Roll out the bulldozer
There are 3 comments for this page [ View ]Saturday, April 26, 2008
The vision thing.
That's what Ogden's economic redevelopment gurus are hanging the city's hat on: that Ogden can be something. A place to go. A place to live. A place to play. A place to succeed.
The city's on its way. Good things are happening. But it's a work in progress, and that forward motion won't persist if obstacles remain in the way.
Some of those hurdles are invisible: the financial markets, the local, state and national economies, things like that.
Others are more obvious. They jump out at you, in fact. And the best example of that kind of economic impediment is along the Ogden River between Washington Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue. There are almost two blocks' worth of mostly boarded-up homes that scream: Stay away! Dead zone here!
These buildings, according to Richard McConkie, Ogden's community and economic development deputy director, are owned by California real estate developer Gadi Leshem, who has been buying up land and buildings in Ogden, and placing options to purchase on other pieces of real estate within the city, for two or three years now. McConkie says the city has contacted Leshem about bulldozing the properties, but without luck so far.
Here's the problem, as we see it. The RiverFront Project -- an effort to redevelop the banks of the Ogden River and for blocks beyond between Washington Boulevard and Wall Avenue -- is an aggressive but necessary component of Ogden's downtown-revitalization plans. Already, a new bicycle shop and popular sandwich shop is located in the budding development. But for prospective developers looking to relocate or give birth to new housing and/or businesses in the area, the blighted properties might as well be the setting for a documentary film titled "Urban Decay: The No-Way-Am-I-Investing-In-Ogden Story."
Anyone who walks, jogs or cycles through the area is witness to the awful, disheartening scenery. On a recent day when we visited to shoot video and still photographs for an online version of this editorial -- view it at www.standard.net/live/opinion/editorials -- we interrupted a group of young males who appeared to be stripping metal and fixtures from some of the homes, and a pair of apparently homeless men scrounging through abandoned garages and yards.
It's ironic that the property owner and the city wouldn't be moving heaven and earth to knock down these buildings, providing a potential developer with an opportunity to see the potential for homes and businesses along what could be a scenic river route within the city.
Add to that irony the story contained in an April 16 letter to the editor from Ogden resident Jody Sully, who remarked concerning the city's code-enforcement officials warning about so-called "trash" in the yard and a tire leaning against the side of the Sully home just west of Wall Avenue near Second Street.
Pictured on this page is Sully's home -- nicely landscaped, fenced and pleasant to look at.
Also pictured is a home owned by Leshem.
It's pretty clear the code enforcement isn't being applied equally.
Finally, though, while it's important that Leshem level his boarded-up properties in order for Ogden's RiverFront development to continue apace, it's also important with respect to his neighbors along 18th Street. On the north side, the homes are well-kept and pleasant. But those Ogden residents have to look out their windows to a row of mostly abandoned homes. It's a disgrace.
Whichever of these properties Leshem owns, he should level -- quickly. Same goes for anyone who owns boarded-up homes in the area; it's time for them to come down.
Comments
So Ogden can try to condemn peoples homes to build a Walmart, but they can't do something about a truly blighted area such as this...
Couldn't agree more, but also look just one block off of Washington right in the heart of Ogden on 25th Street. There sits a boarded up Mexican restaurant on the very street the city touts as the key to downtown. Why has nothing been done to this owner, who from what I hear actually lives here (as apposed the the owner of the homes the video speaks of)? At a recent function held next door at Rumours, people from out of state who were here for an event contained in our outdoor vision got a first-hand view of this eyesore. I can only imagine what they thought.
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While the irony is truly rich in regards to the people who received a citation - I am amazed and befuddled at the constant attacks on Gadi Lesham. Where were the newspaper editorial/attacks on the slumlords of these properties prior to his acquisition? At least Leasham is working (and investing!) in a better future for the area. Cut the guy some slack - this is going to take time to clean up the mess. I am sure it would be immensely easier to build on open farm land in Davis county but he has made a commitment (with his money!) to Ogden. I would hope that we as a community and a newspaper could be a little more supportive - I think the editorial was a little over the top. It seems the majority of times a potential development sufaces, the paper has a tenancy to immediately do a front page heart-sob story on the down-and-out tenants (eg. River Project,Winsor Hotel, St. Anne's Move to 12th) who will be displaced while at the same time decrying the state of downtown and current administration. I guess it sells papers.