By: Diane Benjamin
Bloomington bought this property almost 5 years ago just to control who built on it:
The address is 807 N Main, the site of the old Mennonite hospital.
In May of 2019 the Council voted to list it for sale with Coldwell Banker after they tried to sell it on a national commercial site but failed: https://blnnews.com/2019/05/24/more-proof-capitalism-is-dead-in-bloomington/
That listing was over two years ago. Coldwell Banker is no longer marketing the property – it looks like nobody is.
We never got a report at a Council meeting about possible offers that were rejected. We were never told Coldwell Banker gave up either.
Meanwhile, the property is generating no property tax revenue. Taxpayer money is just sitting in an empty lot. Somebody likely has to mow it so it’s costing money to hold.
Tari Renner wanted to play developer and lost. Free markets should have been allowed to decide the best use instead of Tari.
Taxpayers deserve an update. Rumor is the Council is too chicken to go back to meeting in person. You citizens must be intimidating, you also deserve answers.
Let’s build a monument to Lincoln Rockwell, and that way Jenn and her “idiot followers” can protest each year…
Meanwhile, REMEMBER KELSO!!
Socialists believe that the government must own and control property, Mayor Renner said that “we must control this property” meaning the city of Bloomington when it became available 5 years ago. Socialists believe that the government does a better job of developing property than private investors. Look no further than Normal to see what a “good” job Normal does controlling property. Normal allows most businesses on property it owns paying no rent. What a deal for the taxpayers. Normal also pays taxes on rent that it does not need to according to law, but is so incompetent Normal does not file for the tax exemption. Raising taxes is the solution to every financial problem. Competence not needed.
🙂
Not surprising. Instead of providing basic services at reasonable taxes/fees the politicians in Bloomington/Normal both want to keep up with the “Jones’s” and do extravagant things. If these things are worth doing private parties will pursue them, for example the announcement of thenew privately developed soccer complex in NE Normal. One would like to think this would resonate with mayors and councils…
More likely upset them because it isn’t theirs to control
How much did they list it for?
No idea
This property needs to be listed as excess property and sold to the highest bidder. Let the market decide it’s value and redevelop it as it sees fit.
Tari doesn’t believe in anything but control, it won’t happen
It will make a good question for mayoral candidates though!
If I am not mistaken, Coldwell Banker charged the city a fee to list the property rather than taking the normal commission generated from a sale.
In other words, Coldwell Banker did not want to waste/donate their time on a piece of property that they knew was unlikely to sell.
PDF page 155 says CB got $100,000 if they sell it. The City put serious restrictions on what the property could be used for: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21891