The Journal Star reports that members of the newly-formed Peoria Riverfront Museum board of directors were chosen. But that’s not the really newsworthy part of the story. The real news is contained in these two paragraphs:
Once convened, [board appointees] will work to finish the redevelopment agreement for the museum block, assist in closing the remaining private funding gap [emphasis added] and in various aspects of the construction phase and develop an operating agreement….
[Peoria County Board Chairman Tom] O’Neill said he expects to break ground on the parking deck in June. [emphasis added] The total cost of the parking lot project, including design work, is estimated at $8.5 million.
Jesus said, “‘Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.”‘”
Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Find out how much the project will cost, and then figure out how much money you have, before you start building the foundation. You’d do that if you were building a home for yourself, right? But what is Peoria County doing?
- They don’t know how much the project will cost. The first design (the one with the big sphere) was rolled out to the public in January 2006. In July 2007, just 18 months later, they rolled out the current, smaller design. The reason given for the change at that time was “construction costs [had] risen at a much quicker rate than could have been anticipated based on historical data.” It’s now April 2010, 33 months after that design was presented. Even if construction costs rose consistent with historical data, it’s still going to be more expensive to build the project now than it was in 2007. What is that cost? Nobody knows.
- They don’t have enough money raised to complete the project even at 2007 costs. Despite years of fundraising efforts, federal grants and earmarks, a successful sales tax referendum, IDOT funding, and the promise of state funding, they still do not have all the money raised that they needed three years ago. What makes anyone think they can raise the remaining funds now? Much of the private funding that has been raised is still in pledge form, not cash in hand, so there is even a question as to whether that money will really materialize.
- The parking deck is the foundation. The parking deck is the first stage of constructing the museum. It is, of course, completely unnecessary since there is a glut of parking downtown as numerous studies have shown. Regardless of that, the parking deck is not designed or sited to be a stand-alone deck. Its design is specifically tailored to the 2007 museum plan. It’s an underground deck over which the museum building and grounds will be built.
- The County doesn’t own the Sears block. Seemingly forgotten in all of this talk of construction is the fact that the City still owns the Sears block, and the County can’t construct anything on it using federal funds unless they own it or at least have some agreement with the City. So far, there is no such sale or agreement.
And so, the question is, why would the county even think about starting the foundation when they don’t know how much the whole project will cost and they know they don’t have all the money raised to finish it, and they know the prospects of getting the rest of the money is slim? Isn’t this foolish use of taxpayer funds, regardless of their source (federal, state, local)? Why this push to start construction by June? Are they hopeful that they’ll have final costs and all money in hand by then? I doubt it.
And then there are those assurances the County gave to voters before the referendum passed last year. Remember those? The County told us they wouldn’t start construction until all the money was raised. If they start construction in June, they will be going back on their word.
The only explanation I can see is that it’s a capitulation to Caterpillar. You may recall that Cat threatened to pull out of the project if the County didn’t start construction this year. They don’t want to “lose another construction season,” they explained.
Rather than capitulating and beginning this building project, the County should stick to a fiscally-responsible course. Here’s how to kill the museum project in three easy steps:
- Bid out the project and find out how much it will cost in real numbers to build the museum, and compare that number to the amount of cash in hand raised by the museum folks.
- If there’s not enough money to cover the project (and there won’t be), the County should insist that construction not start until the money is raised.
- Since that will entail losing another construction season, Caterpillar will pull out of the project, at which point the project dies.
To make up for the loss of construction jobs, the county could then reallocate the money from the sales tax to other public facilities that need constructing/rebuilding, thus giving the trades just as much work as they would have gotten from the museum boondoggle, but less long-term loss to the taxpayers.
I was concerned about this line in the article.
“Appointees to the board have a nearly 10-year history of museum block development behind them and much work in front of them.”
By insisting on using “facts” in your posts about this, you revealyourself to be a “glass-half-empty” sort of person.
Billy: Surely you jest!
By CJ insisting on using ‘facts’ in his posts about the museum, he reveals himself to be an overflowing glass of truth sort of person!
There is another word for this: Squatting.
did anyone else think “usual suspects” when they read the list of appointees? Come on Peoria, let’s get a bit more creative and look outside of the popularattzi.
23 members of a board? Are they kidding? There will be the most colossal example of Group Think in Peoria’s History.
‘a retired dance instructor from Hanna City’… WTF? Is she the entertainment for the rest of the board?
‘too valuable an opportunity to pass up’… yes, I believe that will be true. The Peoria Historical Society has been a ‘valuable opportunity’ for many as well.
ANYONE with any History, Archeology or let’s just say any relevant background on the board?
‘Appointees to the board have a nearly 10-year history of museum block development’
I missed the humor in this line… 10 years of museum block development and so far we have… a hole in the ground!!! (Is that ten years among all 23 of them?)
‘O’Neill said he expects to break ground on the parking deck in June. ‘
Build the parking deck. What for? Could we get a museum first and then worry about parking… what if they build it and nobody comes?
Oh… I get it… then Caterpillar gets a free parking deck annex…
Ohhh you naysayers….just wait and see…this will be the biggest thing since O Brien Field or One Technology Plaza or the Midtown Plaza.
Billy you going to give a couple thousand or do jest in support, i don’t have it myself
How did i miss this:
“A former mayor, a couple of bankers and a retired dance instructor are among the first 12 members appointed to the inaugural Peoria Riverfront Museum board of directors.
The 12 announced Friday by Peoria County Board Chairman Tom O’Neill will be joined by 11 others who also have been named and who will represent the six agencies that make up the museum and the Caterpillar Experience visitor’s center collaborative group.”
“the first 12”? “will be joined by 11 others who also have been named”…
Named by whom? I see two names… Ransburg and Johnson. (I don’t think “a couple of bankers” counts as names…)
Charlie needs names so he can do deep research and find all the skeletons in their collective closets and formulate a position that will utterly destroy any hope of progress that the group might make.
No matter what name is printed it will be spat upon by the all and powerful ……
And PC doesn’t need names because EVERYTHING done in the name of “what’s best for the people” is okay by him… as long it isn’t Obama’s administration doing it. A committee just sounds so … honest and above question.
Progress… I thought you Republicans were against progress and progressives.
Precinct,
Really though, I do believe Charlie’s [April 3rd, 2010 at 9:15pm] question/statement is valid.
You know and I know this is yet ANOTHER power ploy to keep ‘the baby’ within the SPECIAL CIRCLE. Five members from Lakeview? Gee…go figure. One member from each of the other players? Wonder who. I have looked at the current list of employees, volunteers, etc. listed for Peoria Hist Society, African Amer Museum, etc. WOW! Experts one-and-all!! Certainly nobody who will ROCK THE BOAT here.
Nothing but YES MEN & YES WOMEN!
Seriously…if it took these wiz kids ten [plus] years to get this far, and their still how many millions short… I wonder if my great grandkids will ever get to see their first duck decoy!
This is a farce, or at best, another weak attempt to rack up a few more bucks…..
QUESTION!
Will there be a sky-walk leading from [anywhere] to the museum?
If so… could we get one with moving sidewalks and/or timewarp capabilities?
What if anything has come of the study of Water Street access in regard to flooding, etc.? You can’t start building a parking deck for a museum along Water Street without that study being completed and the improvements made and finished. I don’t see that happening any time soon.
CJ:
Here is a blog in Ann Arbor that discusses a “new media” issue of IMG, specifically in its players and coverage of a residential development that did not win approval.
I just thought that you would find the topic prescient and the writing, by a blogger, who is a candidate for mayor of Ann Arbor, colorful.
http://www.a2politico.com/?p=3348
Our County Administrator was to meet with museum officials Friday for a better interpretation of their June 30, 2009 Financial Statement which is interesting. This statement should be updated through 12/30/09 for transparency. Before ANY ground is broken.
Appears they have plenty of questions to answer. It also appears they may be far more short in fundraising than the $6 million they are saying.
“better interpretation…”
There is such a thing?
All those museum people………….?
Socialists! Every single one of ’em!