SPX

We have received some interesting feedback since we decided to discontinue our efforts to acquire Ladder 12. I've received calls from lawyer friends with advice about navigating the city charter provisions that require the sale-by-appraisal approach maintained by the City. We've received calls from neighborhood folks who liked our proposal for the Sustainable Preservation Exchange. We've received calls from folks we don't even know, asking if we thought of this, or thought or that, before we moved on. We greatly appreciate all of the interest, which has revealed two truths: first, we are blessed to live in a community where residents care so much about the fate of an old building and its place within their neighborhood that they are willing to volunteer such assistance. Second, there is a palpable sense of frustration among these same people. They are just plain frustrated that their city couldn't close this deal. While they (and we) remain hopeful that the City will be able to sell the building for its appraised price to a responsible developer, they seem to sense the lost opportunity and are, frankly, pissed off.

Of course, among all the calls we have received, we never heard back from the Polish Cadets regarding the parking. One particularly frustrated resident mentioned the rumor that, at some point, someone at the City promised the Polish Cadets that they could have Ladder 12 for $1 if no other feasible proposals emerged. Not sure I buy that, but it certainly would explain their seemingly inexplicable stance on the parking situation.