Its cheaper to re-use old buildings that it is to build new in many cases
Its cheaper to re-use old buildings that it is to build new in many cases.
Look at all the housing projects downtown. They are all in re-habbed buildings. If those projects were built new there is no way that you would be getting 5+ floors of residential units and similar could be said for retail and downtown businesses in general.
The Dulski, the Statler and others would never be built new for private purposes but because they are already built they are going to find a creative re-use that adds to our community so I disagree.
I also agree that our pre-civil war era housing in the West Village is an incredibly small area that adds to our city rather than detracts from it. However, I would not hold up the new courthouse from being built or the Hotel on Elmwood so preservation does require some balancing.
Now as far as the poor are concerned. I disagree more with the method than the principle. I believe whole heartedly in a social safety net and a role for government. However, if you look at the way the BMHA competes with the private sector landlords, the house flipping of the MBBA (state agency), the destruction of neighborhoods by urban renewal, or the unions and union arbitrators that are not allowed to evaluate a municipality's ability to pay or whether people are being over compensated (according to national averages). IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS LESS ABOUT THE POOR THAN ABOUT THE BLOATED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES & UNIONS ENGORGING THEMSELVES AT THE EXPENSE OF THE POOR AND ABOUT GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS THAT SEEM TO REWARD VICTIMIZATION AND BAD CHOICES THAN PRODUCTIVE MORAL LIVES.
It depends on how you run the numbers. In many cases its cheaper to rehab
It depends on how you run the numbers. In many cases its cheaper to rehab because your running the numbers to exclude remediation and demolition, and your also running the numbers for rehab programs, low interest loans, tax abatements, etc which few new buildings would qualify.
So we disagree but it depends on how you run the numbers and to say otherwise makes you less open minded and more of an absolutist ideologue.