Hey guys –
I think you both had some valid concerns that I am in the process of addressing.
1. I have asked Shopko this morning for a sworn affidavit that there are no kick-outs or early termination rights in their Koeller Street lease.
2 I am working with the architect to see what it would take to make this a Lead certified building as well as researching what Energy Star Compliant all entails. I would love to build the office buildings, apartments/condos in a Lead program as well. I may have more control over those building than the Shopko project but I will try. As I find out more details I will keep you informed.
3. If there are other concerns that come up on either project along the way feel free to let me know as they are things I may not be thinking of myself. I still have some control until the lease is actually signed with Shopko so please come forward sooner than later on Shopko issues.
If any T2T readers have any advice as to the request for concerns in item #3, please let me know ASAP (235-1116 or tony@tonypalmeri.com or this blog space)
In response to #2, I did provide Andy with information about the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance and how to reach its Executive Director Susan Loomans. I hope the Dumkes do make a sincere and rigorous effort to build green. Heck, it would save them money in the long run.
I'm thankful that the Dumkes are receptive to feedback, but what's very discouraging and extremely frustrating is the fact that the majority of our council and our development staff does not seem to understand and/or appreciate that green building and other items (e.g., length of assistance, amount of tax deferral, etc.) can and should be negotiated before a council says yes to a TIF. The city of Madison actually has a TIF Coordinator (Joe Gromacki) whose major job is to negotiate TIF terms. Take a look at his presentation in Milwaukee on TIF case studies to get a glimpse at how Madison approaches TIF--notice especially the active negotiation that goes on to get a better deal for the taxpayers. Quite the contrast with the way we handle TIF negotiations here; which is to say there really aren't any meaningful negotiations that take place.
So it's great that the Dumkes are open to suggestions and I hope we get a better development as a result. But it is too bad that we are reduced to hope (the faith based development model again) that the developers do these things rather than mandate them as an element of negotiation. We CAN do the latter. Yes, we can.
4 comments:
Perhaps the level of engagement in how much the Dumkes are interested in green anything is that he or they have heard "Lead" someplace and so put that in as the spelling.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
Here I'm going to refer to what might be a new concept for T2T readers: Full Cost Accounting.
Aside from the fact that as it stands the project appears to be taxation without representation, full cost accounting asks the larger question of how much a project, an unneeded extra big box store, will cost in terms of infrastructure, roads, sewers, and all the other stuff that comprises the total cost and I might add 'impact' on the community.
Full cost accounting would also look at the lease and 'promises' to maintain the old Shopko to the ends of the lease term.
What then? What provision has been made in case of abandonment regarding Big Box Blight which is occurring more frequently everywhere?
Since you have Oshkosh River Development (Dumke and Goudreau's) ears - maybe they would consider consulting a firm such as Hoffman LLC.
Hoffman was at the Green Living Expo. I had an enlightening conversation about LEED building startting with the planning process. They are staffed with LEED architects, planners and construction managers. Their byline is Power of Green.
Hoffman LLC
N434 Greenville Ctr
Appleton, WI 54914
http://www.hoffman.net/sustainability.htm
Providing building solutions without increased cost
Conserving natural resources
Minimizing the impact on the environment
Creating healthy indoor environments
Maximizing daylighting
Using sustainable materials
Sustaining reduced operating costs throughout the life of the project
I recommend the following 2007 IPCC Report for anybody seriously interested in helping the City (us) figure out how to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. (Note that chapter 6 is all about buildings.):
Working Group III Report "Mitigation of Climate Change"
http://www.ipcc.ch
Once you figure out a piece of that puzzle, please help me educate the Common Council and City about it by making an occasional 5 minute citizen statement at the Common Council meetings. I am tired of being virtually the only Oshkosh citizen who does that, and I fear that some are getting tired of hearing from me, too -- no matter what I say. We're all in this together, folks. Let's help each other out.
CHEERS! and my sincere thanks to Art and Andy Dumke for their interest in voluntarily helping the City of Oshkosh reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by making their buildings Energy Star compliant. Art personally told me that his house is probably the only one in Oshkosh that has geothermal heating -- similar to Al Gore's house. This gives me a reason to believe they are sincere about greening their Fair Acres development plans. Praise the landlord.
Post a Comment