By: Diane Benjamin
In 2016 Bloomington bought a property at 807 North Main street:
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Bloomington bought this property to control what was built there.
Bloomington still owns it. Coldwell Banker couldn’t sell at after Bloomington hired them. https://blnnews.com/2020/07/02/bloomington-5-years-and-no-news/
A link in that story explains why nobody bought it. The City wanted to control what was built there: https://blnnews.com/2019/05/24/more-proof-capitalism-is-dead-in-bloomington/
Tari Renner was mayor from 2013 to 2021. This $1.4 million waste of your money is all his.
I know Bloomington was parking large vehicles there for awhile, I don’t know if they still are. Since they bought the old Owens Nursey property, they don’t need it.
Almost 9 years later this property should be sold for whatever price it can garner. Taxpayers will lose – it won’t be the first time or the last. In the last 9 years it has generated ZERO property taxes.
Side note:
I went to the swearing in of the new council members and mayor May 1st.
At the reception afterward I had a long conversation with Tari Renner. He’s a lot more fun when he has no power. Many people were hilariously shocked to see us together.
I also had a discussion with Alderman Kent Lee for the first time. We were rudely interrupted by Alderman John Danenberger who didn’t know who I was. While shaking hands I told him my name. He couldn’t have disappeared any faster.
1.4 million nothing compared to the 20 million still owed on the wonderful sports arena. Unfortunately those in power have the same headset as those that made the dumb purchase of 1.4 million and the sports arena. Just keep voting them in Bloomington, how sad!!!
So far I haven’t seen any movement on the Owens property every time I drive by it as far as construction to change anything. In fact I see no vehicles from Rt 150.
Speaking of eyesores. Lovely (not) what the school district did to the former State Farm building on Oakland Ave. Destroyed the beautiful landscaping out front. Another tax payer waste of money!
Did they ever sell the former hotel property on east Washington street sitting as a vacant lot? I thought at one time I saw a for sale sign up.
Bloomington needs $10 million to make Owens usable. Springing that one later
Coachman property and a redevelopment agreement for 24 townhomes was approved in June of 2023: https://cityblm.granicus.com/DocumentViewer.php?file=cityblm_00e887376673df2c8efc8d06c1697ad9.pdf&view=1
The school system got a %1 tax approved you think that they give a damn about spending your money
The State Farm property is a great example there was no way that they needed to totally tear up the existing road
It worked for State Farm for years but because the school got your tax increase they don’t care about how that money is spent.
And the work that they are having done is probably close to a $1,000,000.00 and will do nothing to improve students education
Way to go voters and you think that your property taxes aren’t going to continue to go up
I have a that I will sell you!!!
A snake with no venom can be fun? Safe maybe but still slimy and slithering.