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June 21, 2006
IT'S NOT A BUNCH OF BUNK FOR THE CITY TO RETAIN THE OLD MUNICIPAL BUILDING FOR CITY OFFICES
The City Council appears to be prepared to retain the Old Municipal Building(OMB), located at 5th and Main Streets, for future City Offices. This makes sense--even though it may have taken a long time to come to this conclusion. The City is already running-out of space in its Adinistrative Offices (located in the 3 story Municipal Building built about 11 year ago) and in its Police Facility, located on Humboldt Road.
Since the City in now considering the retro-fitting of the (OMB), it is a good time to think about its use for City Offices. The retro-fitting will probably cost in the millions to meet the State, Federal and Local Building Codes, so it makes sense to make a decision NOW concerning its future use for City Offices. I understand that the retro-fitting project will restore the (OMB) to Historical Standards and will include a long neglected landscaping program.
I would hope the City will consider using a portion of the (OMB) for a Police Substation, now that the City Council has wisely set-aside funds for additional Police Personnel to cover the Downtown and University Areas. This will relieve the over-crowding of the existing facilities.
Although, I have supported the use of the (OMB) for the expansion of the Chico Museum, knowing now that the City will need the space for its Administrative Offices, I believe that’s the way to go.
Posted by at 09:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 14, 2006
IT'S A "BUNCH OF BUNK"--DESIGNERS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE DOWNTOWN PLAZA HAVE IGNORED SOME IMPORTANT DESIGN CRITERIA THAT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED FOR DOWNTOWN PROJECTS
The reconstruction of the Downtown Plaza certainly is out of context with what a Downtown Plaza should be in a community such as Chico (Chico is known throughout America as “Tree City�). They removed the trees that were planted several years ago to replace the massive diseased Elm trees, and as a result it will take decades before we see something that resembles real trees. In the meantime we can all play chess or checkers on the $10,000 (plus) tables.
What really disturbs me, and many others that I’ve spoken with, are the massive street intersection corners of plain concrete, which not only reflect excessive heat in the summer, but do not conform to the design of the reconstructed intersections throughout the Downtown. The designers must have forgotten to leave their offices and recognize that the City has included inlaid brick to break-up the monotony of the usual concrete color. Considering the size of the new intersection corners, the inlaid brick would have (at least) been a relief from the concrete included in the present reconstruction.
It seems that the designers and the responsible City staff were “asleep at the switch� in almost every aspect of the reconstruction of the Downtown Plaza (that I have dubbed the “Downtown Mausoleum)�.
Posted by at 03:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 08, 2006
It's a "Bunch of Bunk" that Municipal Parking Lot #6 just disappeared
If you look at a map showing the location of Municipal Parking Lots (MPL), you’ll notice that there is no MPL #6 on any of the recent maps that were prepared for the Charrette (meaning Charade or Sham) for the Downtown Access Study, which many of the participants thought was a waste of time. I asked several Councilmember’s if they could identify the location of MPL #6–they were unable to tell me the location of this lot. A little research on my part found the location—(it’s the property were the City Council gave the property to the Boys and Girls Club in about 1996)—a noble project.
They forgot about the fact the property was purchased by the City with Parking Meter Revenue—which under the law, the value of the property is to be reimbursed to the Parking Meter Fund, It was estimated that at the time of the transfer to be appraised at about $ 330,000. So the City will now have to reimburse the Parking Meter Fund to the tune of $ 330,000 plus interest accrued since 1996. I understand that they intend to transfer the money into the Parking Meter Fund sometime during the Budget Session which is now underway—a little late but better late than never.
During the research, I also found that the City adopted a change in the use of the funds—originally for Parking Facilities and the maintenance of them including Parking Meters and other matter directly relating to the Parking Facilities. But guess what? Some time along the way, the Council also added the use of the Parking Meter Revenue for bicycle and transit facilities—even though these facilities do not add any revenue to the Parking Meter Fund.
Once again,they are stealing from those that pay for the Parking Facilities.
The Council has made no attempt to purchase additional land for a Parking Lot that may be necessary as the Downtown develops to the south of 6th Street. Once again, no long term planning or vision for the growth of Chico’s Downtown.
Posted by at 06:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 02, 2006
WHAT THE CITY HAS REPLACED WITH OUR DOWNTOWN PLAZA IS A "BUNCH OF BUNK"
As the 4 million dollar plus reconstruction of the Downtown Plaza proceeded, I dubbed it the “Downtown Disney Land Plaza.� It was such a departure from the original concept of the plaza which included many trees and green space to balance our hot summers and adding to its usefulness for a variety of other activities. Watching the project unfold, in the past several weeks, my new name for the project is *Downtown Mausoleum Plaza�
After several years of study by the Park Commission and City Council, a plan was developed to remove the “old elms� that were diseased or were in a stage of advanced rotting and deterioration. The City embarked on the plan of removal and a replanting program that was well underway when some planners and architects talked the City into abandoning the plan that was well underway, and then substituted the new plan that is now under construction.
If the City was so flush with money, they could have used the 4 million plus on many other deserving projects throughout the City.
I have had to rename the project “The Downtown Mausoleum Plaza�. Just look at all those concrete monuments (the band shell and the toilets building), concrete walls, other concrete things and the new quantity of asphalt. I’ve come to the conclusion that the designer must be working for the American society of asphalt and concrete--I can’t think of any other reason for such a display of asphalt and concrete. I’m told that the project received a great deal of support since the project included public toilets—using the portable toilets worked very well for many of the programs that attracted a large number of participants and they will still be needed for many of the Plaza events.
Certainly, the project may receive some sort of Planners and Architects Awards, but it just doesn’t fit into Downtown Chico. I still wonder why the City hasn’t replaced the landscaping and windows (that have probably deteriorated because of neglect) for the Municipal Building, across the street from the Plaza. I know the excuse is that the City intends to remodel the interior of the building—good idea to keep it for City use and perhaps for a Downtown Police Facility, but no reason for neglecting the exterior of the Municipal Building.
Posted by at 06:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack