Sunday, March 7, 2010

We are showing our ignorance of the process...

This is part of the back-up for the discussion item on the City Commission's work session agenda for March 9.  I took the liberty to highlight in yellow the questions that are worthy of asking an architectural firm at this stage in the process - or ever, for that matter.  It might be even a little bit of a reach to ask about the applicability of their design to various grant programs, but it does signal that money is an issue in this project.

The other questions prove that the City does not know what they are doing - which is a scary harbinger for the project in general.  The city should be in the position to tell the six firms what they want on the second floor.  In many ways, this was the city's responsibility to do its homework with the public and with their financial pro-formas BEFORE the RFQ process.  And what does the city want to do with the space - have a ballroom, or something else?  Are we that afraid to be held to our decisions that we are letting architectural firms that are hungry for work tell us what WE want to do with our building?  I thought one of the "givens" of the project was that the tenants will stay in the building (a major complicating and potentially expensive factor) -are we now saying this is "optional.?"  In addition to being expanded or reconfigured, we should be asking if the first floor retail space will be reduced due to the requirement to meet ADA requirements.  And do WE want to keep the porch or breezeway?  The city is in the position of being developer for this project and apparently is not suited to the role.

Regarding "green" elements of the project, it should be a threshold requirement - the degree is the question.  We should be able to state affirmatively that WE want the building to generate its own electricity - if they can't design a building in this manner, then they don't get the job.  How about that?  And to ask how your green features will be able to survive the public participation/charrette process is asking them to gaze in a crystal ball that is hazy at best.  How are they to predict what changes will be accommodated?  And couldn't this have been done before through a series of community workshops before the RFQ process?

Just my two cents.  It is a good thing that we have Vice Mayor Golden, a self-admitted "developer" to help lead us through the process.

Oops!! Mathematical Error in Scoring Casino Architects


Due to a mathematical error, the ranking of architects for the casino has been corrected.  The same six (6) firms are still the top choices score-wise - but the order is changed a little and the three way tie for fourth place has been eliminated.  REG was the top choice according to the original incorrect ranking - now it is Beilinson Gomez.  This process going forward will be discussed at the City Commission's work session on March 9.  Back-up for this item can be found by clicking here.  Check it out as it indicates how each Commissioner and the Mayor ranked the firms' attributes.

P. J. O'Rourke

There's a whiff of the lynch mob or the lemming migration about any overlarge concentration of like-thinking individuals, no matter how virtuous their cause.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Time Lapse

Per Channel 5's Steve Weagle on FaceBook:



This morning's record low of 39 marked the 11th day of sub-40 lows at West Palm this winter. This sets a new record for number of sub-40 degree lows for any winter. The previous record at PBIA was 10 days in the winters of 1917/1918, 1919/1920 and 1957/1958.

Palm Beach in New York Times Travel section this weekend - Click for article


36 Hours in Palm Beach, Fla.
Published: March 7, 2010
This tiny island, north of Fort Lauderdale, boasts dreamy estates and wide, uncrowded beaches.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

From Steven to Susan – CNN Documents an Extraordinary Journey of Gender Reassignment and Self-Discovery for Public Official

Her Name Was Steven premieres March 13 & March 14 at 8pm and 11pm ET & PT - Click title for details.

Empty Bowl Fundraiser for Haiti : March 20, Lake Worth Florida


Dear Friends:  Following the tragic earthquake in Haiti dozens of Palm Beach County artists responded to a “Call to Artists” and created hundreds of ceramic bowls that will be used as a fund-raiser for the people of Haiti. The Flamingo Clay Studio will be selling the bowls at the Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery in Lake Worth.  If you buy the bowls in advance your donation will be $25 (or 4/ $80).   If you buy the bowls on the day of the event you will be asked to donate $35 each.  (Your generous contributions of larger amounts per bowl will be welcome.)  On the day of the event, after you pick up your bowl, sixteen of the best restaurants in Lake Worth will fill your bowls with samples of their food.   See attached postcards below!
100% of your contribution will go to the Haitian relief effort.  You will leave the event with a beautiful hand-crafted bowl and a full belly. Pre-purchase your tickets for the event at Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery, 605 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Fl- For information contact Joyce at JCLay6@aol.com 

Feel-Good Story: Lake Worth resident wins H-D cycle


Wes

I found your blog and thought I’d drop you a note about one of your lucky local residents.  Use it, or don’t, as you see fit.  That Charlotte, NC pop up was amazing, will have to share that.  

Lake Worth resident Paul DiPrima had originally gone to Zippo.com looking to buy lighter fluid – he’s coming away, make that riding away, with a lot more than that.  On Friday at Palm Beach Harley-Davidson®, Paul DiPrima will be handed the keys to his brand new 2010 Harley-Davidson Iron 883 motorcycle.  Paul entered the “Red Hot and Ridin’ Sweepstakes” on Zippo’s music website, ZippoEncore.com. 

He was chosen randomly from thousands that entered the contest, but early on he seemed destined to win.  Paul is a motorcycle rider but doesn’t currently own a Harley-Davidson.  He bought a Zippo lighter at the Zippo-sponsored Cruzan Amphitheater in West Palm Beach during a Toby Keith concert.  He was going to give the lighter to a friend and needed to buy fuel for it so he went to Zippo.com where he got his fuel and entered the contest.

“I never thought twice about the contest after that”, said Paul.  His wife and riding buddies thought he was crazy when he told them he had won.  One of his first stops will be Thursday bike night on Lake Avenue in Lake Worth.  Next trip?  Key West for Bike Week.  “I am looking forward on bringing my new Harley down to Key West”, said Paul.


Brent D. Tyler | Zippo Manufacturing Company

Too cool...Pop-up Urban Evolution - Charlotte, North Carolina - CAUTION! You will see buildings over three stories high - viewer discretion advised!

Metropolis by Rob Carter - Last 3 minutes from Rob Carter on Vimeo.

BEST SEEN FULL SCREEN

The application for a proposed group home at 1718 N. Federal has been withdrawn.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Federal, local agents raid 3 Palm Beach County pain clinics

BREAKING NEWS - Click title for link to PB Post article.  The one on Dixie Hwy. was raided by the FBI today.

Commission picks the following architectural firms for further discussion on the Casino building...

There was a delay in that not every member of the Commission completed ranking of each firm.  Commissioner Golden and Commissioner Maxwell lacked the full list.  They have to rank them all - since not all Commissioners/Mayor may pick the same firms as their top ones.

They should be nearing the end of their 30 minute break. (10:16)

10:19   Top Choice - Lowest Number

14  REG
16  Song and Associates
18  Beilinson/Gomez
LDG, BRPH, Slattery - tied - 23


Zeidler  29
Godwin   43
Architectural 43
West 48
Donaldson 48
RS  53
Gestalt 60
Predictable:  Commissioner Mulvehill still prefers Slattery and BRPH.  Commissioner Jennings likes LDG and BRPH, Slattery.  It sounds like they are leaning going with the top three.  Commissioner Golden likes BRPH and Slattery.  Do you see a pattern?  The three are pushing for the firms tied at the number 4 position to be considered and interviewed more in depth.  Stanton is saying they can pick and choose concepts from different firms and make their own vision - I am not so sure about that.

The motion is made by Commissioner Jennings to go with the top six, seconded by Commissioner Golden. Unanimous yes-es.

More in-depth interviews will happen within the next month.

FYI -The regular Commission meeting scheduled for 3/16 is cancelled.

After one-year blip, Florida's population to grow again

Click title for St. Petersburg Times article.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Thank you Commission for voting to bring back the Dolph Map deal at a later time!

A reader sent this picture in. It was taken the weekend of the Street Painting Festival. Does anyone know what was going on here? Feel free to comment.

This was taken on Saturday.

Sneaky! "Selection Committee" Meeting at 8:30 a.m. - TOMORROW (3/3)

If you didn't know, the "Selection Committee" is made of the five members of the City Commission.  The only place this is found on the city's website is on the calendar of Meetings and Events - not on the City Commission list of meetings.  AND...the meeting to select 3, 4 or 5 architectural firms tomorrow is at 8:30 a.m. The Mayor just commented that we need public input on the decision and that the meeting is at 8:30 and, half jokingly said he expects to see a packed room at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

Click here for live audio link to City Commission meeting (3/2)

The Commission is talking about the work sessions being moved to the day time (noon.)  They are also talking about the length of time per week they have to serve - between 20 and 30 hours a week was mentioned.  It was one of the first times that I heard that they aren't paid for for that amount of time.  There was also discussion regarding a full-time Commission - with the possibility of full-time pay.

November Election 2009 - Crunching the Numbers

This has been on my to-do list for a while now.  Yours truly happened to be the fourth highest vote getter in all races.  The + or - $25 per vote in the Mayor's race is interesting.  What else jumps out at you?  Remember, click above for larger image.  I also have uploaded it as a .pdf file.

Some other thoughts about the sanctity of single family neighborhoods...

You know, at the retreat on Saturday, Commissioner Jennings pointed out that the city will need to come up with money to reimburse the value of the property rights taken from the owner of the Sunset property and the Champion Tree property.

When I was on the Planning and Zoning Board, all of us knew -  I think - that our decisions carried multi-million dollar consequences if they were overturned or if it could be shown that the city did not follow the correct procedure.  It's convenient for politicians and would-be politicians to over-simplify an issue, vilify potential political targets and spin mythologies to pander to the voters for an election cycle or two.  But, eventually, time catches up with reality and we realize that the original decisions may have had more merit than what was told in the stories recited at thousands of doors throughout the city of Lake Worth.

When we have one of the cheerleaders of the effort to "preserve single family neighborhoods" flaunting her property as something other than a single family house, then it is time to raise questions about the sincerity of her intentions.

Does whether or not someone "charges" per night for a stay change the impact to the neighboring properties?  I say the impact is the same.  There are many in the city that are under the threat of foreclosure - does this option, as modeled by a sitting City Commissioner, tempt others to rent out rooms to more than what the code allows?

There is currently an application before the Planning and Zoning Board for a group home at 1718 North Federal Hwy.  The code requires a group home to be 1250 feet away from another group home and 500 feet from single family residential property.  They are asking for a waiver from the distance requirements. There are two group homes in the nearby area.  A special use permit is required - and variances are being requested.  There are many neighbors who are concerned about this use going in at this location.  How is overcrowding your home or having a boarding house (or quasi-boarding house) in your single family neighborhood different from a group home?  Is the city's defense of its Zoning Code strengthened or weakened by this Commissioner's example?  Cara Jennings Cara Jennings Cara Jennings.

Time Travel - Pre-earthquake San Francisco - 1906


Received through an e-mail this morning, this is the unattributed text that accompanied this.
 This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!).. It was filmed only four days before the quake and shipped by train to NY for processing.


Click here for link to the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco section on the 1906 earthquake.