tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14698828.post1036609571334789668..comments2024-01-31T12:49:08.701-08:00Comments on STL Rising: Bee Sanctuary, Greenbelt, or Art Space?Rick Bonaschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10825477678253483191noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14698828.post-69824594873776875642011-03-26T15:43:11.065-07:002011-03-26T15:43:11.065-07:00It's been a few years since I've hired a l...It's been a few years since I've hired a large cat to dig a basement, but $25,000 sounds extremely high even with all debris.<br /><br />Instead of that, I think the costs would cover themselves if exciting proposals were developed for reassembling these neighborhoods. Transit could be rethought and include public squares and plazas.<br />Walkability and energy efficient design also makes the urban area more livable and desirable.<br />The big disadvantage with McKee is the failure to look at new approaches in city building now, today.<br />I ran across a great quote by Elizabeth Farrelly of Sydney Market Herald (she is a columnist and architect)<br />"Never mind that sprawl, with its mammoth hidden infrastructure subsidies, is the most expensive form of housing known to man. Never mind that suburbia is not the solution but the problem."<br /><br />Where is the alternative? McKee's plan should show us that, it doesn't.<br /><br />In any case I am not sure excavating vacant lots and removing debris should be a high priority. Not only that the cat will have to come back again anyway to dig a basement on any new building finally built.GMichaudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17306482392151340818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14698828.post-7030464422470035132011-03-26T08:29:24.283-07:002011-03-26T08:29:24.283-07:00The city is the owner of a huge number of these pr...The city is the owner of a huge number of these properties already (about 8,000 of them).Rick Bonaschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10825477678253483191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14698828.post-55234979868477649802011-03-26T05:32:37.039-07:002011-03-26T05:32:37.039-07:00Why not do it and put the bill on the property own...Why not do it and put the bill on the property owner's tax bill?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14698828.post-44667883403158506912011-03-24T07:11:15.976-07:002011-03-24T07:11:15.976-07:00Usually I don't mix my day job with the blog, ...Usually I don't mix my day job with the blog, but in response to "Anonymous", I do have current experience managing these sorts of projects in the city of St. Louis.<br /><br />To fully excavate a wrecked building under the ground can cost as much as $25,000, give or take, depending on size. There is the possibility of realizing some cost savings through achieving economy of scale by remediating multiple, contiguous sites.<br /><br />Where would the funding come from? It would be a challenge to raise it, but the possibilities include finding a "patient investor" or a charity whose mission includes community revitalization, environmental sustainability, or economic development.Rick Bonaschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10825477678253483191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14698828.post-60272493088638797682011-03-24T04:55:57.522-07:002011-03-24T04:55:57.522-07:00Reasonable costs? Evidently there is no clue here ...Reasonable costs? Evidently there is no clue here about union wages and bennies for operators and drivers and workmen nor the rental prices on heavy equipment. And that doesn't even include fuel and maintenance. <br /><br />Where would the dump truck debris be dumped? Who would pay the insurance on the whole project? <br /><br />It isn't cheap to hire one Bobcat and its driver to do some work. Those heavy equipment operators and their machines are high dollar for sure.<br /><br />Show the figures here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14698828.post-17343757386829296062011-03-23T12:57:16.401-07:002011-03-23T12:57:16.401-07:00Personally, I think it would be good to set this u...Personally, I think it would be good to set this up through an existing CDC or LRA.Rick Bonaschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10825477678253483191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14698828.post-55648724106061509752011-03-22T16:03:44.743-07:002011-03-22T16:03:44.743-07:00Seems like this idea has been stewing for some tim...Seems like this idea has been stewing for some time. <br /><br />Is Open/Closed incorporating at some point? Seems like they'd be a better purse holder than anybody else that I can think of.Daronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11964034675196210390noreply@blogger.com