Determined to Demo

The Cosby Hotel is doomed once again. It seems that the owner Rick Powell has turned down an offer of city money to stabilize the west end and has hired a wrecking company to take it down. I would very much like to say in this post what I think of Powell... but I vowed when I started the blog that it would be family friendly. Suffice it to say that I will NEVER go to Powel Gardens again unless it's a paying gig.... about all I can do at my station in life.

I urge all to contact their council people, the mayor, the mayor's wife, and anyone else you know who might in influence...
If we don't save the past than no one will save our present.

The Cosby Hotel Is Saved

Thanks to the efforts of local private business leaders and preservationists statewide the Cosby Hotel is off the chopping block.

Here's a link to the STAR story: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/20/2097070/campaigns-to-prevent-cosby-hotel.html

What we need to learn from this is that Dangerous Buildings and Codes... both departments in Neighborhoods and Communities need examination. Hyper called for a second opinion on the "dangerosity" of the building and, fortunately, one was sought. That opinion from a structural engineer was the opposite of the one put out by Dangerous Buildings. A third opinion confirmed the second.

We lost two historic structures in Pendleton Heights here in Northeast under identical circumstances. When it comes to those kinds of buildings it's time to reign in Dangerous Buildings.......

A Pretty Handy Coverup

Saw the head of Neighborhoods and Communities (I love city department titles that don't tell you a dang thing) last night explaining why the Cosby Hotel HAS to come down. Of course I don't believe him... but how convenient is it that when your department is totally ineffective at preservation by enforcement of codes early on that you can cover up your own incompetence by tearing a building down.

If you fix the little things early on than the big things don't fall off.

I got two responses to my plea for help from Will Royster and Scott Wagner.... And to them I give huge thank you's ..... I suspect I'll hear from other government folks after the building is gone.

That has been the pattern in the past.