Historic Bostwick Building Demolition Meeting Tonight

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Also Jennifer Hewitt Apperson from DVI.
Carmen Godwin just showed up from RAP

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The inimitable Chris Flagg is also with us in the audience.

Lori Boyer, Doyle Carter, Matt Schellenberg, Don Redman are seated.  No sign of Denise Lee or Warren Jones.

Representing staff, Joel McEachinfrom Historic Preservatioin, and Dylan Reingold from the Office of General Counsel are here.

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Schellenberg and Guilliford both disclosed that they have discussed the issue with both Preston Haskell and Mr. Bostwick about the preservation of the building.

Lori Boyer has also visited the property, talked with Preston Haskell and Bostwick, also Jim Bailey and Oliver Barakat.

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Terry Lorrince is the first speaker.

She is for the preservation of the building on behalf of Downtown Vision.

The Bostwicks are all here as well, in the front row.

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Kay Ehas will be the next speaker. But in the meantime, Terry is extolling the virtues of the Historic Designation and the economic impact of historic structures downtown.

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Terry Lorrince quoted another publication about the importance of historic structures on corner lots.

Kay Ehas will not be speaking, Chris Flagg is up next and then me.

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Carmen Godwin up next.

She is beseeching the city to consider the impact to the cultural history of the historic building stock.

She is also comparing the success of the Riverside Avondale Preservation area as a guide for the additional value that is added by historic preservation.

Carmen can be such a great speaker.

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Gloria is up next on behalf of CPAC.  Of course they are for the preservation of the building.

She is followed by Joe Markusic speaking on behalf of Preservation SOS.

Joe is also in support of preservation.

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Mr. Bostwick is up.  He is a gentleman in his sixties or seventies who speak with a slight southern lisp.

He is arguing that the building does not meet the criteria to make it an Historic Landmark.

Also that the city is creating a financial hardship on the owners.

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Brian Blackburn, a bit of a conservative ass attorney from the Riverside area is speaking on behalf of the Bostwick Family to destroy the building.

He is detailing the history of the demolition by neglect in vivid detail however.

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Karl Bostwick is up speaking.

he addresses Terry Lorrince that he supports the downtown mission.

He also supports springfield and riverside preservation, apparently.

He also supports personal property rights.

He is a fairly good looking younger chap with an impeccable sense of style.  He seems uncomfortable speaking in front of the crowd, and his voice is breaking a little.  He would like to suggest that the only way that he sees of saving the building would include a private/public 'partnership' to restore the building.

He says that they are open to selling the property, and finishes up.

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The owners keep saying that saving the building is not economically feasible.

I would argue that it depends entirely on your personal economics.  Read: Haskell.

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David Garber is up.  He is friends with Karl Bostwick and is an advocate of demolishing the building.

"If all of these people are soooo concerned about this building, why don't they bear the burden of purchasing the building. They should reach in their back pocket, pull out their checkbook, and pay the price"

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Jessie Ray Norton

"mustve been a hell of building at one time, from all the fuss thats made about it."

"What this city needs is jobs.  Demolishing the building would create jobs."

I think that if we pass the resolution to destroy this building, think about the jobs that its going to create"

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Jo Anne Tredinnick is here on behalf of SPAR.

In a most welcome way, SPAR is for the preservation of the building and opposes the demolition.