Thursday, December 10, 2015

Saturday Tour Proposed Fairview Park - See Ruins and Possibilities!

The latest issue of Salem Weekly has the details on an official walk of the proposed Fairview Park area!

Le Breton Hall in 2011

Latest site conditions map - with slopes, views, trees
From the piece:
A tour of the property is scheduled for Saturday, December 12, at 10:00 a.m.

Signs will be posted at the corner of Reed Road and Old Strong Road SE directing people where to park for the tour.
The focus presumably will be on the possibilities for the park, but don't let them get away without talking about Le Breton's proposed demolition! The matter was pulled from Council last week, but it will reappear on the agenda for Monday the 14th.

The estimated cost to "deconstruct" the building is now $250,000, up from the original estimate of $50,000 merely to "weatherize" the building for TBD future uses. The current estimate to weatherize it has also increased:
As due diligence was completed, it was found that the cost to secure and weatherize the building will cost $190,000, mainly due to unforeseen problems with the roof and gutter system....The Seller is willing to absorb $90,000 ($250,000 less $160,000) of the cost of the deconstruction of the LeBreton building in exchange for additional Earnest Money.
There's no outright discussion, however, on why it is preferable to spend $250,000 for demolition and not $190,000 on preservation. This is assumed, not proved or argued.

(For previous discussions of Le Breton, the proposed park, see notes tagged Lindburg Green.)

1 comment:

Salem Breakfast on Bikes said...

Here is, I think, some evidence that the City is not taking the time to think very seriously about preserving Le Breton.

In a facebook post from yesterday they say:

"The proposed amendment includes a recommendation to deconstruct the LeBreton building due to the high cost for weatherization and security, as well as uncertainty regarding the potential for reuse and ability to fund renovations that are expected to well exceed $1 million."

In today's "Community Connection" email, they say:

"The proposed amendment includes a recommendation to deconstruct the LeBreton building due to the high cost for weatherization and security, as well as uncertainty regarding the potential for reuse and ability to fund renovations that are expected to well exceed $10 million."

Maybe they just dropped a zero, but you can't help but wonder if they're just making stuff up because they don't want to try very hard and because they didn't give sufficient thought to the matter before initially agreeing to purchase the parcel with Le Breton included.

The lack of detail and the wandering detail at the very least suggests a carelessness.