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| To the Port Orange City Council. I took these photos on 1 27 12. I understand that you have directed that the Riverwalk area be cleaned up, and thus I was surprised to find the clean up lacking. -- hank, Port Orange Area News |  |
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This former jet ski area with dock as it is now, is a danger to people. I suggest it be roped off to help ward off any juvenile inadvertently wandering into the area to play. |
When I had my small patio built, I heard that I had to prominetly display my construction permit . So I placed the permit sign on my porch. One morning when I was having coffee, a code enforcement officer, not asking permission, came onto my property and inspected the construction work and to see if my permit was properly displayed. Today, I did not see a construction permit displayed, and I wonder if code enforcement is inspecting the alleged construction that is being done in this area. |
It would be dangerous to walk onto the dock since planks are loose and missing. |
This view of what use to be the former Sweetwater's restaurant, although now vacant, would look appealing to developers if all the high grass and weeds were cut down, so that the river could be seen from the road. |
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This is a small patch of land, off of Herbert st., which is cleared nicely. I have seen people fishing and sunbathing here. I think while the city is attempting to get developers interested in this area, that we should have more spots like this, which are now a potential, but covered with bushes, weeds, and unsightly looking stumps of trees. |
I recommend cutting the grass and weeds, in all the areas, and not just near the road. I would say that if all grass and weeds were cut down, the location would start looking more like a park. |
I remember some years ago, an individual who was cited for having a parking lot that was not paved, came before the city council and pointed out the parking spaces maintained by the city which were not paved. This is a dirt parking lot for customers of Aunt CatFish. |
Hank: the City Council and the CRA authorized staff to clean the City property and establish three specific nodes to be used by citizens for recreational purposes. As for the privately held property, the property owners will be notified that they too must meet the City’s maintenance standards. -- Ken Parker, City Manager of Port Orange. 1 28 12 |
From Ted Noftall, Port Orange, Fl. Tonight (at the Port Orange City Council meeting) was painful and I cannot help wondering what Marx, having labeled the first Napoleon a tragedy and the second a farce, would call Port Orange’s umpteenth attempt to craft a Riverwalk deal that is fundamentally un acceptable to the citizens of Port Orange ?
Since RiverWalk is all imagery I want you to imagine a huge circle and then pick any spot on that circle and label it START. Now take a leisurely 15 year walk around that circle and guess what …. you and the Port Orange council both end up back at START. Perhaps that is where the Walk in RiverWalk came from to begin with.
Each of the failed past efforts had two common denominators …… fractured land ownership and greed.
I am wondering when someone on council will say enough is enough AND insist on determining, here and now and before one more taxpayer dollar is wasted, whether a land swap deal can be accomplished that will be acceptable to both the City and the other land owners.
I would expect not, but then again what do I know……I am not a bowler.
Ted Noftall /////////////////////////// Ted, I suspect, that once again in Florida, the dealings of a developer and a local governmental agency, has shown to be fraught with problems. But both parties seem to be curiously attractred to each other, don't they -- hank 10 19 11 |
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PORT ORANGE -- City Councilman Bob Ford is having second thoughts about jumping into a land-swap deal that might hinder the possible look and direction of Riverwalk. At the heart of his opposition is public access to the riverfront land on the west side of the Halifax River, almost completely owned by the city, where a park in progress is expected to become the potential magnet to future visitors and developers. Ford said he feared "we are retreating" by considering a land swap with Buddy LaCour, a property owner and Riverwalk's master developer, for a possible riverboat restaurant. "The point was a key part of the park," he said of the prime land that juts into the river and where Sweetwater's restaurant once stood. "The point is a distinct public place. When you go out there, you have a feel like you're on the river." LaCour pointed out he owns the land on the point, but added "that this project must make sense to all involved." "I agree as we move forward the point is the catalyst. We purchased that property to move the project (Riverwalk) along," he said. . . . . |
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Mayor,
The purpose of the enhanced RFP statue is to eliminate as a much as possible any misuse of taxpayer investments in ill conceived sweetheart deals between government and developers.
I would feel a lot better about the latest napkin proposals I am hearing about in RiverWalk if you were to assure me:
* that the taxpayer's total investment in RiverWalk had been calculated, AND
** that all direct and indirect costs to be born by taxpayers related to any specific proposal will be costed, AND
*** that the taxpayers ROI will be calculated before any decision is made to further spend taxpayer monies or otherwise dispose of properties previously purchased with taxpayer monies.
Ted Noftall
, Port Orange, Fl. |
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Don't change Riverwalk plans
BY NELSON TAYLOR, PORT ORANGE
October 18, 2011 12:15 AM
Posted in:
Tagged:I'm a middle-class taxpayer in Port Orange, and I would urge Port Orange City Council to stick to their guns on the Riverwalk. As I see it, Mr. Buddy LaCour and his partners bought this property and signed the deal with the city, thinking they could make millions more on the original plans -- or they would not have bought it. Now that the economy has declined, they want to change the zoning and the agreement to fit their investment. As for a big Walgreens at the site, if they drive across the bridge they will find a big drugstore for locals to shop. I think Mr. LaCour and his partners want the city to change its plan so they can make some of their money back. They were riding the wave of prosperity and fell off. The city should not change the zoning and land use codes to please them. |
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. . . .LaCour warned Riverwalk will not move beyond a bunch of old artist renderings unless substantial changes are made in the city's developmental road map, so a plan "rooted in reality" can be built. The City Council is expected to discuss the matter Tuesday night, and also weigh a possible land swap with LaCour that's needed to provide public access to the riverboat. "We need the ability to go to the national market. But without the development codes and zoning worked out ... there will never be anything in Riverwalk. It's impossible." He said a riverboat restaurant would create a "buzz" in the community and beyond. "We think this is a unique opportunity to use this vessel as an icon of Riverwalk. This can be what kicks Riverwalk off," he said. "... I have been the point guy. I'm the guy who pulls the arrows out of my back in trying to get through this process. I have not been able to get through your process in the past. If you want something to happen, make it happen. Open up the process to attract businesses, don't run them away." First-term City Councilman Don Burnette said the dream of a breathtaking Riverwalk village complex is no longer feasible. The boom years, like the Riverwalk plans of 2005, are a fading memory, an unattainable dream. "The history is interesting, but I'm really more concerned about moving forward," he said. "There's nothing out there. No matter what we've done or talked about in the past, it's a blank slate until we build something ... I think what we've all learned is, if we keep looking and working for the perfect plan, we end up with no executable plan." |
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Subject: Preparing for the Riverwalk Meeting on October 11From: Parker, Ken poanposted 10 6 11 |
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7 28 11 Duane Hatfield Artist Intrerview
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7 28 11 Riverwalk area Port Orange Fl
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Port Orange looks to small Riverwalk projects
and
7 19 11 what to do with riverwalk port orange?
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7 17 11
No Bids For Port Orange Riverwalk
After spending over 20K in advertisements, no interest was peaked this week from any developers after the city promoted the development of the Po...
daytonasun.com/.../No-Bids-For-Port-Orange-Riverwalk.html
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Port Orange officials wonder what's next after no Riverwalk bids come in
Daytona Beach News-Journal
By RAY WEISS, Staff Writer Another in a line of historic setbacks has befallen Riverwalk. No proposals were received this week from developers after the city had spent $20000 in business magazine advertisements promoting the 35 acres of prime public ...
See all stories on this topic »
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why Mr. McGurn wanted that $812,000 from the City of Port Orange
from Craig E. Young, Port Orange, Fl.
4 16 11
Especially, a developer, who has reportedly already refinanced his own home and borrowed against all his other projects in the state, to finance a project that apparently hasn't gone anywhere......
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News /Neighbors/North/evlNN02101109.htm » PORT ORANGE -- It wasn't easy convincing redevelopment leaders to buy a small parcel at what seemed to be too steep a price to fulfill a piece of the city's Riverwalk dream. Faced with an $812,000 price tag for .68 acres, board members begrudgingly approved the purchase by a 5-2 vote during Tuesday night's meeting of the Town Center Community Redevelopment Agency. The property makes up one piece of the puzzle in the city's Riverwalk, a future village center that would be built in phases extending north from Dunlawton Avenue on the east side of the Halifax River. The parcel, at 3571 Ridgewood Ave., is slated for public use -- possibly for parking, utilities or public streets -- in the 35-acre Riverwalk project. While most agency officials said it seemed too expensive for about 100 feet of U.S. 1 frontage, the city's partners, who bought the land late last year from a mortuary business, urged them to consider what would have happened if someone else had bought it. So far, the city has acquired about 16 acres in the area. Buddy LaCour, a Riverwalk partner and developer, said the land, currently leased by Lohman Funeral Homes, is a "critical piece" for the project that abuts other Riverwalk sites. "As your master developer, we came to the city and reported that this was not only an opportunity, but an obstacle should the funeral home get in there and operate that facility long term," LaCour said. "I don't think anyone ever envisioned a funeral home at the front door of Riverwalk. That's why we did what we did expeditiously." Kenneth McGurn, another private partner involved in Riverwalk, said he spent about $805,000 in a real estate deal last December when the land came up for sale because it was too risky to wait for the city to research and execute the purchase. If another business had set up shop at the site, it could have cost the city an unknown amount of money to buy it out. "The city could not react as quickly as we could," said McGurn, who bought the land as a managing member of Ridgewood Funeral Properties LLC. "Did we want to do that? We did not. But we held it for the city so the city did not have to use condemnation to acquire the business." McGurn said he was asking for about $812,000 to recoup the doc stamps and title insurance costs and called it a "break even" deal. An appraisal report also supported the price. While nearly every redevelopment board member questioned the expense, Ben Talluto balked at the asking price but eventually conceded to support the purchase. It didn't seem worth it, he said, especially since there was no telling which phase or exactly when it would be developed. "This group is in a box. The city pretty much has the commitment," he said. "We've got an $800,000 commitment that we're choking on, to be blunt." Board member Bob Pohlman, who joined Thomas Jordan in voting against the purchase, said he couldn't support it in these economic times. "I'm not a real estate expert, but I'm thinking to myself I just cannot believe this is worth $812,000." Meanwhile, board member Allen Green asked his colleagues to consider that a funeral home was considering building a managing facility at that location, "which would never get them out of there." "You have to look at the total project and the total cost of the project," Green said. "If you look at incremental parts, you're going to have ups and downs." The private partners had been in discussion with the city about the land prior to buying the land and City Manager Ken Parker said it was a much quicker option for the private sector to acquire it. At some point, parts of it may be sold back to the private sector if needed. To pay for it, the Community Redevelopment Agency is using money from its reserve. The City Council also approved $410,000 from the city loan pool. Lohman Funeral Homes has a roughly four-year lease agreement for the property and will pay the redevelopment agency $2,000 a month. The money will go toward repaying the city loan, staff said. ref.
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--- from Craig E. Young, Port Orange, Fl., 4 16 11
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from Craig E. Young, Port Orange, Fl.
4 16 11
Developer has property for Main Street Landing
By Times Staff Writer
Published April 1, 2005
NEW PORT RICHEY - All the papers are signed and developer Ken McGurn said Thursday that he now has all the property he needs to build Main Street Landing, a $30-million mixed-use project on the Pithlachascotee River.
McGurn had said Wednesday that he was waiting for one last person to sign over the title on the land. The Gainesville developer said he also anticipates receiving final permits this week from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. A groundbreaking ceremony that had to be rescheduled this week is now set for April 8 at about 11:30 a.m., said Peter
6 YEARS LATER, AND THEY ARE STILL AWAITING
4 16 11
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From Craig E. Young, Port Orange, Fl.
4 16 11
Reading all these articles about the problems Mr. McGurn has had with his other project in New Port Richey, doesn't exactly fill me with joy!
Failed New Port Richey project has Gainesville backer
http://www.gainesville.c
om/article/20081105/NEWS/811051002
City, developers must work to salvage Landing
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- Isn’t this the same Ken McGurn who wants the City of Port Orange to fork-over almost $320,000 for "various expenditures" between June 2005 and September 2007? ( See News Journal)
- Does this mean Port Orange's Riverwalk CRA will be funding a project in NEW PORT RICHEY?
From Craig E. Young, Port Orange, Fl.
4 16 11
- Isn’t this the same Ken McGurn who wants the City of Port Orange to fork-over almost $320,000 for "various expenditures" between June 2005 and September 2007? ( See News Journal)
- Does this mean Port Orange's Riverwalk CRA will be funding a project in NEW PORT RICHEY?
By Drew Harwell, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Thursday, July 15, 2010
NEW PORT RICHEY — Threats of a lawsuit, frozen negotiations, defaulted deals: The City Council and the developers of Main Street Landing have not had the cheeriest of working relationships.
So imagine the council's surprise Tuesday night when, in the middle of the city's depressing budget talks, developer Ken McGurn pledged $500,000 toward construction of the stalled downtown project by the end of the year — and to finish it soon after.
McGurn told council members he'd be putting at least another million dollars, much of it from his own pockets, into a site that stands now as a concrete shell with a chain-link facade. By January, he estimates the first building might have a roof. By next summer, it might even have a few tenants.
The $20 million, three-floor complex of townhomes, flats, shops and a restaurant will still need a lot of work — and a deep-pocketed financier — before it can get off the ground. The site's only standing building needs $3 million and months of work to reach completion. But McGurn said he's confident his initial investment will look like a smart gamble to lenders that could help free up credit — and provide a big future payoff for the project later.
"This project will not be finished within the next six months, but it will finish," McGurn said. "The economy will get better. And we'll be there when it gets better."
McGurn's promise resembled an act of reassurance for a city once impatient for results.
Pitched in 2004, the Main Street Landing project was supposed to be a retail center and condo complex on the west bank of the Cotee River. But as financing fell through amid the real estate recession, the city's redevelopment launchpad project stalled indefinitely.
Ironically, the bum economy helped the project restart. Since March, five construction workers preparing the site have been paid with federal stimulus money funneled through the state's $200 million Back to Work program.
David Hamilton, the Pasco-Hernando Workforce Board's operations management consultant, said McGurn told the board he would pay a small share of workers' benefits and wages and employ them after the program's end date in September.
For McGurn's commitment, the program will pay wages for four workers and one supervisor at a base pay of $15 an hour for six months. Using federal funds, the county will pay $109,000 in labor, of which McGurn will pay about $7,500 — or 7 cents on the dollar.
But the project's money woes aren't over. To fund construction, McGurn said he will sell or borrow against properties he owns across the state. He's also investing $400,000 he earned from refinancing his home in Gainesville. McGurn also recently paid $100,000 for development costs like equipment rental and architecture work, bringing his total investment to over $500,000.
"You look at it and say, 'Where's the money?' " McGurn said. "It just disappears."
Still, he said he's optimistic that his investment will win him some credit from commercial lenders slow to dispense money during the downturn.
"I've been through several of these," said McGurn, 64. "It will get better, and we'll be one of the first projects to be there to support it. I just have to convince the banks that."
McGurn told the council that seven to 12 workers will lay the foundation for other buildings this month, construct walls and columns in August, start masonry and build stairwells in September and install the precast concrete slabs of the second floor in October. By November, crews will begin tapping into underground plumbing and electrical networks.
If the project goes as planned, McGurn said, he'll want a few things from the city: A share of any property tax increase to help him secure bank financing, equal incentives offered to other developers, brick pavers and streetscaping, even a waiver of city fees.
With the exception of offering financial help — most of the city's redevelopment funds for next year will go toward debt service for a $7 million loan — council members seemed eager to support the site. Mayor Scott McPherson even offered to hold a special city meeting to discuss how best to help the project to completion.
"I'm reasonably optimistic. I don't think it's a slam dunk, but he's showing some good faith trying to move the thing forward," Deputy Mayor Rob Marlowe said Wednesday. "If he can get it finished, it could be really be a very nice anchor for downtown. The trick is getting from here to there."
In 2004, McGurn, his wife, Linda, and former Pasco County Commissioner Peter Altman proposed the project's Tuscan-themed townhomes and waterfront shops at a cost of $14 million. McGurn, whose McGurn Management Co. helped redevelop downtown Gainesville, told the city that construction could begin as soon as they secured a final lot.
"Putting the land together is the hardest part," McGurn told the Times. "People say, 'We don't want to sell.' That's been our issue."
Not for long. Rising construction costs doubled the price estimate, then tripled it. Design tweaks stalled work. The council in 2006 rejected a bid for additional money, effectively freezing new work. Two years later the city even considered suing McGurn for failing to finance and finish the project.
Last year, McGurn asked for a $1.45 million loan for the project, which the city denied. But McGurn said he still believes his "gamble" will pay off when the economy recovers next year.
In an e-mail to the city Monday, McGurn wrote, "I will try to explain that I am not really crazy to be doing it now when everyone else is running from real estate."
Main Street Landing project in NPR to resume
......LET ME KNOW....
-- Craig E. Young, Port Orange, 4 16 11
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Port Orange Mayor On Riverwalk
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Tuesday, 05 April 2011 10:46
Port Orange Mayor On RiverwalkDaytona Beach, Fl-Port Orange Mayor Allen Green joined Greg Blose and Dave Laing on the "Morning Drive" show Tuesday morning and addressed the issues affecting his city. The mayor updated listeners on the progress of the River Walk project. hear the radio broadcast segment 4 6 11
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No concrete on Riverwalk 3 20 11 |
No concrete on Riverwalk
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Port Orange hopes ads draw attention to Riverwalk
full article in the dbnj on line 3 20 11
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....Councilman Bob Ford encouraged his colleagues to "slow down and not to rush," developing a marketing strategy that reaches potential developers both nationally and internationally. At his urging, the zoning will be made less restrictive within the next three months to allow smaller mixed-use proposals, instead of one like in 2005 that called for a 17-story condo. "I don't want to give the impression we are looking for high-rises down there. It is terribly suggestive that it's in law," he said. "It would be much better if the council removes it, and leaves it as broader residential and commercial. The broader the parameters, the better, from a marketing point of view. So it's not so restrictive." Mayor Green questioned the need to rezone now, saying the days of building new high-rise condos are gone, given the glut of unsold units in the area. "I don't think any developer in this market is going to want a high-rise," he said of Riverwalk. "It's not sellable." Conceptual past plans for Riverwalk date back to 1998. The last conceptual plan called for a town center aimed at drawing residents and tourists alike -- a mix of high-rise condos, shops, parks and restaurants along the Halifax River. The project died when the economy collapsed. City leaders are eager to approve and release the new request-for-proposals for the Riverwalk area that extends north from Dunlawton Avenue to near the South Daytona line and west of the Halifax River to Ridgewood Avenue. .... full article in the dbnj on line 3 20 11
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Another view on Riverwalk
3 14 11
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....Just go over the Dunlawton Bridge to the peninsula side, park under it and walk back up the bridge. Once at the top of the bridge, stop and take a long look at that sweeping vista of greenery. If all you can see is the potential for construction, parking lots and stacks of concrete buildings providing the same services now clustered around Nova Road, Clyde Morris Boulevard and Williamson Boulevard, then stop reading this. There is no hope for you or for your city. Here's what I see as the potential: A medium-size public marina, with the buffer of a small recreational beach between the bridge and the marina. The entire length of land to Riverland Park could be preserved as a public park, with parking lots kept small and distributed along U.S. 1. Herbert Street would be the entrance to the marina, and just enough parking there to support both the public park and the needs of the marina, including a boat ramp. Docks and greenery, people playing or fishing in the water. An illusion of old Florida, perhaps, but one worth millions of dollars in fulfilling the dreams of people from other climes who visit Florida looking for just such sights. You would not have to make any compromises with developers. You would save on infrastructure, since trees cost less to maintain than a shopping complex. And the lost tax dollars? The businesses along Ridgewood Avenue and at its intersection with Dunlawton might well benefit from park visitors, especially if a pedestrian overpass was built for both Dunlawton and U.S. 1. You could even decorate the overpasses with a filigreed "Welcome to Port Orange." Think, I beg of you. Do you really want to look as you were merely an extension of the degradation of the waterfront along bridges to your north? Save the waterfront!
read the complete letter to the dbnj 3 14 11
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Riverwalk's revival a welcome sign
Port Orange 3 14 11
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Plans fell through when the recession began in December 2007. Some of the pre-recession estimates approached $500 million in development plans. That was during the heady days of the housing boom in the mid-2000s. That is not a figure likely to surface this time around, but it is likely that the plans could include a marina. The land and a plan for it is considered so important to the city that City Councilman Bob Ford recently said, "He who controls the land controls the destiny. And that is a lovely piece of land." The land will look even lovelier to Port Orange residents when it is put to good use, connecting citizens to the Halifax River and helping to expand the local economy. 3 14 11
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Port Orange officials prepared to revive Riverwalk
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Port Orange officials prepared to revive Riverwalk"Is there a pressure of somebody who needs to get a decision made?" asked Councilman Bob Ford. Green said interested parties exist that are waiting for city leaders to take action. "They feel we haven't acted. That we keep delaying things," he said. "That's what's on the street. That we never make a decision." But Ford said officials are moving forward with Riverwalk. "I feel very positive the way the council has been acting, with due diligence, looking at the whole thing, adjusting it to the new fiscal realities," he said. "I feel very good about how we've been proceeding. And I would expect very shortly (the RFP) should be out. Ford added that he wanted "a thoroughly open process" when considering proposals, and urged his colleagues not to rush into anything since the economy might improve. "I do see some blue sky out there about six to 10 months out. I think that's going to change the whole complexion of pushing this project," he said, adding that the potential impact of each proposal should be analyzed. " ... We'll take anyone in 30 days. We'll give them an option to present ... And if we don't like it, the next person can come in. And we keep doing it until we find what we want." As for the last Riverwalk proposal, City Attorney Margaret Roberts said: "It was an understanding .. 3 6 11 |
What is going with RiverWalk ?
From: Ted Noftall
poanposted 3 1 11
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8 28 10 riverwalk sign and causeway park
In Port Orange: sign and landscaping to a mount to $10,000.
Causeway park, on the Halifax River, Port Orange, Fl.
you can also see this video on you tube
poanposted 8 29 10 at 1114 am
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Port Orange officials won't seek funds to replace dock
. . . . .Steinebach added that one day an aquatic shuttle might go between the causeway and the Riverwalk dock, especially during special events. However, she told members of the board there was no guarantee the city would land the grant.
"These are just applications you hope will be awarded," she said.
But Councilman George Steindoefer led the way in opposing even filing an application for the dock.
"Where's the $75,000 coming from?" he said. "When we looked at the budget (recently), we didn't have any money."
But Jim Meadows, a former councilman, was upset by the vote, pointing out the dock fit into the larger, overall Riverwalk concept.
"We envisioned a beautiful dock there with boats coming in, pouring money into something we were going to build there," he said. "Where's that vision gone?"
In other news, city workers in the Public Employee Association have ratified their 2010-11 contract by a vote of 83-5. The City Council thanked the union for its cooperation and understanding given the difficult economic conditions and budget cutbacks, something Councilman Bob Pohlmann called a "shared sacrifice."
Steindoerfer added: "This is the lowest paid group, and the hardest working group. They've been terrific people. It's just too bad we can't get cooperation from some other unions."
Recent fire and police department negotiations, meanwhile, have been more contentious.
read more in the Daytona Beach News-Journal On Line
poanposted 8 12 10 at 459 pm
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7 20 10 unused costly property in port orange
CRA discussion of land not being used in the Riverwalk project area.
A video segment from POG TV, channel 199, Bright House
poanposted 7 29 10 at 1059 am
Interest is growing to start a farmers market on the site of a former riverfront mobile-home park, now owned by the city, that's being demolished.
PORT ORANGE -- The idea is far from being in full bloom, but the first seed has been planted.
Interest is growing to start a farmers market on the site of a former riverfront mobile-home park, now owned by the city, that's being demolished.
"We have had several parties who have been very interested in doing some kind of farmers market," said Donna Steinebach, administrator for the city's two community redevelopment agencies. "But I don't have a coalesced group yet that's really gotten the bull by the horns. But we may get there."
She added the city also is looking into the idea of holding special events and allowing vendors on the grounds of what was the Halifax Mobile Home Park that might generate revenue for the city.
"It will happen, and we keep nurturing these inquiries," Steinebach said of using the 4-acres that are part of the proposed 35-acre Riverwalk project. "So I am confident we will grow something down there in the near future."
poanposted 7 25 10 at 455 pm
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Riverfront soon will be ready to develop
Daytona Beach News-Journal
By KELLY CUCULIANSKY, Staff writer PORT ORANGE -- A new redevelopment opportunity will soon be available now that a riverfront 1950s-era mobile home park ...
poanposted 6 27 10 at 744 am
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FDOT offers design work
Daytona Beach News-Journal
By KELLY CUCULIANSKY, STAFF WRITER PORT ORANGE -- Progress is being made on road improvements and the upcoming closure of a mobile home park in the Town ...
See all stories on this topic
poanposted 4 22 10 at 304 am
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| Originally appeared on News-Journal Online at http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2010/04/22/fdot-offers-design-work.html |
PORT ORANGE -- Progress is being made on road improvements and the upcoming closure of a mobile home park in the Town Center Community Redevelopment District.
Community Redevelopment Agency board members got an update Tuesday night on the progress in the Town Center, an area where the city's future village center known as Riverwalk will be built in phases. The project will feature residential, retail, restaurant and commercial development and also provide such public facilities as parks.
So far, the city's redevelopment agency has acquired about 16 acres for the project, which would be located between U.S. 1 and the Halifax River from Dunlawton Avenue to beyond Riverside Pavilion Park.
Donna Steinebach, assistant to the city manager, said the Florida Department of Transportation is considering intersection improvements that were originally identified in an 11-year-old study.
"After languishing for years and years, somewhere out of the blue we were contacted by FDOT and they apparently have a pool of money to begin design work on these two very important intersection improvements," Steinebach said. "So we are doing our best to work with them to facilitate that design activity."
According to Steinebach, FDOT's Tentative Work Program indicates preliminary engineering for the U.S. 1 and Dunlawton Avenue intersection for 2011, and for the U.S. 1 and Herbert Street intersection in 2012.
poanposted 4 22 10 at 259 am
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4 8 10 riverwalk area port orange project
Septic tanks from previous kitchens and inns,
might still be buried in the area where a new restaurant
is planned to be built.
A POAN/POI video follows:
(The hole or depression was filled in by Port Orange Public works,
at 9 am on April 9, 2010)
you can also see this video on you tube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0bw71TRli4
poanposted 4 11 10 at 1106 am
--- AND PREVIOUSLY ---
- From Mr. Ken Parker, City Manager of Port Orange
I have checked with the Public Utilities Dept to see if they have records when the homes and units were connected to sewers. It is logical in those early years to believe that homes were connected to septic tanks and had out door toilets before there was indoor plumbing. I know that some portions of the City’s water system dates back to the 1920’s. Environmental assessments are performed prior to the acquisition of any property in the Riverwalk area. When the City acquired the property at the corner of Dunlawton/Halifax Dr., the former site of the Riverside Apartments, an assessment was performed and no environmental hazard or concern was detected.
Ken
poanposted 4 5 10 at 631 pm
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History Book
You can purchase a copy of the book from the Port Orange Historical Trust. The book is priced at $19.00 each. Please contact Kent E. Donahue at City Hall by calling 386-506-5501. All funds go to support the Port Orange Historical Trust and its mission to preserve and document this community and its resources.
more info the Port Orange City Web site.
poanposted 4 11 10 at 1150 am
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concerns about all the waste that might be under the ground in the Dunlawton , Halifax corner where the Riverwalk project is planned
The photo above is from the early 1900s of the old Riverview Inn located at the northwest corner of Halifax Drive and Dunlawton. The inn change names over the years (was known as the Alligator Inn for a time) and eventually it was operated as the Riverview Apartments. It was demolished December 1996.
more on the City of Port Orange Web Site
From: Port Orange Images [mailto:poimages@cfl.rr.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 04, 2010 3:51 PM
To: Parker, Ken
Subject: Fw: (no subject)
Happy Easter Mr. Parker,
A POAN reader asked me to post his concerns about all the waste that might be under the ground in the Dunlawton , Halifax corner where the Riverwalk project is planned. He thinks that for many years the sewage waste might have been just dumped into the ground.
--- hank 4 4 10 at 350 pm
--- From Mr. Ken Parker, City Manager of Port Orange
I have checked with the Public Utilities Dept to see if they have records when the homes and units were connected to sewers. It is logical in those early years to believe that homes were connected to septic tanks and had out door toilets before there was indoor plumbing. I know that some portions of the City’s water system dates back to the 1920’s. Environmental assessments are performed prior to the acquisition of any property in the Riverwalk area. When the City acquired the property at the corner of Dunlawton/Halifax Dr., the former site of the Riverside Apartments, an assessment was performed and no environmental hazard or concern was detected.
Ken
poanposted 4 5 10 at 631 pm
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RIVERWALK PROJECT IN PORT ORANGE, FLORIDA
From: Port Orange Images [mailto:poimages@cfl.rr.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 6:48 PM
To: Green, Allen; Pohlmann, Bob; Kennedy, Dennis; Steindoerfer, George; Parker, Ken; Martin, Mary; Port Orange Images
Subject: Comprehensive planning of the city is excellent , except for Riverwalk.
March 16, 2010 at 635 pm
From Port Orange Area News
www.portorangeareanews.com
Hank Springer, Publisher/Editor
poimages@cfl.rr.com
Good Evening Mr. Parker,
Wayne Clark gave an excellent presentation tonight at the Special Meeting on the Comprehensive plan update for the city of Port Orange.
Truly, the city has done a good job of development of the city of Port Orange. The city center park and complex is a beautiful asset for the community.
The Riverwalk projected area can still be made into another beautiful location for the city and its families.
It seems to me that because the Master Developer may not find it lucrative in this present
economic crises, to build his two 17 story condos, the River walk Project has come to
a virtual stop. I don't think any one, with the exception of the Master Developer, is really in favor of those condos being built in a park. Can the original plan be scrapped? Can the city build a Riverwalk Park with a boardwalk and some family orientated type businesses, such as a Neighbor's Ice Cream Parlor, a first class deli with outside tables and chairs, perhaps a toy store for children, maybe some small scale rides for children, a novelty and
trinket business? A good sit down restaurant? I am sure there are a lot of businesses which would love to be part of a Riverwalk park. It is a shame that two condos were planned to disfigure the beauty of such a wonderful location on the river, and it would be a shame to not have a Riverwalk Park, because the economy does not support two tall condos.
I wonder if you agree? ----- hank
--- AND REPLY FROM MR. PARKER ----
----- Original Message -----From: Parker, KenTo: Port Orange Images ; Green, Allen ; Pohlmann, Bob ; Kennedy, Dennis ; Steindoerfer, George ; Martin, MaryCc: Steinebach, Donna ; Parker, KenSent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 2:05 PMSubject: RE: Comprehensive planning of the city is excellent , except for Riverwalk.
Riverwalk has always been envisioned as a mixed use project that would include office, commercial, and residential properties. The key focal point of Riverwalk has always been the river and the public access to the river. The other elements have changed overtime and are changing even now but the focus on the public access to the river has remained the cornerstone for the project. I am not sure that high rise condos work today and in the future at this location. However, there are other housing types and styles that would work along the river. Offices, hotels, restaurants and other commercial ventures would work extremely well along the riverfront. But, I think it is the public access to the river and the ability to use a good portion of the riverfront for public use is the crown jewel of Riverwalk. I think the public use area of Riverwalk can serve as the catalyst for the project.
Recently, the City Council approved interim uses for the Riverwalk District. These are design to bring attention to the Riverwalk area. Also, there is a lot of discussion about bringing special activities to the river banks. Development is not needed to allow the public lands along the river to be used and enjoyed. As the mobile home park is closed at the end of May, the ability to use the publicly owned land for a variety of things increases. I was on some of the City owned property recently. I was thinking about how the City could make the property available for public use, now. I was thinking about the beautiful large trees that exist on the property. I was thinking about the river itself. I was thinking why wait for construction of the boardwalk and the private development before our citizens could enjoy the jewel that is the river and the land that is already in public ownership. I was thinking about ways that the land could be enjoyed, not simply set there waiting for the redevelopment activities to occur. I talked to Donna about what it would take to make the land ready for the public to use. CRA Member Ben Talluto at one of the meetings asked the question about whether a portion of Halifax Drive located in the Riverwalk area could be closed now so that pedestrians could be free to walk along the river’s edge. Riverwalk does not have to wait for development in order for the public to enjoy the beauty of the river and the land that has been acquired.
Rvierwalk reminds me a lot of the development along the Dunlawton Corridor. The City had a long term vision for Dunlawton. The Dunlawton Corridor was envisioned in the late 1970’s. It has been a work in progress for more than 30 years. The City had opportunities to allow a variety of developments along Dunlawton that would have compromised the integrity of Dunlawton. However, the City Council was willing to wait and allow the Corridor to develop according to the long term vision rather than compromising the vision for short term gains. Today, the Corridor is used as a model by many cities. They look at the limited access ways along the corridor, architectural controls, the signage, landscaping, and the setbacks as examples of what they want to implement along their major road corridors. Riverwalk should be envisioned in the same way. Don’t take just any development but make sure that it is quality development that enhances the overall long term vision that Port Orange has for this area. I remember the first development proposal for Riverwalk. It was a Walgreens on the corner of Ridgewood and Dunlawton. There is nothing wrong with a Walgreens but the City Council did not see it as the corner anchor for Riverwalk. Just like Dunlawton, there will be a number of proposals, some good and some not so good. But, if the City and the CRA are patient, at the end of the day, the project will be of the quality that we desire to have along the river front.
Ken
poanposted 3 17 10 at 232 pm
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NO ADULT BOOK STORES, NO INTERNET GAMING
Master Developoer Can Not Deliver a Planned Community. ----councilman
2 16 10 interim use of riverwalk project Port Orange, Florida
Port Orange City Council meeting
video segment from POG TV
channel 199, Bright House
you can also see this video on you tube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQuqGa9s31U
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February 18, 2010
Officials narrow interim uses for Riverwalk property
By KELLY CUCULIANSKYStaff Writer, Daytona Beach News-Journal
PORT ORANGE -- The city's Riverwalk project is years away, but that doesn't mean some of the land earmarked for it should continue to sit vacant and idle.. . . .
. . . . Vice Mayor Mary Martin was on board with the conditional uses, but also requested that Riverwalk ordinance prohibit adult-oriented businesses, such as adult bookstores and Internet gaming.
"I know we have laws that say we won't have them in certain areas of the city," she said.
Council members agreed that those types of activities should be prohibited and when they vote on the ordinance on second reading, it will reflect that ban.
kelly.cuculiansky@news-jrnl.com
see article at
Officials narrow interim uses for Riverwalk property
--- and at the bottom of the News-Journal article, in the blogging section:
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Letters to the editor for Feb. 15, 2010
Daytona Beach News-Journal
CRAs vital for jobs
While some believe that money applied to community-redevelopment districts is a misuse of property-tax dollars, I beg to differ. No developer is going to develop a piece of property in a blighted area without some incentives. It has to be a public-private partnership.
Several cities in east Volusia County, including Daytona Beach and Holly Hill, can point to their CRAs with success. Our current economy is in bad shape, and unemployment is 11 percent and could go higher. With these circumstances, CRAs are vital to bringing new jobs on board in addition to maintaining current jobs.
I only hope our city and county officials realize this when they have to address their budgets.
DEAN PRILL, Daytona Beach
posted 2 15 10
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Mother Nature's face
Staff Writer Kelly Cuculiansky's Dec. 20 report concerning the proposed Port Orange Marina was very well written. I would like to add the following in opposition to the long arm of greed that continues to reach out and destroy or alter Mother Nature along the way.
As envisioned in 2004, but objected to by some of us, Port Orange is now proceeding to make a facial change on Mother Nature. The so-called Riverwalk project calls for a drastic alteration of the Halifax River shoreline at the western end of the Dunlawton Bridge. A City Council member has stated that Port Orange needs a marina. Perhaps this is because Daytona Beach has one and we are in competition, which is hardly a good reason to scar Mother Nature.
We have a finite acreage of wetland in America. To lower that by landfill or construction thereon is tantamount to creating an imbalance in nature. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers becomes involved whenever a proposal arises to cover a wetland. Mitigation enters the picture, and the proposer for change must show a like amount of land owned somewhere that will be connected at his or her expense to an adjacent wetland. Believe me, this is far from being an easy task. I have such a work-in-progress on my Minnesota farm, and the end is not in sight.
IRV MORRILL, Port Orange
Read all the letters to the Editor of the Daytona Beach News-Journal
at http://www.news-journalonline.com/opinion.htm
1 3 10
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WHERE DOES THE MONEY FOR CRA PROJECTS COME FROM?
From: Port Orange Images [mailto:poimages@cfl.rr.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2010 4:17 PM
To: Parker, Ken
Subject: CRA money.
Jan 23 2010 at 413 pm
From Port Orange Area News
www.portorangeareanews.com
Hank Springer, Publisher/Editor
poimages@cfl.rr.com
Good Afternoon Mr. Parker,
A POAN reader asked me where the money for the CRA comes from. The Riverwalk project is a CRA project , I hope I am correct. Would you please tell me where the money comes from.
What percentage is put up by Port Orange Tax Payers, County Tax payers, the state?. Any federal funds involved.
Does Mr. LaCour put up in any money.
Just an overall view of where the money comes from would be sufficient for my purposes.
-- hank
-- reply from Mr. Parker, City Manager of Port Orange, Fl. --
received and posted Jan 25 2010
CRA funds come from growth in assessed value on property within the CRA District. You will often hear the term increment used to describe this growth. There was a base year that established the base value for the District. As I recall, the base year for one of the Districts was 1995 and the other was 1998. The incremental value change between the base year values and the current values is what is used to calculate the amount of property taxes funds that will go into CRA District to fund its projects and cover its expenses. The funds come from the reinvestment in the district. The City, County and Hospital District are partners in a CRA District. When the 2010 budget was adopted by the Town Center CRA and the City Council, they anticipated receiving about 24.8% of the revenue for the Town Center CRA from the City of Port Orange. This translates into revenue of $119,910. They anticipated receiving 24.3% of their revenue from Volusia County. That translates into revenue of $117,385. They anticipated receiving 15.5% from Halifax Hospital District or $74,702 in revenue. The CRA has several rental properties in Town Center. Annually, they produce rents of about $54,000. This year there were still some capital projects moving forward and bond funds were available. Those funds amount to about 22.1% of the revenues for Town Center in the current fiscal year. That amount to $107,054 in revenues. There were interest earnings that amount to about 2.1% or about $10,000. In the Eastport District, there are no rental properties owned by the CRA to provide income. In the Eastport CRA District, the CRA anticipated 36.8% of its funds would be generated from the City’s Tax Increment; 36% from the County’s increment; and, 22.9% from the Hospital District. The Tax Increment from the investment made in the Eastport since the base year generated $110,717 from City, $108,385 from the County, and $68,974 from the Hospital District.
Are there State and Federal Funds involved in the Districts? In the case of Eastport, we have been able to obtain grants to assist in the acquisition property and construction of Buschman Park. Also, we have been able to use some Community Development Block Grant Funds to do some street work in Eastport. We have been able to obtain Florida Inland Water Navigation District grants for the design of the Park at Riverwalk and for the construction of new restrooms under the bridge. Riverwalk is just one section of the overall Town Center Redevelopment Area. We have been approved to use Community Development Block Grant Funds to renovate the Adult Activities Center on Ridgewood. Early in the program, we obtain State assistance in constructing Fire Station 1 located on Ridgewood. We have been able to obtain State grants to acquire several parcels of property in Town Center. That land will be converted into open space along the Riverwalk. We been able to obtain federal funds to do shoreline restoration in a number of locations on the Causeway due to major erosion caused by storm events.
You asked a question about whether Mr. LaCour and his partners have invested funds in the Town Center Redevelopment effort. The answer is yes. He and his partners own parcels of land in Town Center. They own property in the Riverwalk area as well as parcels on Charles Street and on the west side of Ridgewood. They have invested in other properties along Ridgewood and have sold them to other investors over the years. Several of the buildings on the west side of Ridgewood that have been renovated or constructed in the past several years were done by Mr. LaCour and his partners.
Mr. LaCour is not the only investor in the Town Center Redevelopment Area. There have been several redevelopment projects that have occurred in the Town Center area since the District was formed. Riverwalk is the largest profile project and has received the most attention. We are extremely pleased with the number of smaller investor projects that have been constructed in the Town Center Redevelopment Area since its inception. The same can be said about Eastport. Much of the attention is placed on the Eastport Business Park. However, like Town Center, there have been several other projects and buildings constructed in Eastport that are located outside the formal Eastport Business Park. Several private sector developers have invested in the area. Sometimes, the focus is on the big projects the smaller ones go unnoticed.
Hopefully, this break down helps.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.
Ken
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Mother Nature's face
Staff Writer Kelly Cuculiansky's Dec. 20 report concerning the proposed Port Orange Marina was very well written. I would like to add the following in opposition to the long arm of greed that continues to reach out and destroy or alter Mother Nature along the way.
As envisioned in 2004, but objected to by some of us, Port Orange is now proceeding to make a facial change on Mother Nature. The so-called Riverwalk project calls for a drastic alteration of the Halifax River shoreline at the western end of the Dunlawton Bridge. A City Council member has stated that Port Orange needs a marina. Perhaps this is because Daytona Beach has one and we are in competition, which is hardly a good reason to scar Mother Nature.
We have a finite acreage of wetland in America. To lower that by landfill or construction thereon is tantamount to creating an imbalance in nature. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers becomes involved whenever a proposal arises to cover a wetland. Mitigation enters the picture, and the proposer for change must show a like amount of land owned somewhere that will be connected at his or her expense to an adjacent wetland. Believe me, this is far from being an easy task. I have such a work-in-progress on my Minnesota farm, and the end is not in sight.
IRV MORRILL, Port Orange
Read all the letters to the Editor of the Daytona Beach News-Journal
at http://www.news-journalonline.com/opinion.htm
1 3 10
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Riverwalk Project and Buddy LaCour
Community leaders are joining forces to make Volusia County a more attractive place to live, work and play. Among them is Buddy LaCour, a Daytona Beach native who formed LaCour and Company Real Estate Development about to years ago to build everything from shopping centers and restaurants to business condominiums.Red Heart Charm Bracelet
The company’s largest and most visible project is the Port Orange Riverwalk, valentine’s Day links of london salewhich Labour is overseeing with partners Ken and Linda McGauran of McGauran Investments. Although the economic downturn has slowed the development somewhat, plans still call for a pedestrian-friendly old Florida-style town center along the Halifax River with a public park, marina, shops, restaurants and 30o condominiums in Phase I.Pink Heart Charm Bracelet
“We’ve found Port Orange a very viable marketplace for business expansion,” LaCour says. “I’ve traveled a lot through the years in my business ventures, but now I live in Ponce Inlet . I enjoy going home and sleeping in my own bed.Links of London Bracelets
“We’re focused here,” he says. “We think the stability will return and this is the place to be.”
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10 20 09 interim use cra land
A video segment from POG TV
channel 199, Brighthouse
====================
mcd32127 has made a comment on 10 21 08 pt 2 rivewalk area:
You can reply to this comment by visiting the comments page.
==========================
River Walk Project Area, Port Orange, Fl.
Oct. 21, 2009
A POI Video
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October 22, 2009
Officials seek early uses to promote Riverwalk
Staff Writer,Daytona Beach News-Journal
PORT ORANGE -- Rather than let land sit unused in the Riverwalk district, city leaders are considering letting folks breath some life into the parcels with activities like a farmer's market or community garden as the properties are redeveloped for a new village center....
more at Riverwalk interim use
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Received Oct. 18, 2009 at 11:10 PM
From Craig E. Young, Port Orange, Fl.
- Loman's got their $800,000, even though they bought the same property for 40 % less, not ten months ago...And now we are told, they get to stay there, and pay NO TAXES....while paying the City $2000 a month?( for interest on a loan, from the Taxpayers)
(Derogatory term and information deleted by editor - POAN Hank)
----- Original Message -----From: Port Orange ImagesTo: Craig E. YoungSent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 6:33 PMSubject: Re: McGurn's other slick real estate deals.......
thanks, posted www.portorangeareanews.com----- Original Message -----From: Craig E. YoungTo: Craig E. Young ; Gladys V. Young ; Karl Weinberg ; George Steindorfer ; Steve Rumnock ; poimages@cfl.rr.com ; Bob Pohlman ; Margie Patchett ; Parker, Ken ; Vic Miller ; Mary Martin ; litt ; Dennis Kennedy ; Mayor Green ; Dick Fahlbush ; Frank and Doris ; Lee BriggsSent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 9:27 PMSubject: Re: McGurn's other slick real estate deals.......
(title deleted by editor - POAN, Hank)
----- Original Message -----From: Craig E. YoungTo: Gladys V. Young ; Karl Weinberg ; George Steindorfer ; Steve Rumnock ; poimages@cfl.rr.com ; Bob Pohlman ; Margie Patchett ; Parker, Ken ; Vic Miller ; Mary Martin ; litt ; Dennis Kennedy ; Mayor Green ; Dick Fahlbush ; Frank and Doris ; Lee BriggsSent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 6:25 PMSubject: McGurn's other slick real estate deals.......
ISN' T THIS THE SAME KEN MCGURN, WHO GOT $800,000 FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL JUST LAST WEEK?
Developer buys foreclosed condos
By CECIL G. BRUMLEY - BUSINESS EDITOR
Publication: News-Journal (Daytona Beach, Florida)
Date: Tuesday, March 3 2009
A Gainesville developer and his wife, who are involved with the massive Port Orange Riverwalk project, has bought most of the unsold condos at Palmas de Mallorca, public records show. Kenneth McGurn and his wife, Linda, who's also involved in the couple's real estate business, bought the condo units mostly for resale, "but we're also keeping one for ourselves," Kenneth McGurn said.Besides their involvement in the Riverwalk project and other developments in the area, McGurn is a Mainland High School graduate, he said. "It's about time I had a place to stay there when I come over."
Compared to previous sales at the condo, developed by a bankrupt Daytona Beach company, the McGurns got a steal.
In separate transactions, the McGurns paid Fifth Third Bank $480,000 for the two penthouse condos in the seven-story, 14-unit building, and as Palms at Daytona Beach Shores LLC, paid $1.92 million for seven other units, according to deed recordings. That averaged out to about $266,000 per unit.
Four units had already sold at the condo at 3811 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores, for $903,460; $822,170; $762,200 and $625,020, or an average of about $778,200. One unit is still owned by Fifth Third, public records show.
The low price was part of the bank getting a quick sale on the units, McGurn said. "We've been working with banks on these types of properties."TOO BAD KEN MCGURN DIDN'T FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT GETTING A "LOW PRICE" FOR CARWELL'S FUNERAL HOME.......But......WTH!THE TAXPAYERS OF PORT ORANGE WERE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT..........ANYWAY!reference:Riverwalk goal shrinks by .68 acres
By KELLY CUCULIANSKY
Staff Writer---------------------------------------------------------