out the reality of this project, the only journalist willing to say anything in agreement with me is Johnathan Ellis, and he gets chided for it.

This project is a HUGE FAIL for Federal Tax payers, a HUGE FAIL for downtown commuters and soon it will become a HUGE FAIL for local tax payers once we will be all standing around holding the bag for a piece of property we paid $27 million for that at most, probably will sell for around $4-5 million, AFTER we clean it up.

This is prime example of how pathetic government can really be with our money.

 

Does BNSF owe us an explanation?

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railyard-winter-15

While there has been a lot of talk about what kind of development that is being done on the old rail yard, there has been very little talk about how rail traffic will proceed once the project is turned over to developers.

We know 3 things for certain;

• Two tracks will remain in the same place DT next to the BNSF building that will also remain. A fence will be built between the line and property that will be developed.

• All the old staging area will not be used anymore (that’s the new development land).

• Two siding tracks are being built out of town.

What we don’t know is how much traffic will remain DT, will it be more or less, or will it get spread around over to Cliff Avenue? I think within a year the city and BNSF need to supply the citizens of Sioux Falls a ‘rail plan’ DT and just what traffic will look like and projected volumes.

A developer recently told me ‘I was wrong’ when it came to the rail traffic DT increasing after the rail yard closes. So prove me wrong, call up your BFF, Mayor Mike, and ask him to present a rail traffic plan to those who live and work DT. If the rail traffic becomes minimal, than it will truly be exciting.

Another consultant, the RR relocation project burn barrel just got bigger

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Here we go, seems no one in city government is smart enough to know what to do with 10 acres of undeveloped land downtown, even though developers and the city have been successfully developing projects downtown for over 100 years now;

“The City is hiring a consultant to work with us to ensure the redevelopment of this land is done in the best way possible,” says Mike Cooper, Director of Planning and Building Services. “Most cities never have this type of opportunity—to reshape the heart of their downtown—so we want to make sure we get it right.”

I’ve said the best way to develop the land would be to let free enterprise shape it. Once BNSF hands over the keys to the property in 2017, we drive down to ACE hardware and pick up a couple of FOR SALE signs and stick them in the ground.

Why should the taxpayers be on the hook for even more expenditures cleaning up the site, and coming up with proposals. Wasn’t the $27 million of Federal tax dollars enough? Especially since the tracks and traffic are really going NO WHERE. What kind of grand development ideas is the consultant going to have? You can’t build residential because the trains will still be rolling through, maybe even more often.

This sounds like another back door scam so that certain developers get their hands on the land by shaping the RFP’s in advance to fit their already conceived ideas. I say put it for sale, let the adjacent property owners have first dibs, and if they decline open it up to other developers. We aren’t building a resort in the Cayman Islands, we are taking a brown field, scraping the top layer off and making it available for someone to build on. This isn’t rocket science and certainly not worth the expense of a consultant.

I still maintain that since we did nothing to limit the traffic of trains downtown by moving forward on this project, we have accomplished nothing but blowing $27 million dollars as BNSF walks away with a gigantic smile on their face. You’re welcome Mr. Buffet.

 

Sioux Falls City Councilor Rex Rolfing still delusional about public input

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Rex just doesn’t seem to get it, even when it is explained to him in simple terms. Right before the joint Minnehaha County/Sioux Falls City Council meeting, Rex and Commissioner Chair Cindy Heiberger were having a short conversation about public input before the meeting (they were unaware their microphones were hot).

 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pny29jyER6A[/youtube]

For the most part, well over 50% of public input deals with property and individual rights which could effect them financially and their livelihoods.

Some one really needs to sit councilor Rolfing down and explain to him that in a democracy we are all ruled equally, with no special classes. If developers, pipeline builders and railroads are allowed to talk as long as they want about their projects, Joe Smith should be allowed to talk just as long about his garage expansion. Equality is one thing that makes our country great.