IS IT TRUE December 9, 2013

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IS IT TRUE December 9, 2013

IS IT TRUE that roughly three weeks ago the City of Evansville decided to start acquiring options on properties in downtown Evansville that the powers that be think may be helpful in landing the IU Medical School in downtown Evansville?…the City even commissioned a well known commercial realtor who according to a couple of the CCO Moles hangs his license at FC Tucker Realty that just happens to be the same firm where the First Lady of Evansville Carol McClintock, Vanderburgh County Commissioner Marsha Abell, and Evansville City Councilwoman Missy Mosby work?…for the sake of even trying to appear to avoid cronyism making such a move without going through a bidding process show the contempt that the City has developed for even the simplest functions?

IS IT TRUE One of the properties that the City wants to get an option on is as pointed out in a letter to the CCO Editor by Adam Kunkel of the Kunkel Group, the infamous McCurdy Hotel that is now owned by The Kunkel Group?…when the Kunkel Group said no to the City’s suggestion the “CODE POLICE” of Evansville were unleashed on Kunkel properties like the FLYING MONKEYS who were beholding to the Witch of the West were unleashed in the Wizard of OZ?…within three weeks after festering unmolested by government for over 5 years the McCurdy became ground zero for the first battle of the IU Medical School?…it is pretty obvious visibly that the McCurdy has been declining and a highly probably location for code problems for at least 5 years but the City of Evansville sat idly by under both former Mayor Weinzapfel and current Mayor Winnecke content to ignore the violations as long as there was some intention stated to refurbish the place and the POLITICAL DONATIONS KEPT ROLLING IN?…the former Whirlpool plant that is owned by Kunkel and operated as Park 41 was also targeted by the “CODE POLICE” for violations?…we should not be surprised if the Renaissance Square, Meridian Plaza, Kunkel Place, the old folks home by the Coliseum, and the Welborn Building all refurbished and owned by Kunkel get a visit from the “CODE POLICE” in the next few days?

IS IT TRUE that if noses are not growing like Pinocchio in the Civic Center over what happened next then the legend of Pinocchio must have been banned in Evansville?…Mayor Winnecke, his Chief of Staff Steve Schafer, and Building Commissioner Ben Miller all stated in an interview that the attack of the “CODE POLICE” and the rebuttal of their demands to option the McCurdy were not related?…we would ask that these three guys need their heads examined if they can’t see that their own public spinning has less that a one percent chance of passing any truth test?…this looks and sounds more like a blatant lie than when Mayor Weinzapfel tried the “I didn’t call the meeting” nonsense after having current Mayor Winnecke call the meeting to take away the Homestead Tax Credit?…people expect politicians to lie and spin when running for office but once elected the truth and transparency are expected?…we would encourage Mayor Winnecke, Mr. Shafer, and Mr. Miller to step back and think about their assertion?…even if they are being truthful (which quite frankly this writer does not believe them to be) no one with two brain cells will believe them?…what this looks like, smells like, and feels like is that the “CODE POLICE” are being used capriciously and selectively to further the agenda of those in power?…this makes the “SIGN GOONS” instance from last week look like child’s play?…one would wonder just why on earth any business would see Evansville as a desirable place to be when the law is used selectively like a runaway sheriff in a movie about the deep south from the turn of the 20th Century is a day to day occurrence in Evansville?

IS IT TRUE the Kunkel Group is headed by local people who were educated elsewhere but came home to Evansville to pursue entrepreneurial dreams?…these people are the “young educated professionals” that cities across the nation typical get from Evansville?…they have taken on projects that have benefitted downtown Evansville that no rational company with an immediate profit motive would have touched with a ten foot pole?…by all visual accounts they have been making a living at it and currently employ more than 100 people in Evansville?…for City government that has been right there smiling for the camera with Ben Kunkel every time he cut a ribbon to turn on these people like a rabid dog because they didn’t get their way is simply not acceptable?…it is also un-American, and if the “CODE WARS” continue to their eventual end will constitute a violation of federal laws with precedent that forbid condemnation of property for economic development purposes?

IS IT TRUE we wonder why other MOLES are telling us the Greyhound Bus Station block is also on the target list for the IU Medical School?…it sounds like the City of Evansville is trying to present a fragmented proposal for a location?…we also wonder what pot of money any options acquired will be paid for from?

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47 COMMENTS

  1. I find it utterly fascinating that Evansville City Code Chapter 18.140 (Signs) has a specific regulation on real estate signs, which is as follows:

    18.140.030 Exemptions – (A)(6) One real estate sign for each frontage, not exceeding six square feet, indicating the sale, rental, or lease of the premises.

    If you look around our fair City, how many real estate signs do you see in compliance with this? Better yet, how many real estate signs are NOT in compliance with this? A “six square feet” is not very large, yet how many commercial building for sale or lease have HUGE signs on them? IIT has made previous comments about semi-trailers with a large banner on the side. Is this in compliance with the above mentioned code?

    So if Kunkle is being targeted for sign issues, all it takes is a complaint to the Area Plan Commission to have similar signs enforced.

    Evansville has a “Citizen Concern Portal” where you can report ANY issue you see in Evansville. It gives you a list of regulated issues that can be brought to the attention of the proper regulatory office, and you can also sign up for updates and follow-up on the issues.

    http://evansville.in.gov/index.aspx?page=2825

    Perhaps if more citizens would use this and hold Evansville accountable, we might see some clean-up action where needed.

    Just my .02 cents worth

    • As of this posting, according to the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s website, no property tax payments for 2012-pay 2013 have been made on the property.

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  3. Is it true that less than a month the editor and followers were looking to string the Kunkels up in the mob fashion that is regular on CCO? In a typical “my enemy’s enemy” alliance, Kunkel Group has now gained the favor of the editor and his minions. Whether it is or is not retaliation is speculation. One thing that we know is fact is that The McCurdy is in violation of several building codes. I appreciate the work the Kunkel Group has done in our community, but don’t go crying foul when you’re not up to snuff.

    • The good ol’ CCO double standard again!!
      Kunkel said the city asked about properties that the city wants for IU. He did not list any of the addresses he is talking about. The city reposned to his press release by saying they are not interested in any of the Kunkel property.
      Can Kunkel tell us the addresses he says he was asked to sell? His letter to the media was suelry long enought to have included that info. After all, it is at the heart of his complaint of unfair treatment.

      • The property the city wants to option for the IU Medical effort is the McCurdy. Two of his properties those being the McCurdy and the old Whirlpool facility were tagged for code violations 3 weeks after he turned down the city’s option request. Coincidence????

        • The City may be looking at almost two blocks consisting of the McCurdy (and it’s $600,000 parking lot), the stalled renovation of the River House, the Shrine Temple and its adjacent parking lot with the FC Tucker listing at 216 SE Riverside.

        • Where did you get that info? I have not seen that anywhere.
          You can claim you were going after the city all you want, but Kunkel has owned it for more than a year. Surely you are not suggesting you have not had any IIT posts on here about The McCurdy since Kunkel took over.
          A private owner bought it. For you to slam it as much as you do and then say you were really talking about the city, not the current owner is silly. Kunkel has not so much as boarded up a broken window in over 12 months. That is on them. Nobody else. The victim of the system mentality is really being overplayed around here.
          This latest spin by the CCO just shows how far you will strecth things to go after the city. And that part is sad.

    • We never said anything about stringing anyone up. Our frustration with the McCurdy has always been directed at local government. If government starting in 2008 when they injected themselves would have stayed out the results would most certainly have been different.

      • http://www.psywarrior.com/Goebbels.html.

        Classyeville,politics = oxymoron

        No offense classy,I have deep roots against such use of the so called tactics, my people were actually there historically. I have seen the stuff first hand in my “face and nose”,thus stomach for a short time in other global regions.
        However, sometimes when looking in from afar its hard not to think about those types of said tactics,somewhat. Really as intelligent people,the mere thought that this stuff could take place today is horrid, and completely unacceptable, strong outside region investigation might be in order there,as we know better than to accept such “tactics.”
        Focus Evansville’s metro keep your eye on the target, never look away while or,if, this is going on, go outside,think “class action”….as well.

    • I agree on your point. After a year Kunkel says they are going for traditional financing and should have something in 60 days. Reminds me of a sign in a bar I used to visit years ago. Free Beer Tomorrow.

    • Do you still believe the APC/ west franklin thing was just an APC official gone rogue? Are you saying there is no political bullying going on against kunkel? How many beyond repair buildings has kunkel saved? How many perfectly healthy buildings has the city trashed? End of story.

      • If you heard APC at tonight’s Council meeting, it seems as there actually are two sides to the story about the W. Franklin sign issue. Imagine that. Everyone except you and the CCO loyalists realize that there is always more than one side of the story.

        • The letter I just read from that meeting admits the APC has been used in the past to exempt political buddies.

          Each agent has his/her own territory and the appointments of more or less fastidious agents is itself an issue of inequality.

          I stand behind my call for complete abolishment of the APC. Instead of a Fine Gestapo to roll around searching for tribute payment to the city overlord by small businesses wanting to advertise and build on their own property, let’s encourage the court system to solve any litigious disputes that arise.

          The APC has little or nothing to do with safety. It’s all about control and revenue generation. The indulgences scheme wherein businesses can put up “dangerous” oversized signage so long as the pay an annual fee is extortionist. The APC is like Don Fanucci in The Godfather. He extorts from businesses for “protection”, and he makes just enough outward show of his beneficence to lull most of the people into playing along or thinking the “protection” is necessary. I suggest we do as Vito Corleone and remove the extortionist.

          • Every time you write about this topic you prove over and over that you lack any understanding or comprehension of zoning regulations and how they benefit and protect the community.

            Do us all a favor and use that Internet thingy on your computer to do at least a little research before you blather on with opinions about business signs that are not just impracticable, they border on the line of insanity and stupidity.

            Zoning has been used in America since the 1860′s, but modern zoning (often referred to as “Euclidian Zoning”) is based on a Supreme Court case that has never been challenged or reversed. In 1926 the United States Supreme Court upheld zoning as a right of states (typically via their cities and counties) to impose on landowners. The case was Village of Euclid, Ohio v. Ambler Realty Company. The Village of Euclid won the case, and a precedent was set favorable to local enforcement of zoning laws. In doing so, the Court accepted the arguments of zoning defenders that it met two essential needs. First, zoning extended and improved on nuisance laws in that it provided advance notice that certain types of uses were incompatible with other uses in a particular district. The second argument was that zoning was a necessary municipal-planning instrument.

            The purpose of the sign ordinance is to facilitate the location and choice of signs to ensure better communication between people and their environment and to avoid visual clutter that is potentially harmful to traffic and pedestrian safety, property values, business opportunities, and community appearance. With these purposes in mind, Evansville and Vanderburgh County has regulations in place to authorize the use of signs which are compatible to local community, appropriate to the activity that displays them, creative and expressive of the identity of both individual activities and the community as a whole, and legible in the environment in which they are seen.

            Signs appear everywhere. They are essential for traffic safety and communication, but if left unregulated, signs can lead to visual clutter and decreased property values. Current and thorough regulations are required to arrive at a balance between the needs of commercial businesses and visual impact on residents and visitors to the municipality.

            The conclusion is that your anarchist sign methods would clearly cause numerous negative impacts to Evansville and Vanderburgh County. Do us all a favor and get over yourself and your repeated rantings about the total deregulation of local signs and zoning laws. Every time you suggest it you prove again and again that you lack any credibility in discussing a topic that is clearly beyond your understanding for proper local zoning practices.

      • I’ll correct myself on this. I never thought that the W. Franklin sign issue was orchestrated as targeting those businesses out of jealousy or competition with downtown. Most everyone that works at the Civic Center that I have spoken with about W. Franklin are excited about the growth and the vibrancy of street. I said that it was more likely that the issue was caused by an overzealous APC employee, when actually it was an APC employee that was finally able to do her job properly. Even though I never said it publicly, my apologies to Mrs.Holderfield.

  4. “IS IT TRUE One of the properties that the City wants to get an option on is as pointed out in a letter to the CCO Editor by Adam Kunkel of the Kunkel Group, the infamous McCurdy Hotel that is now owned by The Kunkel Group?”

    I didn’t read anywhere in the letter where it was mentioned the property the city wanted to option was the McCurdy. Did I miss something?

      • It may not be a secret to you, but it has not been made public that I’m aware of that the McCurdy is the target of the option for the IU med center. In fact the CP article specifically states that it is not. From the CP article yesterday:

        “Kunkel said Winnecke’s administration approached him three weeks ago about acquiring a Downtown option for the Indiana University School of Medicine-Evansville’s expanded campus. That option apparently was not the McCurdy building, but rather another property Kunkel owned.”

      • Don’t read the C&P anymore, they want to extort money for me for the privilege of reading their articles, I went so far as to delete the links in my bookmarks on every computer/device I have….they do not exist as far as I’m concern. 😉

        JMHO

      • My understanding is that the property they wanted to option is the old Welborn Hospital and Clinic property, but the McCurdy is the property that the City is giving Kunkel grief about.

        • This seems more likely as going after McCurdy as an IU site would be a political minefield and pose disadvantages if you want a contiguous campus, yet there are other compelling motives that could be at play, i.e. taking out FC Tucker and HCW’s competition for downtown apartments.

          Nothing would surprise me at this point.

      • Curious says….
        IS IT TRUE One of the properties that the City wants to get an option on is as pointed out in a letter to the CCO Editor by Adam Kunkel of the Kunkel Group, the infamous McCurdy Hotel that is now owned by The Kunkel Group?”

        I didn’t read anywhere in the letter where it was mentioned the property the city wanted to option was the McCurdy. Did I miss something?

        Editor says….See CP article yesterday. This is no secret.

        Courier & Press says….Kunkel said Winnecke’s administration approached him three weeks ago about acquiring a Downtown option for the Indiana University School of Medicine-Evansville’s expanded campus. That option apparently was not the McCurdy building, but rather another property Kunkel owned.

        Editor Joe….What do you say now?????

  6. The Greyhound lot was on my IU Med School map at first because its really one of the only vacant lots downtown. A few lawyers would likely befefit if its put closer to MLK and 7th. Having an ace in the hole like the riverfront, where all the other non-attractions like Vectren and ONB buildings tend to gravitate, seems to more closely fit the modus operandi of the complete fools in charge.

  7. Wasn’t the Kunkle group the outfit that had one of the buildings with downtown condos closed for failing to be constructed to code? Didn’t all the residents have to vacate the building until it was fixed? I could be wrong, but I seem to remember that.

    • While I’m not taking Kunkel’s side about that code issue, having spent 40+ years in commercial construction before retirement, it would be difficult to find a building that didn’t have a code violation or two that had to be fixed before occupancy or even afterwards.

      As I remember reading, this had to do with the State Fire Marshall and a somewhat “grey area” of the codes. Building code books are thousands of pages (sort of like Obamacare) and can be contradictory many times.

      Just sayin’

    • You are correct. And there was no rush to defend them back then. Guess codes are only important when enforcing them gives the CCO something to complain about.

  9. My contacts at the civic center tell me that the proposed Med School site shall be located at the Greyhound Bus station area. Plans are already on the drawing board, drawn by a local architect. The Mayor already has mind made up on who he wants to develop and build this facility.

    Oh, why don’t someone on this site research and see if the Kunkel Group own any lots or land located in the area of the Greyhound Bus Station. If you do, you may just find the real the reason why the Mayor and his puppets are causing them codes problems. I hear the Mayor wants Kunkel Group to give the city an option on land they own in that area so he can build Med School in that area.

    • Is this (Greyhound) the area where the “Bi-centennial Park” was to be put? Has the city dropped this like the cities bi-centennial celebration?

      • Bingo Rails. I would bet you have it right about Hafer if the firm is from here and not Indy. Do not know what Hafer has on the locals that gives them a shoe-in but…… I do hope that the Old Greyhound Bus Station is not lost entirely. Please please work with Indiana Landmarks if this is the case.

        Not to beat a dead horse but I am pretty tired of hearing that Tucker Reality is involved too. Same big fish. Same small murky pond.

  10. What has happened to the three blocks of property the O’Daniels family acquired as “New Oddessy, LLC” when Weinzapfel wanted to put the arena south of the old Executive Inn parking garage? Does anyone know if parts of that land is being considered for the IU project?

    Why would they want to use a prime riverfront property for a school instead of a tourist attraction? What kind of knee jerk planning are they pursuing now? Cramming the “John” on Main St. and MLK Jr. Blvd. is an excellent example of the lack of vision our leaders have. Oh! I forgot! These are the educated and innovative leaders we elected to run our city and county governments. The “cream of the crop” is the “bottom of the barrel”.

    The IU facility will end up across from Gateway where the students can get practical experience with minimal travel time, and plenty of housing is readily available.

  11. None of us like people who do not play by the rules. Mr. Kunkel, playing by the rules means paying your property taxes so the rest of us do not have to take up the slack.

    Just a cursory look at your properties shows that you have paid nothing so far this year on your properties at: McCurdy Development 100 SE Riverside Dr., Walker Building 401 SE Sixth Street, former Unclaimed Freight Building 1616 South Governor, 322 Waggoner Avenue, 12539 Apache Pass, just to name a few.

    There have also been some people on this site and the C&P website who say that you are very slow to pay suppliers and contractors who work for you. That is not playing by the rules either.

    Mayor Weinzapfel gave you guys every break in the books during his two terms, and we know that Mayor Winnecke has a great affinity for Mr. Weinzapfel, but enough is enough.

    We all need to play by the same rules in this town.

    • Press, Not sure where you got your information, You’re usually pretty factual. The taxes on all of those properties have had payments this year. The only one with an outstanding balance is the Walker building ~$11k. From your list I see taxes paid in 2013 for those properties at $57,515.50.

      • I got the information directly from the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s website immediately before posting.

        If you have access to more current information than that please let me know how to access it.

        I stand behind the post.

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        • I got my information from the same source based on the addresses in your post. I even double checked.

          I stand by my post. Others can do their own check…

          • Press, I owe you an apology. I was looking at the previous years payments at the bottom of the tax pages.

  12. Andy Guarino, Vaneta Becker’s husband is going to replace Sally Becker as trustee of the EVSC school board?

    Isn’t he a Principal at an EVSC school, and as such isin’t he part of the school administration staff?

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  13. Joe…I have read the letter from Kunkel several times…and I have yet to find where they state that the city was interested in the McCurdy….I also read the article in the C&P and they specifically stated that it wasn’t the McCurdy property.

  14. solve it all-put IU Med over by Gateway (Riley’s Children, Heart Group, Chancellor’s Oncology, Lovely Dr Browning’s Omcology group on Epworth, the Women’s hospital) OR out by USI, where STUDENTS WILL LIVE, and be convenient to something better than Sewage treatment plant (yummy parfum on a summer day) or a gambling establishment, or Winky’s peeing off his rooftop in the city’s oldest skyscraper whilst crowing over his hubby’s newest bad idea in downtown.
    UI will be on Warrick’s nickel, and in a fitting place, state of the art-we can establish dorm dwelling (and get our greasy hands on that revenue.) Warrick can afford it better than we can-
    Kunkel has not once paid their taxes on time like us average Joe’s (that was part of the dirty deal did dirt cheap, I believe-)they can skip the mock horror, and WE can kiss 2 or more relics of our elegant past goodbye. I’m coughing from the smoke being blown up my backside, frankly.

    Smoke and mirrors from people no one trusts, Kunkel ought to fix Winky’s hash and give it back to him-“here’s your albatross” YOU pull a rabbit outta that hat-get a prize-and you’ll deserve one.

  15. the iu medical school will team with the martin group to build on the martin site that will lead to a building boom….location location location………apartments restaurants single family homes business a complete community…….downtown evansville is nothing but a political money pit……….

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