Lawrence city commissioners are convinced the integrity of the old Varsity House has been ruined by a faulty redevelopment project, and they agreed to begin seeking a “cash payment” from local developer Thomas Fritzel as compensation.
Commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting said they believed a previously agreed upon deal to move the 1908 home at 11th and Indiana streets to make way for a new apartment complex had not been upheld.
“I have been had in this deal,” said City Commissioner Mike Amyx, who helped broker a deal that called for the old three-story house to be moved to a new site so Fritzel could build an approximately 50-unit apartment complex in the Oread neighborhood.
Commissioners and members of the public began expressing concerns earlier this month as crews began reassembling the house on the site. Commissioners and several preservationists said it appeared the house was almost entirely being built with new materials rather than with original pieces of the distinctive house that in the mid-1900s was home to the varsity starters of the Kansas University football team.
On Tuesday, commissioners said they would begin the process of trying to broker a settlement with Fritzel over what commissioners deemed was a violation of an agreed upon site plan. Mayor Bob Schumm made it clear he expected the settlement to involve a significant monetary fine, but no amount was mentioned.
It wasn’t clear Tuesday whether Fritzel would agree to enter into any such settlement discussion. Fritzel did not make comments at Tuesday’s meeting but previously has said he disagrees with any finding that he did not comply with the site plan for the project.
Several members of the public, though, urged commissioners to take action against Fritzel.
“He bamboozled the commission into thinking there was an amicable compromise,” Lawrence historic preservation architect Stan Hernly said of Fritzel. “We have all been played as fools.”
Commissioners on Tuesday, however, did learn that the city’s planning staff was notified beforehand by Fritzel that he intended to cut the house into modular pieces rather than move it in one piece.
City staff members confirmed the Planning Department approved of that method, but Planning Director Scott McCullough said his department was under the assumption the house would be reassembled using federal historic standards.
Those standards include numbering the pieces of the house and then putting them back in their original places in the structure. Instead, Fritzel’s crews have been using original material — mainly wall studs and floor joists — as part of the new construction of the house.
An architect for Fritzel told commissioners more original material would be used on the second and third floor of the house.
Commissioners said they would insist upon that, but they predicted nothing could be done that would restore the integrity of the Varsity House.
“I believe sanctions have to be in order here,” Schumm said. “We can’t send the message that when you have an agreement with the city that you can simply break it.”
Comments
Andini 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I love the word bamboozled. Make him pay....One million dollars....
oneeye_wilbur 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Mr Amyx. The public has been bamboozled by the not so good stewardship of public assets, Owners of property around town have been had by the actions of your planning department also. Where do we send the bill.? Why wasnt Scott McCullough overseeing the numbering process of the dismantling. Likewise the taxpayers of Kansas have been had over the sale of that entire corner but I do not hear schumm complaining about that. Get over it mike and bob and move on. Your complaints now show both of you and others in planning have been asleep on the job.
oneeye_wilbur 6 months, 3 weeks ago
BTW. Mike and Bob. just who do you think the city is?
zackattackku 6 months, 3 weeks ago
If Fritzel thinks he will get any Tax incentives from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, he is wrong. At a minimum, 75% of the original structure must remain intact in accordance with the guidelines of the Secretary of the Interior. That isn't the case here. This is a travesty to Historic Preservation.
KRichards 6 months, 3 weeks ago
The house was not historic. It was a dilapidated piece of crap that needed to be replaced.
lonelyboy 6 months, 3 weeks ago
HIstoric eye sore , hazardous piece of crap.
consumer1 6 months, 3 weeks ago
You cannot make a person or people look foolish. Either they already are fools or they are not. This entire (save this historic building) , project showed the Planning commission is full of fools.
itsalwayssunnyinlarry 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I agree with you. But at the same time no one cared about that house until someone wanted to demolish it. It was poorly taken care of for at least ten years. Very unfortunate that no one wanted to actually preserve it.
oneeye_wilbur 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I don't think fritzel ever intended to get tax incentives, maybe Planning and mcculloughnshould be fined. But in the big scheme of things very few in Lawrence care about the old house, very, very, very few and that includes Amyx and schumm or they could have bought it or Dennis brown or anyone else. Except the zoning prohibited certain things and of course KU was in the backdoor meeting room pulling the puppet strings on the entire corner. Fritzel should sue HRC. for the hassle over the project. Does Fritzel and DFC. have deep enoughockets to play hardball with schumm and Amyx? Go for it. It's not a matter of liking or disliking fritzel but the city commission and staff are obstructionists.
lawrenceks66 6 months, 3 weeks ago
And why did he not expect tax incentives? Did he know up front that he was going to destroy more than 25% of the house??? Just curious ... seems kinda weird to me ...
flyin_squirrel 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Because once you get tax incentives, you then have to play by the states rules. Most property owners don't want their house on the Historic Register because any changes you make require state approval, and it has to be done to their liking.
zackattackku 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Actually if your house is listed the only guidelines you have to follow are local historic district guidelines. Technically, you could demolish a National or State Register listed building if you wanted to. People need to read the guidelines on the website. http://www.nps.gov/nr/ Listing the structure is a recognition of the buildings significance and is in no a way a means to hinder your rights as the property owner.
flyin_squirrel 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Which means the Lawrence HRC is telling you what to do, which is way worse!
LarryNative 6 months, 3 weeks ago
It all comes down to the written agreement and I am willing to bet that Fritzel has the upper hand. I could care less about some delapidated shack but a deal is a deal. Hopefully the city will learn something by this mistake. When someone is dishonest with you in business, the simple answer is to not do business with that person again. With the rec. center deal in its infancy, kill it unless Fritzel is removed from the deal. Do not give Frtizel anymore tax incentives in the future. I am not suggesting holding permits from any future developments of Fritzel, just refuse to participate in any way. It sounds simple enough, yet the city is continually "bamboozled" time and again by contractors who knowingly break agreements and then say sorry. Why would they not? Its how its done in Lawrence and will be until someone somewhere grows a pair and puts a stop to this behavior.
KRichards 6 months, 3 weeks ago
This will go one of two ways, Fritzel will pay the fine so as to stay involved with the rec center. Or he will drag this out with his Lawyers and end up costing the city a lot of money.
TheSychophant 6 months, 3 weeks ago
As an experienced and successful developer and builder, Fritzel makes it a point to know the details before making the deal. He knew what was involved in the moving of the house prior to agreeing to it,. and in all of his arrogance figured he would simply do what he wanted, without , repercussions, as such has always been his modus operandi. As an earlier writer stated, he is telling the city (which is us) FU. As my wise grandmother used to say, "don't let anyone piss all over you; open up your mouth."
It's time for the city fight back.
KRichards 6 months, 3 weeks ago
You should read the agreement between the city and Fritzel. I am no Lawyer, but I think Fritzel has the upper hand because of a completely inept planning department.
consumer1 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Amen KRichards, I agree.
flyin_squirrel 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Everyone wants to blame Fritzel for our cities lazy inept Planning and HRC department. I agree he bamboozled us, but McCullough and Zoller deserve even more blame. Neither was there when he took the house down, and neither has been their since he put it back up. WHY?
What is Linda Zoller so busy with that she wasn't involved in making sure the house was "removed" in a proper fashion? The city should just save their money, use the State Historic Board, and get rid of the HRC.
beatnik 6 months, 3 weeks ago
take fritzel off the bid list for city projects, a fine isn't going to bother him but no more city jobs might
Phillbert 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Forget the fine. Just cut him off from government subsidies for 5 or 10 years. That's worth more to his bottom line than any fine would be.
somebodynew 6 months, 3 weeks ago
“We can’t send the message that when you have an agreement with the city that you can simply break it.”
Too Late !! You guys already did that with several developers (including Fritzell) in the past. Why do you think he does this ?? He know he will win. And yes, he has the deep pockets to fight this if he wants to.
Now just think - - - THIS is the guy who is looking to give us such a good deal on the financing on that new Rec Center. You know, the one the City Commissioners just can't seem to wait to jump at. Now what could go wrong there.....it is ONLY 24 Mil or so. OH, and you have just p****))) him off big time!!!! Good luck with that.
merrill 6 months, 3 weeks ago
A violation of the site plan says cut off the project today. Yes stop it in its' tracks until the matter is settled.
Is there any teeth in this ordinance?
Face it developers have no respect for city government all they want is OUR tax dollars and yes votes from city hall. They view city commissioners as their puppets.
Which seems to be working. A perfect example of how developers use and abuse city officials.
--- By Kim McClure / July 24, 2009 To the editor:
--- The July 14 editorial asks, “What’s downtown going to look like five, 10 or 15 years from now?” The answer can be known, and the picture is not pretty.
--- Lawrence has enough spending to support about 4.1 million square feet of retail space, but the City Commission permitted developers to expand the supply to over 5.5 million square feet.
--- Lawrence has too much retail space chasing too few vendors, which means that many stores go empty, especially in the older shopping centers like downtown.
--- The surplus development has stalled redevelopment plans downtown and has pushed the vacancy rates so high that disinvestment and blight now threaten. Investment, both public and private, is wasted. The taxpayers’ $8 million parking garage stands largely empty. The Hobbs-Taylor building and the 600 block of Massachusetts should be the top performing spaces in the community, but they have significant vacancies.
--- The recession has contributed to the problem, but had we properly managed our growth we would be much better off.
--- The developers’ short-term gain is now our long-term loss. Managed growth would have prevented much of the problem and would have protected and enhanced our downtown.
--- It will take many, many years to absorb this surplus space and, until this happens, it will be hard for downtown to compete. We can only look forward to many years of high vacancy and disinvestment. We need a City Commission that knows how to pace the growth of supply so as to protect our unique downtown.
--- Kim McClure is from Lawrence
penny4mythoughts 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Fritzel is the ss in this story, but the 'dumb ss' is our city commission. Did you dumbfreaks not ask to see drawings and a full set of plans from Fritzel before approving the project like anyone with half a brain would have? Or did you just take him for his word and approve it without any set of conditions? This town is so over-regulated for the small guy that if I try to add a garbage disposal to my small business I have to jump through hoops of five different Lawrence Planning Commissions, but if the 'big developers' want to tear down, reshape, and move historic structures our dumb*ss commissioners tuck their 'man feathers' between their legs and bow. Who is the real problem in this story? The blame does not fall solely on Fritzel!
flyin_squirrel 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Agree completely. The Planning Department picks on the little guys, but lets the big developers do whatever they want.
Most the anger here should be pointed at the HRC and Planning Department for not overseeing this project properly.
merrill 6 months, 3 weeks ago
How exactly does the site plan ordinance read? Who was doing the ongoing inspection?
Didn't Fritzel imply the Planning Department was providing green lights? and was aware of the alterations? How true is this?
Site plan violations are likely business as usual as some neighborhoods discover. City Commissions have not always been a "big help" enforcement wise.
Not enough inspectors and lack of enforcement or turning blind eyes promote corruption of the site plan ordinance.
LadyJ 6 months, 3 weeks ago
How come merrill's comments post but mine won't?
consumer1 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Does anyone read Merrill's post?
merrill 6 months, 3 weeks ago
"Lawrence city commissioners are convinced the integrity of the old Varsity House has been ruined by a faulty redevelopment project, and they agreed to begin seeking a “cash payment” from local developer Thomas Fritzel as compensation."
Is there such a provision written into the ordinance?
LadyJ 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I keep trying to post a link to yesterday's OHT but it doesn't seem to be allowed, but here is the story
From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Oct. 23, 1987:
A local man was running into problems with his renovation project. Merle Rothwell had begun converting a house at 1620 Tennessee into a triplex but had not first applied for the necessary permits for the work. Gene Shaughnessy, Lawrence's chief building inspector, said that Rothwell had until Nov. 4 to tear out several electrical, plumbing, and structural changes made to the house, or the city would begin legal proceedings. Among other changes, Rothwell had installed interior partition walls, a new kitchen on the second floor, and electrical circuitry to serve the kitchen and a bathroom. He had also installed stairs and an exterior door to allow private access to the first floor apartment. Shaughnessy estimated the cost to undo the work at about $2,500. It was not yet clear whether Rothwell would be able to rebuilt the improvements with proper permits. Shaughnessy was also seeking to have the Board of Electrical Examiners and Appeals to suspend or revoke Rothwell's journeyman electrical license. "To me ... this was a blatant violation," Shaughnessy said. "As an electrical man himself, he's not unknowing of what he can and cannot do." Rothwell had no comment in response to the matter.
LadyJ 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I guess the little guy gets treated different.
queequeg 6 months, 3 weeks ago
These are two different issues. Fritzel had permits. This guy didn't.
Ron Holzwarth 6 months, 3 weeks ago
LadyJ, About linking to an LJWorld.com posting, or any link that the system won't accept: Copy and paste the link at the link shortening site bit.ly. Using the link that bit.ly generates should let you post, and the shortened link should work just fine for anyone that clicks on it.
The computer system considers postings that contain a link to some sites to be spam. And strangely, many or all links to past LJWorld.com articles are rejected.
kujayhawk7476 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Stan Hernly said, “We have all been played as fools.”
That's because you are fools! The word again, is progess. Some would have every old, run-down house and building in Lawrence considered worthy of preservation; nonsense! Move into the 21st century Lawrence. You are continuing to be a laughing-stock amongst your peers even though the SLT is a good start to bringing your town some respectability! You're just a normal town, nothing special; relax, grow, enjoy!!
merrill 6 months, 3 weeks ago
There was a commercial rehab project in our neighborhood that when it was finished looked a whole lot different than the original site plan. The owner allowed a toxic chemical business to open. Not only was the building design altered there were no provisions in the design to allow for mixing of toxic or disposing of toxic chemicals.
The city would not enforce the original site plan although the toxic business did leave. Fortunately for the neighborhood someone purchased the property but had to bring it back to the site plan. The altered site plan would not have met the owners demand it's the principle of the matter.
What taxpayers have is site plan enforcement based on who you know or simply selective site plan enforcement. It's smells a bit like laissez faire enforcement.
How do these violations get by inspectors? Have inspectors been given "delegated authority" to approve violations or not?
Why would this Rothwell person intentionally violate codes if there was not some reason to believe it wouldn't matter? It's okay for some but not for everybody?
KRichards 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Everyone should look at the site plan and the staff memo. http://lawrenceks.org/assets/agendas/cc/2012/10-23-12/varsity_staff_memo.html This is really the fault of the inept planning department letting Fritzel dictate to them what he wanted to do with the Varsity house.
notwhatyouthink 6 months, 3 weeks ago
government should not be able to dictate what you do with your property as long is it safe. You whiners kill me. Has he rebuilt the building with new stuff. Yes. Is it the same building. Yes. You can rebuild something new materials to look just like the old one. Who cares what is in the walls?
KRichards 6 months, 3 weeks ago
"government should not be able to dictate what you do with your property as long is it safe." Okay give us your address and we can put a homeless shelter and methadone clinic right next door to you since you don't want government telling people what to do.
LarryNative 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Thanks for the link. As I expected, the agreement is so loosely written and left up to interpretation that the city has no legal leg to stand on when claiming Fritzel did not follow the terms of the agreement. Lets not blow a bunch of money fighting a legal battle, the house is not coming back under any circumstance. Instead, let Fritzel know the city is done working with him in the future. BTW, I believe 90% of builders would have done same thing as Fritzel. I know most of these guys and they are ruthless business men who love nothing more then to stick it to the city, partners or customers. Most successful men behave this way. Getting the upper hand is considered a win, winning equals money, money is everthing to these guys. This is where terms like "It's lonely at the top" come from because you have screwed family and friends to get there and sit on your pile of money alone.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 months, 3 weeks ago
"I know most of these guys and they are ruthless business men who love nothing more then to stick it to the city, partners or customers. Most successful men behave this way. "
I agree. In other words, they are sociopaths and narcissists (traits not uncommon among politicians, as well.)
jafs 6 months, 3 weeks ago
It's fascinating that somebody who sees things this way also thinks we should give those folks all sorts of tax incentives and favorable treatment.
From my perspective, we shouldn't reward that sort of behavior, if we find it objectionable.
leftylucky 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Fire the director of planning and development along with Lynn Zollner. They are the ones that created this mess. They failed .
flyin_squirrel 6 months, 3 weeks ago
+1
dulcinea47 6 months, 3 weeks ago
It's not clear from this information whether Fritzel is violating anything or not. The commission wanted him to do X, Y & Z. They were "under the assumption the house would be reassembled using federal historic standards." Seriously? They thought it was okay to "assume" things would get done a certain way? How about putting it in writing? It looks like they didn't bother. So now they get what they get and it doesn't seem like they have a whole lot of right to complain.
rumor_man 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I've heard that Fritzel is turning it into a brothel so the current football team will be able to score more than they do on the playing field.
notwhatyouthink 6 months, 3 weeks ago
All of you hate the big developers in this city, but turn around a whine about your property taxes going up when the city needs more money.
think of this. There was a piece of property that had a junk vacant house that would be valued at about 20,000. Fritzel builds a huge building that may be valued at est. 500,000 that will add to the tax base.
I say that the 100 or so whiners on here should pony up the extra 5000 to their own property value to cover the difference. They should have to do this every time a building is shot down in Lawrence because someone doesn't LIKE it.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 months, 3 weeks ago
The city entered into this "agreement" with Fritzel expecting that he would act in good faith. But his track record of acting in good faith on anything is pretty abysmal, so the city was extremely naive in not getting much more explicit in what it expected in terms of preserving this house.
So while Fritzel and company have acted like complete jerks in this whole thing, the city's failure to explicitly hold his feet to the fire may limit whatever fines they can levy.
But one thing is certain-- the city should never trust Fritzel on anything, ever again.
Catalano 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Well, uh oh, if they never trust Fritzel again that's kinda gonna screw up the new Sports Village or whatever it's called now. Yeah, let's trust Fritzel on a no-bid. BOHICA.
Topple 6 months, 3 weeks ago
City staff members confirmed the Planning Department approved of that method, but Planning Director Scott McCullough said his department was under the assumption the house would be reassembled using federal historic standards.
You know what happens when you assume, city council?
PhilChiles 6 months, 3 weeks ago
As Al Franken says, when you assume, you make an ass out of Uma Thurman.
Haiku_Cuckoo 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Why do people suddenly care so much about a building that they previously allowed to fall into disrepair and neglect for years on end? If the Varsity House really was a historic landmark, why wasn't it maintained all those years? From the looks of the original structure, I'm surprised Fritzell was able to find any salvageable building materials at all.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Generally speaking, the city has no way to force a property owner to maintain their property, evan a historic one. They can condemn a property that's been allowed to deteriorate too much, but that doesn't do anything to fix it.
But when a developer wants to redevelop a property with a historic structure on it, they do have some leverage to get the structure restored/preserved. Unfortunately, it looks like they may have dropped the ball in getting Fritzel do what he said he would do.
jafs 6 months, 3 weeks ago
That doesn't seem right to me.
A friend in Topeka said the city came by and told them they had to do a variety of things to repair stuff at their house.
Why couldn't Lawrence do the same?
I imagine that fines for non-compliance would be the simplest tool to use.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 months, 3 weeks ago
They can do the same, but I believe the only enforcement tool they have is to condemn the property once it's deemed to be unsafe to inhabit. That's not good for the property owner, but it does nothing to get the maintenance issues resolved.
consumer1 6 months, 3 weeks ago
A poster above asked, "Where were the city building inspector's during all of this"? How inept are they to allow this to get this far without "Seeing" what was happening?
hearne 6 months, 3 weeks ago
This discussion seems to treat everything but the central issue. The Historic Resources Committee decided that this house was a contributing structure as defined by law. There was a compromise that involved saving that structure. The city commission and the planning department believe that compromise was violated. If the developer wants to contest that opinion he can. Most complaints of other cases in this discussion illustrate that the city has a planning process and that they attempt to enforce it.
Budgets_Smudgets 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Wait for this slight of hand by the City:
The working proposal on the rec center is for KU to select the builder and architect. So Fritzell is going to be selected, awarded a no-bid construction contract (since KU endowment can do this) and he will make out like a bandit, being financed in large part by city sales tax monies that they will pay to KU endowment.
You have been warned.
oldbaldguy 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I don't understand why the building was not torn down and scrapped. At some point historical value of an object or building does not trump economics.
blindrabbit 6 months, 3 weeks ago
lawrencereporter: Your comments about the drift of the Fritzel family reputation are right on. I remember buying gasoline at Thomas Fritzel's grandfathers Phillips 66 station at 19th and Mass in the 1940's-50's, a more honest guy did not exist. Also grew up in the 23rd and Ohio neighborhood with Gene, a more reputable individual did not exist in the local building industry. Makes one think that the story about the drift of generations has a lot of merit; maybe like the Romney's, too many competing sons in the Gene Fritzel family.
October 23, 2012 at 3:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kanshawk 6 months, 3 weeks ago
sounds like the way hes rebuilding it is the best way if you actually wanted it to be safe and last. not every home is structurally sound for 100% preservation, going into a house that had new framing, plumbing and electrical but was furnished with the original cosmetic panels from the old house would be really neat... and safe. its debatable whether he broke their agreement but all politics aside I'd be interested in seeing it after its done.
flyin_squirrel 6 months, 3 weeks ago
First off this house's historically value and worth to Lawrence is laughable at best. Do you really think anyone was ever going to go out of their way while to Lawrence to look at the Historic Varsity House?
Secondly, the fact anyone looked at how this house sites next to the apartment complex, and said " That looks Great!", makes me wonder about the HRC, City Commission and Planning Department.
Thirdly, the city knew what they were getting with Fritzel and they failed to monitor this project at all. The blood of this one is on the Planning Department, HRC and City.
oldbaldguy 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I am so glad I live out in the hinterlands.
consumer1 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I hope all of you realize the picture shown is an attempt to bait you into supporting the LJW attempt at enquirer style of journalism. The actual varsity house is the little square job at the bottom of the picture. The main focus of the picture is the building next to it.
beatnik 6 months, 3 weeks ago
i wonder if he still has all the pieces in storage?
victor_lustig 6 months, 3 weeks ago
A brokered settlement with Tommy Fritzel??? The same guy Schumm, Corliss et al have been negotiating with for months on a 25-30 million dollar -No Bid- city recreation center??? What's a significant monetary settlement for a project with a 5 million dollar mortgage and potential monthly rents of $65,000 that’s shut down while legal issues are sorted out??? Try an amount commensurate with the projects value and large enough to make Schumm et al look good, say $250,000 - $300,000 dollars. Tommy can simply add a measly 1% to the recreation center cost… the unsuspecting tax payers pay, city commission looks good, historical group gets paid and Tommy is very, very happy… what a wonderful solution.
homergoodtimes 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Seriously folks.
Does anyone believe the settlement with Fritzel was not agreed to prior to last night’s scripted discussion of the Varsity House? The academy award performances of several commissioners were for public consumption and Hugh Carter missed it.
charlesbunker 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Question of city inspections of Thomas Fritzel's construction projects.
Who at the city performed inspections during the construction of the Oread Hotel. Was there coordination between the file plans submitted for permits and the resulting construction of the project. Does the building that was built match the plans at city hall?
stephenj 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I don't know why so many of you are siding with the guilty party because you are so anti-historic preservation or anti-city government. Are you all scumbag developers?
flyin_squirrel 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Not siding with the guilty party, just pointing out that the City carries as much fault (if not more) for the failure to monitor this project. Linda Zollner's only job is the HRC as far as I know, yet she wasn't there during the dismantling and has been to the re-construction? What else do she have to do at her job that she is so busy she cannot see the ONE historical construction project going on it town? I want her job!
stephenj 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I hear ya, however; Santa Fe Station, Watson Museum, Turnhalle, Courthouse (etc.) are all current historic preservation projects as well.
flyin_squirrel 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Santa Fe has no construction going on now.
Watson Museum has a renovation.
Turnhalle has no construction going on now.
Courthouse is minor renovation, but nothing that would affect historical.
This was project completely fumbled by the city, and now they want to blame Fritzel (who deserves the blame but so does the city).
skinny 6 months, 3 weeks ago
How about we stop all contruction until this matter is resolved.
oneeye_wilbur 6 months, 3 weeks ago
So what's with this Ms. Linda Zollner or is it Linda Finger, there are so many fingers and what not running around. Ms. Zollner should ask her hubby who happens to be at the State level for preservation ( a bit of conflict wilbur does believe not to mention two feeding at the public trough?) anyway, what's Mr.Zollner think about this? Did the state ever get involved from the beginning.
As wilbur said sometime ago, schumm is the worst yet for mayor and making himself and his staff look like fools....OR maybe they are playing him and bamboozling him?
Either way, the McCullough should go if all he does is assume. wilbur has been assuming all along that common sense would prevail at city hall...wilbur now knows that is a false assumption. And for Amyx to pretend he has been played. Come on mr. mike, you know full well what's going on in Lawrence.
Nikonman 6 months, 3 weeks ago
JackMcKee 6 months, 3 weeks ago
It was a dump. Just like plastic grass is far superior to real grass. I love rationalizers.
hear_me 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Varsity House may have been dilapidated, but the style is far superior to the new apartment complex. I've stayed in motels that are more attractive. Lawrence is losing all sense of style. Our architects should be designing buildings with a "great plains" style. I don't know what that would be, but it sure is easy to tell what is not a "great plains" style. Why bother with an architect?
oneeye_wilbur 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Why didnt these folks who wanted it saved buy it at the auction.?
As for repairs before that, well, it belonged to The State of Kansa aka board of regents, etc etc. blah and blah. You hear me?
The CC. Is just flapping ther mouths, Fine? Do they just make a number? Schumm and Amyx should shut up and focus on the city business at hand, that corner is small fish in the overall picture, Schumm and Amyx and the others on the CC should realize the incompetence in Planming and The Panning Commission and HRC and with Lida Zollner. And her conflict of interest with. Hubby at the state level histyerical resources. The fix is in!
LMH 6 months ago
"Why didn't these folks who wanted it saved buy it at the auction?" Seems that Mr. F may have been the only one privy to the auction and the only one to bid. Self-serving jacka** that he is... And now he seems to think that his token $50 K 'donation' will make up for all the ill deeds he's already done. If the city is foolish enough to allow him to build the sports complex, they'll be facing the same kinds of issues.
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