Tuesday, April 03, 2012
City grows a pair
Spokane city gov't starts down the road toward demolishing the Ridpath Hotel.
I have some attachment to the question, since I lived in the Ridpath for a month when I first moved here in 1990. At that time it was fraying around the edges, but it was still a pleasant place and a full-service hotel. Restaurants, laundry, maids, barber, magazine shop... all in one place. Downtown skywalks took you directly to banks and stores. If you didn't require lots of privacy, you could live a complete life without ever stepping outside!
Since then the Ridpath has gone downhill precipitously. By 2008 it had failed, and in true 2008 form, it was securitized to an uncoordinated set of 20 different owners. Not a condominium or shared partnership, just 20 feuding companies and people. It's not clear what any of these owners wanted to do with 1/20 of a vacant hotel, and they haven't even agreed to keep it safe or keep the doors locked against transients. Presumably each party hopes to hold out till the others give up, in order to get a big payoff from whatever finally happens.
Until now the city allowed that situation to fester. Now they've finally grown a pair, and they're taking physical steps to show that there won't be a payoff. Slapped a "Do not occupy" order on the whole place, and installed concrete barriers on the parking garage, which was the only functional business.
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Later thought: This is yet another case when Spokane mayors prove my father's rule about politics: "If you want Democrat policies, vote Republican. If you want Republican actions, vote Democrat." Repooflican Mayor Condon, elected last November, has proved the rule three times now. First he enforced Die-Versity Privilege in a case involving a cop who correctly restrained a crazy dude; Second, he enforced Disability "Rights" in a case involving a drunk cop who was trying to claim alcoholism as a "disease". (Amazingly the city council forced Condon to back down on that one.) This time Condon's Democrat action fits one of the few good Dem tendencies. He's keeping a short leash on rapacious property owners, while the previous supposedly Dem mayor had let the owners run wild. ¶ 12:18 PM
I have some attachment to the question, since I lived in the Ridpath for a month when I first moved here in 1990. At that time it was fraying around the edges, but it was still a pleasant place and a full-service hotel. Restaurants, laundry, maids, barber, magazine shop... all in one place. Downtown skywalks took you directly to banks and stores. If you didn't require lots of privacy, you could live a complete life without ever stepping outside!
Since then the Ridpath has gone downhill precipitously. By 2008 it had failed, and in true 2008 form, it was securitized to an uncoordinated set of 20 different owners. Not a condominium or shared partnership, just 20 feuding companies and people. It's not clear what any of these owners wanted to do with 1/20 of a vacant hotel, and they haven't even agreed to keep it safe or keep the doors locked against transients. Presumably each party hopes to hold out till the others give up, in order to get a big payoff from whatever finally happens.
Until now the city allowed that situation to fester. Now they've finally grown a pair, and they're taking physical steps to show that there won't be a payoff. Slapped a "Do not occupy" order on the whole place, and installed concrete barriers on the parking garage, which was the only functional business.
= = = = =
Later thought: This is yet another case when Spokane mayors prove my father's rule about politics: "If you want Democrat policies, vote Republican. If you want Republican actions, vote Democrat." Repooflican Mayor Condon, elected last November, has proved the rule three times now. First he enforced Die-Versity Privilege in a case involving a cop who correctly restrained a crazy dude; Second, he enforced Disability "Rights" in a case involving a drunk cop who was trying to claim alcoholism as a "disease". (Amazingly the city council forced Condon to back down on that one.) This time Condon's Democrat action fits one of the few good Dem tendencies. He's keeping a short leash on rapacious property owners, while the previous supposedly Dem mayor had let the owners run wild. ¶ 12:18 PM
