tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post7689455030351092430..comments2023-10-02T08:28:06.724-05:00Comments on Ecology of Absence: McKee's Holdings Ready for DevelopmentMichael R. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17262548806079447404noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-35797264578886476382007-07-06T17:08:00.000-05:002007-07-06T17:08:00.000-05:00April Ford Griffin lobbied the governor to veto th...April Ford Griffin lobbied the governor to veto the bill. She wants the people in her ward to have a voice in the planning process.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-63526045950236344692007-07-06T16:15:00.000-05:002007-07-06T16:15:00.000-05:00Nice, Gov. Blunt just vetoed the McKee 100 million...Nice, Gov. Blunt just vetoed the McKee 100 million dollar tax credit. Awesome and very surprising as I thought Blunt was on the take from just about anyone who had $$$.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-85613164270907554042007-07-06T14:39:00.000-05:002007-07-06T14:39:00.000-05:00Check it outhttp://www.theonion.com/content/news/s...Check it out<BR/><BR/>http://www.theonion.com/content/news/shitty_neighborhood_ralliesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-10351194586932950832007-07-06T10:51:00.000-05:002007-07-06T10:51:00.000-05:00True that. The fact that Slay is all over this "p...True that. The fact that Slay is all over this "plan" as if he even knows what the hell he's supporting. It's a farce. This should be an open process and an RFP should be issued for the project.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-74952240908550300832007-07-06T10:31:00.000-05:002007-07-06T10:31:00.000-05:00I was just thinking, everybody can agree that the ...I was just thinking, everybody can agree that the North Side needs investment and re-development, but why should a single developer be handed this opportunity AND given a golden safety net? A tax credit for redeveloping North Stl should be available to anyone who has a legitimate plan. This includes individual homeowners, re-habbers, and developers. If this tax credit was made available to everyone, re-habbers would be crawling all over eachother to start working on the North Side. Why should McKee be the only one who is eligible?? Is it just because he is politically powerful and gives money and favors to legislators?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-71526879812853983542007-07-05T16:58:00.000-05:002007-07-05T16:58:00.000-05:00It would be nicer if all these caring non-city res...It would be nicer if all these caring non-city residents moved into the city.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-81058277496690424262007-07-05T13:02:00.000-05:002007-07-05T13:02:00.000-05:00I had the same experience with people in the count...I had the same experience with people in the county knowing about Blairmont. At a bbq this past weekend a friend who lives in Ballwin brought it up and said that he thought the whole thing looked pretty shady. Come to think of it, an acquaintance in San Diego who watches STL from afar brough it up recently too. It is nice that people are really starting to take notice and the press has finally gotten involved.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-87426977910771821102007-07-05T12:18:00.000-05:002007-07-05T12:18:00.000-05:00I just heard St. Louis on the Air on KWMU and it w...I just heard St. Louis on the Air on KWMU and it was all about this very topic. I am encouraged that most of the listeners calling in are vehemently against the prospect of Paul McKee and his cronies succeeding with a large-scale redevelopment project in North St. Louis. I am so happy there are so many concerned people who will not let their neighborhoods be ruined by egocentric political muscle. Strongarmers beware! You have an uphill battle ahead!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-13201348366331991382007-07-05T11:56:00.000-05:002007-07-05T11:56:00.000-05:00Anyone still thinking Paul McKee may build somethi...Anyone still thinking Paul McKee may build something urban need only turn to this recent quote of his to see he's obviously planning large-scale redevelopment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-86547064791599268052007-07-05T11:31:00.000-05:002007-07-05T11:31:00.000-05:00^good points there. My suburban-dwelling friends ...^good points there. My suburban-dwelling friends and family were pretty up in arms when they read about McKee's shady project too, which is good because it shows that people are paying attention from well outside the neighborhoods involved. That tells me that the implications of what does or doesn't happen in North St. Louis could have serious fallout all over metropolitan St. Louis. People don't like abuse of power in any form, especially when public information is supressed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-81861020524904034242007-07-05T11:10:00.000-05:002007-07-05T11:10:00.000-05:00Seeing as we can't do anything about McKee's ownin...Seeing as we can't do anything about McKee's owning his properties, bill passage or not, this kind of constructive criticism is absolutely the track that needs to be taken. The most dangerous thing that could happen would be for everyone opposed to McKee's potential WingHaven plans and his business/political tactics to dig their heels in and to keep screaming the same attacks. The situation is what it is, and we have to work with what he have. Which isn't to say that any potential illegal activities on McKee's part shouldn't be tracked down, or that his secretive and rather corrupt strategies shouldn't be blasted in the open for the public to see- he doesn't deserve any personal breaks. Or maybe he will if he takes the advice from those who actually understand cities to do something positive on the near north side. Until then, I have to say, he's about the most villianous character in the metropolitan area- now even county housewives are buzzing about what's going on up there and with even KMOX reporting on it, you can sure that a lot of people are going to have their mistrustful eyes on McKee to see what he'll do next. No matter how many of his friends write editorials to the Post defending his character, for those in the county even with the least amount of connectedness to the city, it's pretty clear that what McKee is doing is entirely wrong no matter what good deeds he's done in the past. And they're the ones with the money and the voting power that he depends on to get his boys elected.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07023273608621598775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-82825311396454996982007-07-05T10:41:00.000-05:002007-07-05T10:41:00.000-05:00slum·lord /ˈslʌmˌlɔrd/ -noun-Pronunciation: [...slum·lord /ˈslʌmˌlɔrd/ <BR/>-noun-<BR/>Pronunciation: [sluhm-lawrd] <BR/><BR/>1. A landlord who owns slum buildings, esp. one who fails to maintain or improve the buildings and charges tenants exorbitant rents. <BR/><BR/>2. An owner of slum property, especially one that overcharges tenants and allows the property to deteriorate. <BR/><BR/>3. Blairmont Properties.<BR/><BR/>Antonym: Good corporate citizenship.<BR/><BR/>A multi-million-dollar tax credit for a slumlord? Can we say BACKWARDS!!!??!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-55507349449374752542007-07-05T10:24:00.000-05:002007-07-05T10:24:00.000-05:00i am seriously offended that one man stands to ben...i am seriously offended that one man stands to benefit at the expense of potentially great neighborhoods. these buildings should be renovated, not neglected. i personally know of many people including myself who would love the opportunity to take back these wonderful old homes. under blairmont, their fate is almost certain...demolition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-50230592093318148492007-07-05T10:22:00.000-05:002007-07-05T10:22:00.000-05:00Something that blows me away is the fact that Repu...Something that blows me away is the fact that Republican lawmakers and developers are trying to create 100 million dollar tax incentive for development in the city when the free market and existing tax credits have already proven to be an effective development model. Fiscal conservatives my ass.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-15957886427947592122007-07-05T10:13:00.000-05:002007-07-05T10:13:00.000-05:00There are so many great examples of urban developm...There are so many great examples of urban development done RIGHT. One only needs to look north to Chicago to see all the innovative infill projects that are occuring there. They are modern, URBAN, and they respect the context of the existing fabric. St. Louis seems way behind in terms of new development. We need to have HIGH STANDARDS for new development. It's an insult to the great architectural legacy of our city to bulldoze our greatest asset only to be replaced by exurban-model development such as WingHaven.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-58000810141358706972007-07-05T09:57:00.000-05:002007-07-05T09:57:00.000-05:00What makes me so frustrated is that so many invest...What makes me so frustrated is that so many investors (like McKee) are seemingly well-intentioned, yet they are so misguided. I want to know SPECIFICALLY what plans are in store for the Blairmont properties. Why don't neighbors of these properties know what the plans are for their community? What I fear is that McKee will tear down these structures, many of which have legitimate historical significance, and in their place construct a suburban-style development vis-a-vis Winghaven. That would forever mar the city's potential and it would annhilate its competitive advantage: solid, affordable, viable homes for independent rehabbers to reclaim. Mr. McKee and his associates need to realize that they can't save neighborhoods by tearing them down. This is not a game of Monopoly. This is the past, present and future of real people's lives that they're dealing with. They must allow the North Side the opportunity to enjoy the same organic resurgence that has proven successful for other parts of the city.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-73057739419084255582007-07-05T09:43:00.000-05:002007-07-05T09:43:00.000-05:00I agree that McKee is in a unique position to do s...I agree that McKee is in a unique position to do something great for St. Louis. He is also in a position to do great harm. If he would just adopt a development model for NSTL that coupled rehabilitation with infill, rather than wholesale clearance, in thirty years there would probably be a park named after him up there!!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-29397462415742598332007-07-04T12:16:00.000-05:002007-07-04T12:16:00.000-05:00Good idea at the end.http://www.pubdef.net/2007/07...Good idea at the end.<BR/>http://www.pubdef.net/2007/07/mckee-in-mexico-ledger.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-50361454055888104782007-07-03T22:11:00.000-05:002007-07-03T22:11:00.000-05:00OK, so why does he need the state tax credit and t...OK, so why does he need the state tax credit and the city-owned land?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-26209732368017994712007-07-03T14:15:00.000-05:002007-07-03T14:15:00.000-05:00McKeetown has been an iceberg slowly looming off o...McKeetown has been an iceberg slowly looming off of the port of the near northside. The reaction of residents and local political leadership in suggesting that McKee was "raping" the community and that he wanted "total control" of the community is as obligatory and predictable as the mayor warning residents that if they don't play nice McKee would gather up his toys and go home. Well, at least we are well past the point where ignoring McKee or denying his holdings was a productive strategy. Only time will tell whether the "public" planning that is sure to come deals meaningfully with the sort of opportunities and constraints that Michael mentions, or simply parses off of the most desolate part of the 5th Ward as McKee's new playground.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8826793.post-80371269327773768592007-07-03T10:55:00.000-05:002007-07-03T10:55:00.000-05:00The challenge will be to align the vision describe...The challenge will be to align the vision described in your post with the vision of the developer.<BR/><BR/>The area may be ready to proceed with development according to the vision you've set forth, but what is McKee's vision?<BR/><BR/>Should McKee's vision matter? It's his project.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com