Off the Tax Rolls and Closed to the Public

There is a huge trend in rescuing historic properties I find disturbing. The practice involves not for profits taking title to old, historic buildings and saving them from the wrecking ball. You know the scenario. The Smith Hotel vacant and dilapidated is coming up for review to be torn down and replaced with a modern retail, professional, residential structure. Preservationists go nuts. They rally the media, get public support to preserve the heritage of our town. Eventually the preservationists win out, they get the building and begin soliciting public monies for rehab.

First off the preservationists are right the building they want to save does reflect the town. If the building is dilapidated chances are the town has seen better days and the condition of the building represents the infrastructure of the community itself. A developer wanting to better the community now must commit more funds fighting the preservationists. This developers increased costs will only be passed on to the new occupants if the new building ever gets built.

I am not against preservation. I am against removing from the tax rolls private property whatever the condition its in. Too many times preservationists act on emotions and claim they can use historic properties for the betterment of the public if they had title to the building. Too many time when the preservationists win the public loses out in more than one way.

First off the public must now pick up the lost tax revenue revenue since the property is off the tax rolls. Secondly the public often never gets to use the property despite the promises of the non-prof that the building will put to better use if they had it.

Case in point. The Athens Cultural Center in Athens, NY. Old commercial building in a dead community. Athens was once a shipbuilding community and had ferry service to Hudson. Now a sleepy backwater commuter town and locals hanging out at the local convenient store buying beer and lottery tickets complaining about lack of money and demeaning new residents who are fixing up their private properties.

The Athens Cultural Center is now non profit and off the tax rolls. They are also NEVER OPEN on a regular basis for visitors and residents with their beer and lottery tickets to view the stuff called art hung on the walls within the building.

My solution: force the preservationists to follow through with their promise of better use for the public. Because in my opinion the minute a property is off the tax rolls and owned by a preservationist or any other non profit or not for profit group the project should be considered publicly funded. It is publicly funded because now the taxes once paid by the property must be made up elsewhere. And you know darn well the preservationist will use as little of their funds as possible and as much public money they can get to further their goal.

If we the taxpayers are underwriting a takeover of a property taken off the tax rolls by a non profit group we should demand access to the building. After all the building reflects our heritage according the do gooders. Then let me take my family to see this history you wish to protect so much.