Archive: Caller comment board on downtown land owners in limbo over development inertia

From the Caller-Times, 11/7/09:
"Downtown property owners are sitting on 11 undeveloped acres and at least five vacant buildings behind Memorial Coliseum, hesitant to act until they know what the city will do with the aging landmark...Sentiment for saving the coliseum exists because it was dedicated in 1954 with its opening as a war memorial, it is considered architecturally significant and it is the site of milestone events in many local residents’ lives. Some neighboring property owners want it torn down.

...Dr. Jagmeet S. Soin co-owns 2 acres neighboring Wisznia’s Shoreline Boulevard property. He and Dr. Lee Guinn bought the land five years ago with intentions of developing it once a decision was made on the coliseum. “Our plans are totally stagnant and totally affected by the inaction of the City Council,” Soin said. 'For five years I have been waiting for the city to decide what to do with the coliseum. It’s truly unreal.' "




Jocko writes:
I don't blame these property owners at all! I would not do anything if I owned the Property! If they make Any Form of Improvement, the taxes go up! We STILL have a " Lame Duck" Council and I will not Vote for ANY MEMBER of the Current Council Again if they Do NOT Make a Decision and DO SOMETHING about this situation!!!! I think I can Safely say that I speak for a Great Number of Citizens that are Sick and Tired of Hearing the Excuses!!!!! JUST KNOCK IT DOWN!!!! Then you can Play around for ANOTHER 50 Years trying to Figure Out What you are going to do!!
November 9, 2009
10:39 a.m.


Catwomen writes:
ur best bet is to grab some popcorn and plan to watch a really long ordeal pan out. Because thats whats gunna happen as long as city council are the same people.
November 9, 2009
11:04 a.m.


hkarsh#290653 writes:
No wonder Dusty Durrill wants the Coliseum torn down. It is competition for his Concrete street property should it remain. Being the capitalist that he is he wouldn't want any additional competition particularly if he could get the city to pay to remove the competition for him. Then he just has to politic to keep anything form blocking the views form his property and he gt a double bonus.
November 9, 2009
11:35 a.m.


Ketzer writes:
Land Speculating Not Immediately Profitable! News at 11.
November 9, 2009
12:59 p.m.


50rider writes:
Just another excuse for landowners not to do anything with their property. These people have owned this property for years. They could have developed it long before the whole coliseum fiasco!
November 10, 2009
7:11 a.m.


ridley writes:
actually, it doesnt make sense to develop anything when the property between you and the water is in question. build a hotel, the city subidizes ten story one across the street. build out apartments, the city wants to let brass develop apartments across the street. the point is that anything build on city land would not pay property taxes on the land, brass in addition asked that they not pay property taxes on improvements, have hotel, motel and sales taxes returned, that the city build a parking garage (10 million) for it. that is exactly the reason no one will build while the coliseum is unresolved. they would be competing with their own tax dollars at a significant disadvantage.