By: Diane Benjamin
Interfering in the private sector is what local government does best. Evidently Jenn thinks she can save the State Farm building:
Meanwhile other buildings in downtown have been sitting empty for years. The CII East building is an eyesore Jenn evidently isn’t working on. The Front and Center building is boarded up. People’s Bank is just taking up space, so is the former Club. Obviously there is no private sector need for any of these buildings. The Coliseum and BCPA have done nothing to revitalize downtown, the total already spent by government (including interest) has to be close to if not over $100,000,000.
Tari Renner thinks there is a government use for part of the State Farm building, listen to his interview on WGLT – around 13:00 https://www.wglt.org/post/renner-city-working-find-alternatives-state-farm-building-demolition
Tari talked about how bad City Hall is – especially his office with 27 year old carpet. He also mentioned he didn’t want to spend money replacing it. It sounds like he wants to replace the whole building instead. Tari never says specifically what he is thinking.
The Council has a conflict of interest problem. Both Jeff Crabill and Kim Bray are State Farm lawyers. Ethically they can not participate in any discussions or vote on any issues concerning the building.
That leaves 7 people who may or may not be making a decision on the future of the building.
State Farm has stated the building is expensive to maintain, It is way to big for only City use. We don’t know if three floors were actually pre-rented as the former agent told me: https://blnnews.com/2019/05/22/state-farm-bldg-3-floors-leased/
I have been told by people intimately familiar with the building that it has foundation issues that would be very costly to fix, That issue needs thoroughly investigated before anybody jumps to save it.
Governing by “feelings” could create yet another huge burden on taxpayers. Wanting to save the building isn’t worth impoverishing the City.
One note: The design of the current City Hall proves making bad decisions is what government does best. Building trendy buildings to look cool means decades later the building is going to look really stupid. Every new building should be in a classic style that can stand the test of time, unless the real purpose is constantly rebuilding so supporters have jobs.
Could the library and City Hall move into the State Farm building? Sure, at considerable expense. Of course that leaves their current buildings empty creating even more expense.
Tari thinks downtown would lose it’s skyline if the State Farm building is demolished. The new addition to the jail is blocking it anyway Tari.
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It is pretty early for popcorn today but this is all pretty fun to watch. As the downtown continues to fall into ruin, our “leadership” runs around looking for more silly fixes? Downtown Bloomington is done… stick a fork in it please….and think of the possible “Green Space” for the 3 dozen bike race spectators that will be created once all the derelict buildings are torn down and hauled away. This is all a win for our Bike Blono Nazis! Downtown Bloomington Bike Raceway is the future!
We’re all familiar with strategy sessions which typically enable participation. Never heard of a “listening strategy session”? Do you think that means the rest of the attendees only get to listen while a few who think they know better than the rest of us get to strategize???
Or, they have no idea how to save it and want citizens to give them permission to buy it.
My own experience tells me that a “listening strategy session” is more “new-speak” which roughly translates to “these meetings are our social life and in this little gathering we will pretend to listen to you, then tell you how WE are right and have the proper vision for the future of the city and we will then do as we please as long as no one bigger than us doesn’t manage to stop us” It is closely related to “we welcome any input from the community as long as it is in line with what we already want anyway”.
Don’t forget real people don’t attend because they have lives. Maybe this time people should make an exception before they end up owning it.
Buy the darn SF building, since they are so hell bent on it, and let Tari AND Jen have an office together on the TOP FLOOR (since they are BOTH so important!) and take out the top floor windows and also the elevators, and we’ll see HOW LONG that lasts! Works for me!
SF HAS spoken, and I don’t think Jen can even pay the INTEREST on the taxes..
Jenn,,,if you’re listening, tearing down buildings is what State Farm does to “save money.” A concept unfamiliar with your misguided council. Anyway take a look at this 400,000 sq. ft. SF building in Woodbury. Good luck with your session. Will popcorn be provided or can I set up concessions stand in the hall way?
http://www.startribune.com/woodbury-s-giant-state-farm-office-building-will-be-demolished/338815402/
What was done in Woodbury is exactly what could revitalize the downtown. Progressives holding onto the past is hilarious.
I have been saying for years that the downtown was a wrecking ball special! Green space is environmentally friendly and it is a great place for gay pride events and SJW protests. And think of how the homeless people will like it? Maybe we can dedicate the coming State Farm old building green space, “Illegals Welcoming Commons”. We can have a Mexican and rainbow flag dominating the center of the space with plenty of park benches for the homeless and illegals to sit and lay on.
So let’s forget about an old nasty office building and think about the coming “Illegals Welcoming Commons”.
Really- Jenn Carrillo in charge of saving State Farm ? Photo Op only people! Why is the city even letting her do this, you may really upset State Farm over the line and what are you going to do if they say BYE ! ! Cancel the session and let Tim Gleason and the Mayor handle any talks with State Farm. Really ? We already have all of these empty buildings , most of the ones are downtown in her Ward 6, what has she done about them ? What has she done for downtown at all? Get real. The people at State Farm must be laughing their heads off.
If SF announced demolition, it’s a done deal and has probably already started. Too late! The thought of Renner crying about that for the next whole year during the demolition makes me smile.
Me too! So on the next Mayor Junket to some expensive exotic place, where mayors go and pretend to be big shots and talk about best practices and taxing their residents to death and pleasing SJWs, Mayor Little Man will be hiding in the corner hoping no one realizes that inspite all of his efforts, his entire downtown area either needs to be torn down or is in the process of being torn down!
Wonder IF at ANY of these “Mayors Conferences” they discuss “Blighted Urban Areas and their Rehabilitation”?
Maybe they SHOULD have the NEXT mayors conference in Detroit or Flint, maybe even Camden, and we’ll SEE if Tari and Koos go to THAT ONE! Naw, they MIGHT learn something..
As for SAVING SF, for ANY kind of purpose, YEAH, it’s a neat old style building, but it’s WELL WORN and probably has asbestos issues and currently there is over 18,000,000 sq feet of just RETAIL space sitting EMPTY in the U.S. , so MOVE ON!
Want to save the planet Jen? Adopt a DOWNTOWN flower pot and plant something the homeless people YOU so care about so much can pick…
They’re progressives, aren’t they? Tear it down, that’s progress…
Most people don’t know the source of the political term ‘Progressive’, mistakenly thinking it comes from the term ‘progress’ when it’s actually from a tax term. Some taxes, like the Fed income tax, and now IL too, have multiple rates: if you make $X, you pay Y%; make $X+, pay Y+%; make $X++, pay Y++%; etc. A Progressive tax rate is one that gets Progressively Worse!
Now you know Why you should be wary of anyone who advocates Progressive government or a Progressive society…
Jenn is holding this session for herself and her followers. They’ll likely get together share thoughts and parrot each other and get the Slantagraph to print some fluff piece about how she’s so caring and that the building has some much history and meaning to the community. She’s either politicking or so naive as to think she can change State Farm’s mind and their plans (which are most likely already in motion). Speaking of which, we all known State Farm is slow to change and very deliberative, which has its downside when it comes to technology and innovation. However, that slowness and deliberation is a positive when it comes to things like this, especially when they’ve already disclosed publicly on the record. Finally, two crazy theories: (1) The City of Bloomington was the unnamed potential buyer that had the contingency but failed to convince any or enough private companies to take the other spaces; (2) There never was an interested buyer; it was a bluff by State Farm to save face with the community.
I’m gonna attend this circus. I’ll bring Chic Fil A. Please let me know if you plan to attend and if you want anything. I’ll pick it up for ya.
If I recall correctly, the house and grounds where the present COB building sets was a prominent house from some famous architect. There was quite a stink raised when the house was torn down
The present city hall has had comfort control issues since its inception. It is not well designed nor maintained due to lack of consistent issues of personnel and care
So what you are saying is that the SF building is crumbling structurally ? Leave it to Tari to want to keep a building that is falling down as we speak. Kinda a huge metaphor for the city of Bloomington aint it?
Didn’t State Farm offer it to the city for $1 somewhere along the line and they rejected that idea. So now we need it to save it???
I don’t think so. Yes I hate to see it torn down, but not for me the taxpayer to save it. SF gets enough from me in insurance policies.
What about all the parking lot space they own? What’s happening with that?