by: Diane Benjamin
This is an email sent by the Home Show organizer to MANY people. Anybody care about the closed parking garage yet?
________________________________
From: LisaKohn [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 3:51 PM
Subject: HOMESHOW-2014
I know you all had an exhausting weekend and probably a disappointing one. Yes attendance was down and has been on the decline since we moved to the U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
Our major issue this year was of course the parking. When our contract for the show was signed this time last year, the Pepsi Ice Parking Garage was open and operating. Late summer the City of Bloomington closed a major portion of the garage due to structural issues. When I read about the problem in the paper, I contacted the Coliseum and was assured that additional parking would be made available. I also secured, at the expense of the BNAHBA, a private lot that would accommodate parking of an additional 150 vehicles at the Christian Faith Church. We were promised a lot, which I advertised, behind Banks Remodeling which would accommodate a significant amount of the parking we lost with the closing of Pepsi Ice Garage. On Friday, opening day of the show, I was told that the City was not going to allow parking in that lot due to the warm temperatures. I was told they opened the lot the weekend before our show to another event and they left too many ruts in the gravel. That did not help our cause.
Advertising for the show was increased by 7% this year and included 2 billboards but obviously not enough to overcome the other challenges.
I know there is a struggle getting visitors to all the areas of the building. I know there is a struggle with security and I know there is a struggle with the parking. All of the options, in addition to others, are being evaluated for 2015 and beyond. Please know that I am working very hard to maintain your trust in this show and ask for your patience until these issues are resolved.
Lisa L. Kohn
Executive Officer, Bloomington-Normal Area Home Builders Association
1713 Tullamore, Suite B
Bloomington, IL 61704
Phone: (309) 663-6612 Fax: (309) 808-1617
Click here to become a fan on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloomington-IL/Bloomington-Normal-Area-Home-Builders-Association/220173275732#
Go to www.nahb.org/ma and see what your membership can do for you!
Either the contractor or the engineer needs to answer on why the parking deck is having structural issues.
We don’t want nice people working for our city, we want answers!
Johnston Contractors built it. They aren’t talking. I’ve heard Dave Stark bought them, no confirmation.
They need to bring a lawsuit…
The CITIZENS should. They own a decaying fire station and a decaying parking garage! Now they want to raise taxes!
Why should we keep paying for their mistakes? We The People voted “NO” on that Coliseum in the first place!
Gee the builders association not happy with the builders blunders causing them possible losses. Please know that I am working very hard not to laugh out loud and get out the worlds smallest violin for a few bars of cry me a river.
There was about 2 actual Home Builders at the show. Isn’t it sponsored by the Bloomington / Normal Home Builders Association. I also heard from a couple of exhibitors that the Bloomington / Normal Home Builders Association Personnel were very rude to everyone and logistically to exhibit there is an expensive nightmare.
Good news! The Home Show found a place easy to do business with, a place that values their business, and a location that has adequate parking!!! Good for them!! Where is the outrage from the Mayor? Oh wait, he only has outrage only for a blogger who publically question’s him. Doesn’t anyone on the council other than Judy or Kevin get a bit peeved that a relatively new parking garage is out of service due to poor construction and no one , including the contractor who built the damn thing, is being held accountable? Where is the City Attorney’s office who is supposed to be serving the citizens of Bloomington? Oh wait, I forgot they aren’t capable of the high level of a job pursing the garage problem, hell, they had to hire a law firm to handle an FOIA response to the AG’s office to the tune over 60k. I’ve never seen such a bunch on inept bozo’s running a city in my entire life, sans a few. I’ll let you guess who MY favorite clown is though,,,,,