CentrePointe Update: more travesties in the LFUCG chamber

Just got back from another disappointing hearing in the LFUCG chamber.

The Council held a work session dealing with CentrePointe. Dick DeCamp presented a motion saying that if demolition happened on the block before the Planning Commission heard Preserve Lexington's appeal, the Webbs would be denied any TIF funding for their project.

In response, Councilman Meyers brought a motion to scrap DeCamp's, instead bring a motion to bring to the docket on Thursday an effort to "encourage" the Webbs to apply for the TIF funding.

Meyers motion passed 8-5, so DeCamp's did not even come to a vote. Gray, James, DeCamp, Blevins and Blues voted against it. Thursday the Council will discuss "encouraging" the Webbs to apply for the TIF funding. You know, the TIF funding that Darby Turner claimed they didn't need during the CADRB hearing last Wednesday. Told you.

***********

Some more gruesome details from the meeting:

Gray went over the TIF guidelines, saying that it necessitates public involvement, and developers should make their finances public. He also noted that the market for condos is the absolute worst in his professional career. Good luck with those luxury condos, Dudley.

Webb lawyer Darby Turner was there, and as I expected, he has already reneged on his statement in front of the CADRB that they will go ahead with the project even if they don't get the TIF. He now claims that if they don't get the TIF, it will be a totally different project, which won't provide the public parking and other perks that the original project would provide. At one point, he even had the nerve to suggest that they wouldn't provide any parking without the TIF, that the city would have to provide that for them. Incredible.

He also sprung on the Council today that their TIF proposal would provide funding for the Old Courthouse. He then had the nerve to say that they've been very open with the public and Council on the project. Gray, DeCamp, Gordon and several others were incensed that they were first presented with this that very afternoon, just before the work session.

Council Beard spoke, and proved himself to be a first rate practitioner in douchebaggery. He said that the "people who don't want anything on the block" are the only ones who show up in the Council chambers, and the "silent majority" is for the project. Ugh. He also basically said that when he heard the CentrePointe proposal for the first time, he had an immediate orgasm.

Councilman McChord, who looks like a Young Republican nightmare, spewed forth all of the false arguments, that opponents are fighting for a parking lot and want the block to stay the same.

Andrea James asked Turner who their contact person is with LFUCG. Turner had the nerve to say that Jim Gray was. Gray broke in to say, uh... NO. Not me, buddy. Turner then backtracked and said it was really the Mayor's office. So Newberry gets all the Webb info, while the rest of the Council and citizens are left in the dark. That's how these people operate.

Turner basically couldn't even give any details on the hypothetical non-TIF project. He's claiming they could do the alternative project, yet they don't even have any details for the Council. Incredible.

Henson asked why don't we all just get along. Asking for compromise. Ugh... were have you been? We've been down this road, the Webb's arent' budging.

Councilman Don Blevins then spoke, and I must say that this man is Awesome. He noted how this is an 11th hour proposal with a gun to our heads, saying that we either provide the TIF or we get screwed. Noted how strange the behavior of the Webbs has been. He noted, flatly that HE DOES NOT LIKE THE PROJECT. Then, he broke out the best line that I've heard in three months. He noted that with the economy the way it is, we're likely to be left with "A VERTICAL LEXINGTON MALL".

"A VERTICAL LEXINGTON MALL"

I'm stealing that line, Don. A more apt description could not be given.

Anyway, I'll have more details on the last firewall against demolition tomorrow. PL has filed suit against the Webbs and and LFUCG to halt any demolition until the Planning Commission rules on their appeal to the CADRB hearing. It will be in Circuit Courtroom E at 8:45 AM. They need a big show of support there, as if this fails, you can probably kiss the block godbye, and very soon.