A majority of voters in the latest JJ poll think the Pearl River Valley Water & Supply District should not extend developer John Burwell's lease for several tracts around Main Harbor. 65% don't think it should be extended, 18% think it should be, and 9% want to give him an additional year. The board voted to grant the extension last week. The results are below.
No. He's had his chance. | 180 (40%) |
Yes. | 85 (18%) |
Yes but just give him 1 year | 41 (9%) |
Don't care. | 30 (6%) |
No but throw him in the Rez first. | 113 (25% |
7 comments:
What incentive does the PRVWSD have to enhance usage/development around the Rez? Do they get higher lease payments (as in, are Rez commercial lease payments based on some kind of valuation)?
Seems like they should appoint a staff person as a full-time economic development director (ie: cheerleader) to get some REAL developers or projects interested in the Rez. Then they'd have an alternative to Burwell. But, being a governmental agency, I bet they won't do it if they can't identify a funding mechanism to pay for the staff position or can't see an upside from increased lease fees. Or do they already have such a person?
I know. I spoke to several developers. For a developer to seriously look at that property, a proper study will cost $100,000 or more. No one going to do that unless the district announces it will accept and consider other bids and it needs to do that in the next six months.
Catfish - why don't you have some of those several developers call me and we can see what they wan't to study. What I can't understand is why you (who seems to be intelligent) say things like this. I OWN the Harbor and all the land around it (110 acres)and have leases for 60 years. It cannot be "given" to someone else. You need to expend all this youthful and misguided energy to helping get all these developers to the table with me. As for the other comment, this a SELF funded agency so of course they get more money in rent with development. What more incentive could there be than all the money I have spent.
John Burwell
Bur-dick, first of all, you don't own the harbour, you LEASE it. It seems some 16th section landowners thought they owned their land until Delbert set them straight on that fact. Second, no developers are going to come in there unless they do it on their own, at least the ones I have talked to and they are pretty good ones.
I hate to say this but a project like Santana is not going to happen. You need to stop and look at all the desired mixed use projects for the area: Blind School, Canton, downtown, oh and lets not forget when they get it straight with the Corps, the new one lake project. That is ALOT of supply for a limited amount of demand. Not to mention there is limited commercial financing for such projects and will be so for a few years.
Now you do have one option. PERS Investment Committee decided last month to substantially increase its real estate portfolio. Only problem is, the committee members were actually making jokes about Harborwalk and they all laughed about it.
What are the options for breaking Burwell's lease? I'd think that would be a great way to start over.
KF -
"16th section landowners thought they owned their land"
Not really right to call them landowners, then, is it?
You are correct, sir. However that is how they think. See Pat Bruce's comments about her lease, for example.
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