urbanSTL

MattnSTL - Thanks for the site, I was just about to post it.



You'll see that "demolition" is an eligible project cost, which would indicate to me that a TIF could most certainly have been issued to the SkyHouse Developers.



I was merely arguing that the issuance of the TIF could have been used on another, more favorable development had more financial due diligence been conducted on the part of City Hall - this statement could then be applied to all of the other stagnant developments in the city.



I would also argue that the project did most certainly begin to "happen." Planning, Demo, and Site Prep aren't planned and budgeted by the condo fairy, it's a part of the project. Could have been very costly had the building contained HazMat.



While I agree with you that TIFs are project specific, they must occur in a TIF district to initially be eligible. I was just spit-balling the idea of making that district one city block - to narrow the scope of said TIF and its benefits, if you will.

ttricamo wrote:While I agree with you that TIFs are project specific, they must occur in a TIF district to initially be eligible. I was just spit-balling the idea of making that district one city block - to narrow the scope of said TIF and its benefits, if you will.

Not really. Getting a TIF district established in St. Louis was very tough. The only one that I know of is the Grand Center District. Every other TIF in St. Louis is project specific.



You actually want to broaden the benefits, which could be OK, I suppose. Depending on the project. Personally, I'd be fine with no more TIF's, but I also live in the real world (occasionally).

No. I definitely meant narrow. Concentrate the TIF's to one or two blocks as opposed to spreading them over the city - be it by project or district. That way, you reap the (theoretical) benefits of having multiple, project diverse TIF developments in close proximity to one another.



Question: Does the public have access to TIF recipient information?

ttricamo wrote:No. I definitely meant narrow. Concentrate the TIF's to one or two blocks as opposed to spreading them over the city - be it by project or district.

We just said the same thing.



It already is done by project right now except for rare occasions. You would have to expand TIF's to get the idea you propose, which can and has been done.



Yes, the public has access to all TIF related info. A TIF requires a blighting bill and everything goes through the board of aldermen.

According to mayor slays blog







http://www.mayorslay.com/desk/display.asp?deskID=959

"The developer, who controls a great site (Skyhouse) in the heart of the Downtown loft district, says that he will look for something else to build there. "

Probably just means hes looking for a buyer, but you never know maybe some office and retail. A few other interesting bits in the blog as well including on pyramid

^ How about a nice midrise with lots of glass and some great first floor retail. Reduce the number of condos, increase the amount of retail. Still a great location and I think a new (modern) building on Washington would still sell well despite the removal of the views.



*Am pissed at myself for saying this.

*Still have to deal with the next-door homeless shelter.

^ The article, as always, was rational and likely to foreshadow the future. Given, of course, that the dominos do not fall. But I'm not going anywhere in the near future. I have work to do.

What's going to happen to the Monkey Building? I sure as hell hope they still have the facade that they removed to put up the signage.

[quote="MattnSTL]

Not really. Getting a TIF district established in St. Louis was very tough. The only one that I know of is the Grand Center District. Every other TIF in St. Louis is project specific.



[/quote]



The Lafayette Square TIF is also region specific. I think it was first. IT was set up in fall 2001.

ChrisInDownTown wrote:What's going to happen to the Monkey Building? I sure as hell hope they still have the facade that they removed to put up the signage.

I presume you are talking about the monkeys? The facade is still on the building, just in a different place. They took it down from underneath the second floor windows for signage, but they replaced it in between the second and third floor windows.

Good! I had just assumed that it was located in between 1 and 2, as well as 2 and 3.

I thought that too at first, but I looked at an older pic on builtstlouis.net and it appears it was only on the one level. I would post the pic, but I don't have time right now.

I kinda liked the other building that was standing there before they took it down. I find it amazing that they can leave a place look like that in a neighborhood. I know that they had good intentions but obviously they don't give a sh*t what it looks like after they realized they were not going to build...

Maybe they should have left the fence down and charged admission for paint ball or let the troops practice combat before shipping out.

The sales team is officially out of their offices on Washington. I saw a realtor sign in the window this morning.

This i some serious prime real estate... so it won't be vacant long.

Just wait until the market comes back.



As for the old building - yuck! I muc rather hav it empty with a fence looking as if a new construction is coming soon. Erlich's is so muh better now.

^Well, you're right about Erlich's, anyway. They came out of it smelling like a rose.

Sad.



Street View still has the images of the old tan buildings. I assume they were red brick originally? Even if they were maybe not coveted, seems like a waste to tear down existing buildings for a fictional tower.



You can see the buildings partially demolished here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 4347825995



And Live Maps

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1

RIP

How long do you think it will be before downtown sees a proposal like this again?

There is a sign up at 14th and washington with what looks like a 4 story modern development that says PRE LEASING! I love modern infill, but I wish it was skyhouse.

4 stories seems kinda short, but anything is better than a dirt lot. I'm honestly optimistic about the future of residential infill downtown.