It looks as if the fears of local residents concerned about the future of the Varsity House near 11th and Indiana have been realized.
The significant house, which once served as home for the Kansas University football team, found itself in the way of “progress” last year when Lawrence developer Thomas Fritzel submitted plans for a 50-plus-unit apartment complex near the house. Fritzel originally proposed demolishing the house, but after local preservationists objected, he agreed to move the structure closer to the corner to accommodate his development. Based on that promise, preservationists dropped their objection to the project but were shocked when Fritzel decided to “move” Varsity House by dismantling it and putting the pieces in a warehouse. At the time, observers questioned whether the house ever could be reassembled in a way that would preserve its historic character.
That question now has been answered. The house is being “reassembled,” but with almost none of its original materials. The smaller house that is being constructed with mostly new materials on a concrete slab is not the Varsity House. Only the first floor of the three-story building has been rebuilt, but it’s clear this structure will be nothing more than a poor replica of the original structure, without any of its distinctive elements, such as the stone foundation.
Lawrence city commissioners have added an item to their agenda for tonight to receive a “staff update” on the Varsity House project. Unfortunately, any discussion city commissioners have at this point won’t save this significant structure. The city can fine Fritzel or perhaps take other action — and it should consider all the available penalties — but it cannot bring this house back.
This is the third time in recent memory that Fritzel has ignored city regulations or approved plans and gone in a different direction without informing city officials. There were substantial changes to the exterior appearance of The Oread hotel and Fritzel’s decision to install artificial turf at one of his apartment complexes even after city inspectors informed work crews that the turf violated city codes. In each case, including the Varsity House, he made a conscious decision to move forward, knowing that what he had in mind didn’t meet the spirit, or perhaps even the letter, of city law.
The history of this developer should give the city some pause as it moves toward constructing a major recreation center in which Fritzel almost certainly will be involved. His past actions don’t inspire the kind of trust the city needs to have in the people with whom it works.
Comments
The_Big_B 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Sleazy .... But who keeps letting it happen?
happyp 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Great editorial, just hope city leaders read it and take heed.
Paul R. Getto 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Why is this news?
Take_a_letter_Maria 7 months, 4 weeks ago
It isn't news. It is an editorial, and clearly labeled as such. There is a difference.
Take_a_letter_Maria 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Sorry if I sound snarky, but someone not being able to distinguish between the two is a pet peeve of mine.
skinny 7 months, 4 weeks ago
The City ought to stop construction until Mr. Fritzel gets back on track with what he agreed upon!!
oneeye_wilbur 7 months, 4 weeks ago
If the house construction is of concern to the Journal World staff writer, why then didn't the JOurnal World report about the sleazy sale of the 3 lots that KU maintanined they were keeping for parking. huh?
KU advertised the lots for sale in the Kansas Register and only one bidder came forward. Now Mr. Simons and your staff know full well, that the apartment project is yet to become a KU housing facility built under the same terms as was Jayhawker Towers.
What the City Commission lacks the cahonies on is protecting property owners rights. If I want to tear down a house, mr. brown and his band of followers who have nothing more in life to do except worry about someone's property get involved and then the real owner of property is held hostage. Moresoe in Lawrence thany any other city. This Lyn Zollner is in the real estate business. I can document with an email where she apparently recommended to folks to go elsewhere to do a project because "she" being in charge of HRC and the City Commission backing her are quite frankly obstructionists.
If Fritzel had any cohonies he would not have brought back anything and likewise had torn the buiidlling down. That corner would have been developed anyway because KU owned it after the state legislature allowed it to be sold. It was after all State owned property. Property owned by the taxpayers of the State of Kansas.
Now Mr. Simons and your editors need to address that question. Why were the three lots to the north (not auctioned off) sold later under the bogus advertising in an obscure publication?
I bet the Journal World won't toucht that issue unless Dolph is mad at the Chancellor.
It is a pity that in this tiny burg the only thing that only a few concern themselves with is old houses. But rest assured the next generation, won't give a diddly squat. After all, they are the ones tearing up the places they live in.
BUT back to the Kansas Register advertisement. Now that is a story about backdoor deals and politics.
gccs14r 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Maybe Fritzel should have his business license suspended for a year or two. That might get his attention.
JackMcKee 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Fritzel is unethical. This needs to be a point at every future proposal he or his family members (Cramwell) make.
Gareth 7 months, 4 weeks ago
It would be nice if the commissioners had the strength of conviction to enforce a "three strikes and you're out" policy with Fritzel, and simply blacklist him from any further development approvals by virtue of his violations.
I won't be losing any sleep waiting for them to suddenly grow an ethical spine, however.
lawrence_born 7 months, 4 weeks ago
No wonder Mr. Fritzel has to "ignore" city regulations...if builders didn't this town would constantly be held hostage by those that don't want to see any development or progress. Hey folks...that's Lawrence. I remember that house, it was a POS and not anything truly worth saving. Yeah, I would also like to see the old bar and the Yellow Sub instead of the Oread. Not.
oneeye_wilbur 7 months, 4 weeks ago
We should all be so lucky to get a free sprinkler system as schumm has even without proper paperwork. Why doesn't the J/W. check on that. Lyn Zollner has run off people. No one can get anything torn down. And now McCullough assumes something. All this flap over a house that most in town did not even know about. That development was rigged from the get go. So that is the end of the story. Pity that schumm and Amyx don't focus on downtown. And the assets there that belong to the public.
LarryNative 7 months, 3 weeks ago
"This is the third time in recent memory that Fritzel has ignored city regulations or approved plans and gone in a different direction without informing city officials."
Have you read the agreement between Fritzel and the city in reference to the re-construction of Varsity House? The agreement is so ambiguous that all Thomas has to do is put a sliver of wood on the property and he has fulfilled the agreement. No regulation or plans were violated. The city signed the deal, it's their fault. No matter what was said, the written contract is all that matters. Nicely played Mr. Fritzel, nicely played.
cowboy 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Good points Larrynative Seems the drama queens on the CC think all you have to do is throw a public tantrum and you get a settlement. Not. Litigation is not that simple and since the city has no leg to stand on , and the HRC is simply an interested bystander with dubious background I'd bet Fritzel is within his rights to proceed as he chooses to.
oneeye_wilbur 7 months, 3 weeks ago
The HRC. needs to be taken to task along with Lyn Zollner and the commission. not to forget McCullough. He came in 2007 with a payroll of 1million. And 40 employees. Gonna streamline the process. Haha. No evidence of that. What is the payroll now, how many employees? He started at $ 100,000. How much now. when there is less going on. The commission has no guts to stand up to Zollner and the HRC.
Schumm needs to focus on cleaning up downtown and the inside of his establishment. As for the figures and facts above, they are from Chad's. JW article. How's about a follow up story from 2007.?
victor_lustig 7 months, 3 weeks ago
It's time to dig deep. It's a case of bait and switch. The city knows there are many more site plan violation at the Varsity House apartment project. The obvious, was the faulty replica of the original Varsity House, it was blatant and impossible to not mention. So to protect Thomas Fritzel and KU the city put on a show. The show was scripted, and city commissioners were the actors. Publicly spanking Thomas is what Schumm wanted to cover up their friendly relationship. Good cop, bad cop. Now that they have silenced the vocal few they can let Fritzel finish his dirty work. It's time to check the rest of the site and building. What's built is not what was permitted.
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