but, no one has stepped up on that building since. I had an idea for a skywalk across the train tracks- with an observation deck- for the OD- thought it would be cool- having the trains go underneath you…

@DL:  yes yes yes!   Great idea!   That garage is vastly underutilized, and it is only a block from the Oregon District.

Because of the number of square feet- it requires x parking spaces- within a set distance. The city has kept anyone from doing anything with it- since in a historic district, you can’t tear things down to make parking- and every other spot is accounted for. It has a roller rink on the top floor- the building is amazing- but, each year, it needs more and more love- and that’s making it worth less.

One day- we’ll have to tear it down- and replace it with either a small building- or a parking lot. Brilliant.

With all due respect, how many jobs does a parking lot create, compared to a hospital?

I know this is about City Services, but I am amazed that the only business that is growing is the health care business.  From a long term perspective this phenomena cannot continue as health care takes away from the bottom line and does not advance it.  Sure preventative care is one thing, but my god it does not seem to make economic sense that a City or a Region can survive on Health Care and the Military, both of which are funded with predominately Tax Revenues.  I get that old people with Socialized Health Care are great voters, but from a long term perspective, it appears unaffordable.  I think the Housing Bubble was obvious and the Health Care Bubble is next.  Crazy times and stupid investments for the future.

I think if you are located next to MVH you will find it difficult to provide customer parking for a small business without their graces. And, yes, that is still downtown- no matter what the “planners” in city hall have been calling downtown for years.

@Larkin- calling Emily out for tearing down a historic structure- when the city has basically condemned the entire area at Wayne and Wyoming for a Kroger that never came- including a building that is indeed historic and unique – is kind of sad. Considering that MVH had no problems at all tearing down a grand old house on the corner of Apple and Warren to build a parking lot- that did nothing to solve their parking problems.

Just think of how much money MVH could save on building parking lots if there was a walk to work tax credit encouraging employees to live in Fairgrounds and South Park- or take public transit?

We need new approaches to old problems- not shooting of small businesses who are trying to stay competitive in the shadow of a giant.

We offer a service to the community at a very low cost.  So that parking downtown isn’t a nightmare.

Where the hell are you parking?  Meters everywhere and not a spot to park.  Yea that is really “pro-business”…

Same problems same issues.

AGAIN – if one has never dealt with City of Dayton Inspector(s) you really haven’t a CLUE as to how insane the process can be.

We did not have a choice. 

Parking lot ( we own) or no parking lot (BIG BIG Employer owns – vai eminent domain)

We had the property on the open maket for over 2 years…

BTW Parking downtown is a nightmare!!!
If it makes you feel any better – the building was salvaged by a historic group.

EM

You DID mean that my father & I are rubes (a napkin – really??!! You are the typical snide and rude Civil Servant) .  You meant that statement in the most negative manner – you just didn’t expect that I  would call you out on it. 

Obviously you haven’t a CLUE what architectural services cost these days – (psst… – no one is building their “dream home” anymore)  Low demand higher price. OK?!  Simple economics.

And NO –  no one is willing to “give it another look” – my father was informed this past Monday that “the criminal charges wouldn’t be pursued” as long as he was making a “good faith effort to comply”.  And that would be on whatever size of paper of whatever composition (we still don’t know).  Even if the Inspector was “out with the flu” for 2 weeks.

You have NEVER attempted to open nor operate a business in the City of Dayton.  And it shows…

Try as you may there are thousands of stories that correborate my side – not yours.

BTW – how did that whole “appease BIG, BIG Employer” work out for the Dayton-metro area?  NCR – gone.  Delphi – gone.  IAMS – gone.  Shall  I continue?

The properties around us don’t give a sh&t about parking bumpers – and you know it.  Lame argument, I call BS. 

You know that  I am right.  The properties around us are owned by BIG, BIG Employer.  They HATE our attorneys.  Sorry –  too bad – so sad! 

They also don’t give a crap about landscaping.  This is the “expected” Civil Servant mentality of “WOW I am so enlightened that my brains have fallen out”.  

Go on – go scoop those brains up!  I’ll wait.

The only thing that BIG, BIG, Employer gives a rats ass about is if their employees are SMOKING in our parking lot, which we allow to pi$$ off BIG, BIG, Employer!! – Actually their security team has come on to OUR lot – a private area – think of the legal implications…(ACLU would have a field day!)

“For every Inspector Gotcha there are dozens of people working hard to serve our communities.”  Really?  Show me one – give me a name…double dog dare!  Actually I  TRIPLE dog dare…go on – stick your tongue on that frozen light pole. 

Again, I’ll wait.

“With all due respect, how many jobs does a parking lot create, compared to a hospital?”  Showing your “true colors” (again) here.  Gosh – I’m sorry WE didn’t make a parking lot for the “greater good”.  WE did it for OUR bottom line  -

I know it is a really  “wacky” idea, but try to wrap your brain around it  – if they are still in your head… (actually it is to pay my parents self-employed health insurance – $$$ each per month). 

Furthermore, WE didn’t do it by choice – WE were backed into a corner of eminent domain – or nada – no property (which has been in my family for well over 100 years).   

We got the necessary asbestos permits because we didn’t want to contamate the surrounding properties – my bitch was that we had to get the permit(s) to LOOK for it & FIND it & REMOVE it & CERTIFY the removal. That would be 4 permits.  For what should be 1.

Finally – we are not carrying a “grudge” against someone for “5 years”.  But when you have to “re-invent” the wheel that has  already been invented…and cost $$…and costs time… one becomes exhausted, especially when one attempts to “do the right thing”.  The simple fact that  I brought it up says volumes.

My heels are dug in on this one – I will fight against City Hall & every other Inspector GOTCHA. 

I will also do this for every person that asks for my help.

Try again – and do not pass GO…unless you have a PERMIT!!!

Sincerely,

Emily Weaver

Big fish are fine. People get that. But then they go elsewhere. So then we lack that small business that makes a city unique. Basically they say “F*ck You” and go elsewhere. Now we all lose.

It should be a simple process. The inspectors are always on their high horse. I have dealt with them. I had to kiss ass – which I did and I played their game – but some people don’t have time for that. They need to lose the attitude. And most have an attitude. And to a lot of people, especially in construction, they are the face of the government. THEY need to be nice.

I understand your frustration- the laws are often written for legislators- by special interests- and make no sense. I’m bewildered by many of them-

but- then again, our local officials make some boffo mistakes- like instead of enforcing noise ordinances on the books to deal with idiots on motorcycles cracking their pipes in the Oregon District- they write a law one bike per spot- parked parallel- with the kickstand on a white dot- and next thing you know- all the rich guys and their harley’s are at Quaker Steak and Lube- and not coming back.

I could give names and titles to some inspector Gotcha’s that I ran into when opening my office building- with their STUPID attempts at jerking me around. Like asking for a backflow preventer -because graphic designers would be washing out brushes and inks (apparently they still hadn’t seen a computer in 1990)- or the requirement for lighted EXIT signs over doors with windows in them- all FOUR of them – in a building that wouldn’t let you go more than 15 feet from a door… the list goes on.

Those same IG’s – are now heads of departments.

And guess what your years of pissing off people has brought- development in the suburbs galore- and budget cuts that will further decimate your ranks.

It’s time to own up to your past trespasses- and take up the fight for the little guy- even if it means telling the State to go to hell. Sprinkler requirements? Really?

Parking blocks? Double keyed deadbolts? Space between handrails- some of this protection is stopping Darwin from separating the idiots from the living. I’m sure the staircase at Adobe Gila’s meets all your laws- but idiots still kill themselves. At some point- we need more protection from your rules- than we need from ourselves.

And- we also need to simplify our tax codes, our business permitting process- and the way we “help” businesses. But- don’t worry- the city is making more cuts- announced today- and it isn’t to Nan or Joey’s pay.

 
I would volunteer the time and energy to develop however many are needed.

 
I can only imagine that you guys do a thankless job. I do not know what type of pressures you deal with in your job and I am sure that if I had to deal with them then I would have a different perspective. I thank you for sharing yours.

Should the city not make an effort to appease “Big Big” employers at a time when people say how bad things are for businesses?
 

Not at the expense of smaller businesses. That is just plain discouraging to the small business owners and no one likes to be treated unfairly. You would not like it either, whether it was actual or perceived. Now I could take the attitude and say “tough luck, that’s the way it goes”! That would likely encourage a person to relocate someplace that is more small business friendly. NOBODY really wants that.
 
I think this is a good time to evaluate how customer friendly you guys are. I feel your frustration working a thankless job but there a lot of other thankless jobs too. In many of those jobs it’s absolutely essential that excellent customer service be maintained. I can tell you this much. If you want people to say thank you, then provide the best customer service you can. Will everyone appreciate your efforts? NO! But the ones that do will express it and you will feel appreciated and encouraged.
 
Please keep coming here. I hope you can affect change by shedding light on what you guys deal with. We need church.
 
Oh, we seldom agree with each other at first so don’t be put off by that. It does get a little heated at times. David Esrati does a real nice job moderating things to keep it civil.