downtown
#1
I wanted to post this under Clone's old thread "Medford downtown ghostown" but it's closed. I'm starting to find these closed threads annoying. More than three times I've wanted to add something and had the thread be closed.

At any rate, in keeping with her theme, I'm posting the MT article.

I was amazed to find out that with the new Lithia Center, they didn't even include enough parking for staff! Now residences would fall under a different category. And I realize the idea is make downtown more vibrant, but I also wonder how well the area can handle all the new building. I personally feel that the College interferes with the downtown area getting the right feel. I support the college, I just think It might have done better somewhere else, like the way the New Medford High is over in the West boundaries.
Can downtown in it's present state handle all this? Central can get pretty congested as it it. And I don't see the city doing much to make it safer or more bicycle friendly.

A proposal to build an elevated residential complex above a parking lot on Central Avenue in Medford has resurfaced after the city took a pass on the project in December.



The 25-unit Skybox project, now called Sky Park, will go before the Medford Urban Renewal Agency board at 6 p.m. Thursday in the City Council chambers at 411 W. Eighth St.


In December, the project appeared to unravel over a disagreement with the city about who should retain ownership of the parking lot, located across the street from the Medford library at the northwest corner of Central Avenue and 10th Street.

MURA wanted to retain ownership of the land, and the developers would have paid $1 for "air rights" to build the residential complex. The parking lot would have remained open to the public.

However, the developers asked the city to sell them the land, which they would lease back to the city for up to 100 years.

As a result, the MURA board, which initially endorsed the concept, decided not to renew an exclusive 90-day negotiation period.



Under the latest proposal, the city would retain full ownership of the parking lot. The developers would retain ownership of only the structure built above the lot as well as supporting columns.

Eventually, the residential complex could become a condominium association. McKechnie said the structure would belong to the association, and the parking lot would belong to the city.

The project calls for apartment-sized, one- and two-bedroom units.

The cost of the project is estimated to be in excess of $2 million, funded by private dollars. McKechnie said he couldn't say when the project could start until an agreement is reached with MURA.

A central open-air courtyard would traverse the center of the complex, from north to south. The courtyard would vary in width from 22 to 35 feet.

Currently the parking lot has 75 spaces; the developer would increase that amount to 85 by removing planters.

Under the proposal, the agreement would allow one parking space for each unit, resulting in a net loss of 15 spaces.

Councilor Dick Gordon, who is the MURA board president, said he has two issues with Sky Park that he would like discussed at the board meeting.

The first is making sure the city owns the land.

The second is the density of the project. He cites four-story buildings that have gone up recently, including the Lithia Motors headquarters and One West Main project.

Another project proposed by the Jackson County Housing Authority is the four-story, 50-unit residential complex on Sixth Street.

Gordon said the Housing Authority's proposal is on roughly the same sized lot as Sky Park, but will have twice the density. Under Sky Park a public parking lot would be retained, but the Housing Authority's proposal would get rid of a public parking lot.

"
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll.../402180312
Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or dmann@mailtribune.com. Follow on Twitter at @reporterdm.
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#2
(02-18-2014, 08:27 AM)Tiamat Wrote: I wanted to post this under Clone's old thread "Medford downtown ghostown" but it's closed. I'm starting to find these closed threads annoying. More than three times I've wanted to add something and had the thread be closed.

snip.....

I understand your vexation but I think you can request a thread be reopened. Doing so does require a dose of patience though. Smiling
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#3
(02-18-2014, 08:57 AM)Valuesize Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 08:27 AM)Tiamat Wrote: I wanted to post this under Clone's old thread "Medford downtown ghostown" but it's closed. I'm starting to find these closed threads annoying. More than three times I've wanted to add something and had the thread be closed.

snip.....

I understand your vexation but I think you can request a thread be reopened. Doing so does require a dose of patience though. Smiling

Second one today, VS. It's ridiculous.
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#4
Spammers like to post to old threads. The older, the better. So Kam set up something to lock any threads that haven't been posted to in over six months.

I figure just make a new thread with the same title, call "version 2.0" or something, and give a link to the original thread so people can catch up if they want to.

Sucks, but it's the fast way around it.
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#5
(02-18-2014, 09:51 AM)csrowan Wrote: Spammers like to post to old threads. The older, the better. So Kam set up something to lock any threads that haven't been posted to in over six months.

I figure just make a new thread with the same title, call "version 2.0" or something, and give a link to the original thread so people can catch up if they want to.

Sucks, but it's the fast way around it.


Whatever.

At any rate, I've made my morning contributions to "discussion". Ha ha. Well, that's it. Outa here!Big Grin
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#6
(02-18-2014, 09:51 AM)csrowan Wrote: Spammers like to post to old threads. The older, the better. So Kam set up something to lock any threads that haven't been posted to in over six months.

I figure just make a new thread with the same title, call "version 2.0" or something, and give a link to the original thread so people can catch up if they want to.

Sucks, but it's the fast way around it.

If a spammer posts in an old thread that no one has paid attention to so what?
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#7
It's an invitation to spammers, having all those old threads around? I don't know.
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#8
(02-18-2014, 11:09 AM)csrowan Wrote: It's an invitation to spammers, having all those old threads around? I don't know.

What I meant was why do we care if a spammer posts on an old thread? I know when I see an obvious spam post I report it. I assume others do. But if no one is seeing it because it's in an old thread then why close the whole thread?
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#9
I spend a bit of time on the trip advisor forums. I often find just the question I want to ask so I go to that topic only to find it was closed do to inactivity. So, I just ask my question again and I usually get good current information. Things change and I don't want to rely on outdated info so it's a good thing.

I don't care if a thread on the RVF is closed do to inactivity. It's no big deal. Besides Tia, I once posted to a very old thread and you asked me why I resurrected that old thread. So there you have it. Big Grin
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#10
(02-18-2014, 10:48 AM)tvguy Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 09:51 AM)csrowan Wrote: Spammers like to post to old threads. The older, the better. So Kam set up something to lock any threads that haven't been posted to in over six months.

I figure just make a new thread with the same title, call "version 2.0" or something, and give a link to the original thread so people can catch up if they want to.

Sucks, but it's the fast way around it.

If a spammer posts in an old thread that no one has paid attention to so what?

Sounds like: If a spammer posts in a dead thread (and there's no one there) does anyone read (hear) them??
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#11
Link to the old thread
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#12
(02-19-2014, 12:00 AM)chuck white Wrote: Link to the old thread

Might as well show the first post:

Quote:A popular Downtown Medford eatery is forced to close shop...some Downtown business owners say it's tough to keep businesses going and this is the latest example.

Often when you take a step inside Medford’s Woolworth building you see a line of people, waiting for soup at Spoons.

Today, the entrance is empty- a sign reads "Do not enter, unsafe building. It is a misdemeanor to enter."

"Now that they've got that thing posted down there, it's got to be beating off business," says Gary McColgan who another business owner in the Woolworth building above the eatery.

"They're trying to revitalize Medford, and they're not helping any of the people who are really taking strides to make this place successful," he continues.

The City Building Safety Director says the ventilation system needs a hood instead of a fan. Catch 22, Spoons can't cut into the outside walls because the Woolworth is an historic building. The other option is to put in a hood that vents through all four floors.

"It is frustrating, it's making it hard on small businesses," says Fat Kat Tattoo owner Jeff Rahenkamp.
He says Spoons isn’t the first business to face a roll call of regulations in Medford.

"If I didn't own my building I would have moved out of downtown years ago."

After parking changes and continued demands some simply close their doors, creating what resident's call a Downtown Ghost Town.

"I walked through Downtown Medford the other night and I thought, this is a dead zone," says resident Tom Wood.

Businesses say it’s a struggle...
"At some point you run out of patience for dealing with this stuff," says McColgan. ... facing so much against them in a still fragile economy.

Both parties are hoping to get this handled...the City Building Safety Director says he's sympathetic and believes it can be resolved.

According to the city, the owner of Spoons could cook offsite and transport the soup back to the business." <WTH?

http://www.kobi5.com/news/local-news/ite...-town.html


thanks Clone.
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#13
(02-18-2014, 10:08 PM)Tiamat Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 10:48 AM)tvguy Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 09:51 AM)csrowan Wrote: Spammers like to post to old threads. The older, the better. So Kam set up something to lock any threads that haven't been posted to in over six months.

I figure just make a new thread with the same title, call "version 2.0" or something, and give a link to the original thread so people can catch up if they want to.

Sucks, but it's the fast way around it.

If a spammer posts in an old thread that no one has paid attention to so what?

Sounds like: If a spammer posts in a dead thread (and there's no one there) does anyone read (hear) them??

YEP, if a tree falls in the forest ......
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#14
(02-19-2014, 11:21 AM)tvguy Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 10:08 PM)Tiamat Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 10:48 AM)tvguy Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 09:51 AM)csrowan Wrote: Spammers like to post to old threads. The older, the better. So Kam set up something to lock any threads that haven't been posted to in over six months.

I figure just make a new thread with the same title, call "version 2.0" or something, and give a link to the original thread so people can catch up if they want to.

Sucks, but it's the fast way around it.

If a spammer posts in an old thread that no one has paid attention to so what?

Sounds like: If a spammer posts in a dead thread (and there's no one there) does anyone read (hear) them??

YEP, if a tree falls in the forest ......


Do you have the answer Obi Wan?
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#15
(02-19-2014, 08:16 PM)Tiamat Wrote: Do you have the answer Obi Wan?

It does.

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#16
(02-19-2014, 08:16 PM)Tiamat Wrote:
(02-19-2014, 11:21 AM)tvguy Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 10:08 PM)Tiamat Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 10:48 AM)tvguy Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 09:51 AM)csrowan Wrote: Spammers like to post to old threads. The older, the better. So Kam set up something to lock any threads that haven't been posted to in over six months.

I figure just make a new thread with the same title, call "version 2.0" or something, and give a link to the original thread so people can catch up if they want to.

Sucks, but it's the fast way around it.

If a spammer posts in an old thread that no one has paid attention to so what?

Sounds like: If a spammer posts in a dead thread (and there's no one there) does anyone read (hear) them??

YEP, if a tree falls in the forest ......


Do you have the answer Obi Wan?

Twas I who asked the question.
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#17
(02-19-2014, 09:16 PM)tvguy Wrote:
(02-19-2014, 08:16 PM)Tiamat Wrote:
(02-19-2014, 11:21 AM)tvguy Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 10:08 PM)Tiamat Wrote:
(02-18-2014, 10:48 AM)tvguy Wrote: If a spammer posts in an old thread that no one has paid attention to so what?

Sounds like: If a spammer posts in a dead thread (and there's no one there) does anyone read (hear) them??

YEP, if a tree falls in the forest ......


Do you have the answer Obi Wan?

Twas I who asked the question.

That's completely irrelevant.Razz
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