What a shame...my old headquarters was designed by the engineers and architects in that bldg. A former mayor of LR had his office there. Wish there was some way to turn these abandoned treasures over to someone for safekeeping until they can be sold and re-occupied, some sort of historic trust.

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Tax records show Don Mehlburger Engineers sold it to Harrison Development LLC in 2007. Harrison Development's business license was revoked by the Secretary of State's office in 2008, not in good standing.

Over 8700 sq ft... this could be a GORGEOUS building once restored...

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Slinger that building appears to present the same problem of owning an old airplane.
You may well afford to buy it but restoring and maintaining really costs some bucks.

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You're right of course, eL... but I own nothing but ranch style houses... I'd LOVE to tackle a project with style.

Sigh

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How to get rid of homeless “homesteading” a property, drug dealers on a street corner or prostitutes walking a block!

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imagine what simple complimentary trash collection would have done for all involved.

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VOMIT?? Ewww.

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The REAL story here, is that this structure, which until this morning, was overflowing with squatters and trash, sits merely 1 block from Sheila Reynolds' office. Who is Sheila Reynolds? Ms. Reynolds heads up the city's housing and code enforcement activities. This property's SEVERE predicament is not new - it did not just get this way. Yet it is not condemned, and no one has been hauled into court over it. The obvious question would be "why"? The answer, as told to me by Mayor Stodola this morning, is very simple: Code focuses their attention on owners they are able to contact, with little or no emphasis on actual priority - in other words, a bunch of easily resolved issues make the department look busy and "on top of things". I told him this was unacceptable - if you feel the same way, pick up the phone, dial 311, and let him know your expectations are not being met.

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Well, surprise surprise? Not really? Has anyone checked out the neglected property on 611 W. Daisy Bates? Unlived in and neglected for years. Windows busted out and homeless having the time of their lives! Convicted felons living right next door. Whenever one gets out of jail, the robberies go up. This is a haven for the homeless and the drug dealers who have the lovely convenience of having a vacant house plus an alley. The property is consistently littered with abandoned grocery carts, garbage and the routine loud music in the alley after dark. According to the permit office, last permit was pulled in July 2006 and expired in July 2007. No inspections were ever conducted during the permit period. One may ask where is this property owner? Who is holding them accountable? According to the records, this property belongs to the Mayor of Little Rock. Surprised? Ask the property owners of 610 Daisy Bates if they enjoy having the Mayor as their neighbor. Oh sorry, he doesn’t actually live there, he just owns the property. 610 Daisy Bates has been on market for the last five years and remains unsold. This city PRESERVES nothing. The answer is always to tear it down and leave a vacant lot. If this house was located in the River Market District, Moses Tucker would have at least made it into overvalued condos! This Mayor is contributing to the very problem that is plaguing our historic district, lack of preservation and CRIME! Two failed robbery attempts, one completed on the 1400 block of Arch in the last month. That block contains only 7 housing structures. Those are some odds hugh? So again, are we really surprised?

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Let's see: Management by the City of Little Rock?

It could happen.

It would be first though.

Aren't you glad we have a high paid Mayor and City Manager? It shows. And, don't forget dear Stacy, efficiency personified, servant of the people.

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The first thing that comes to mind is what a shame that folks need a place to stay, a home. Years ago as a young man I spent a summer hanging out around Oxford, England living in squats. The simplest distinction between squatting in the UK and here is that trespass is a civil rather there than a criminal issue. Now there's probably a lot more to say but that our societies differ greatly in many respects this being only one. But some very old principles of law allow folks needing a place to stay the opportunity to inhabit abandoned dwellings. In fact some squats can be fairly long term situations where squatters take good care of the dwelling even improving the properties.
Perhaps if we weren't so willing to see the profit involved in properties two things might happen: folks in need might have a place to live and folks would be more respectful of the property they inhabit.
I know, pipe dreams. But it is something to consider beyond enforcing codes and what corporation owns what. Eureka is spot on that a little public responsibility for waste pick up would go a long way towards a different world.

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That was unclear. I dropped a word or two in editing, or rather not editing. Trespass is a civil issue in the UK. Property owners must sue to have you removed from abandoned property.

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JimLeveritt is EXACTLY right about who code enforcement chooses to pursue in Environmental Court. I frequently appear in that court on behalf of someone who is out of the country. This person does everything right, has a proven track record in restoring homes into nice properties, yet he is always having to appear and give status "updates."

My recent appearance in that court had me filing a complaint with the City Attorney over the behavior of the attorney appearing for the city. This attorney seem to have a personal vendetta against the person I was representing, and her behavior made me feel she was "mentally unstable", and I conveyed this to the City Attorney.

I am also disgusted with the fact that not once has Judge Leverett ever started court at 1pm. People appearing in that court are required to be present at 1pm, but the earliest he has ever started court when I have been there is 1:15pm. If I have to be there at 1pm, or risk being found in contempt of court, then I expect the judge to show up on time. It's only right.

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"... Ms. Reynolds heads up the city's housing and code enforcement activities. "

I'm not at all surprised at that. Code enforcement in the downtown area is checkered at best. I'm also not surprised to discover that they only go after property owners they can easily contact. Others who know how to play the game are able to squeek by.


I'm also not surprised to read that the mayor has unkept property downtown. Few slum lords live in the neighborhoods they destroy. I live across from such a building, and everytime someone new moves in--they have to be trained to live on our block. They start off with hanging on the street corner, loud music, drinking and and throwing bottles in the yard, yelling, broken glass in the street, fights in the front yard, etc. Then we discover they slip over to our houses to get water because the landlord won't fix the plumbing. Or that they use candles and lanterns for light because they have no electricity-- increasing the danger for fire on our block. So, we train them with the police until they get the message or move.

The real problem of course, is the property owner. Some of us know who he is (he lives in Hot Springs), and have begun to watch the properties on either side of his home to come up for sale. We plan on buying one of them and letting it rot down and move undesireables in next door to him. THEN we'll sit him down for a little chat...

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During his election bid, I spoke to Mayor Stolda at length about these very issues, and of course, he pledged to bring and end to lackluster performance, favoritism for Bruce Moore's chosen few, and city funded vendettas. To aid him in his efforts, he asked us for, and received by referendum, the authority to hire/fire the city manager and city attorney.

Here we are, 4 years later, and its still business as usual down there - instead of Mayor Stodola getting folks on his program, he has sucuumbed to theirs.

Our city has many qualified, dedicated, and hard working employees whose excellence in service is overshadowed by a few powerful ones that should have been shown the door long ago.

In these circumstances and given today's job market, it seems difficult to believe that our city would not be able to "trade up" to personnel that actually possess the professional credentials, and work ethic necessary to perform the functions correctly, and in a manner that is equitable.

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CammackLife: Please contact me. Y! to the user id listed below.....

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Bruce Moore needs to go.

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Imagine that Cyelydra, an answer that would solve two social problems!

What exactly does the Quapaw Quarter Association do?

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As a board member of the Quapaw Quarter Association, I can say that we advocate preservation primarily in the historic downtown neighborhoods of the city - the areas that need the most help, for all the reasons that everyone on this blog has mentioned. Both as an organization and as individuals, we talk to Mark Stodola, Bruce Moore, Ward 1 and 2 directors (our focus area) and the other directors, hoping they will see the importance of the using all the city's assets and focus to revitalize these areas appropriately. This spring we worked hard to get the City Directors to approve a Design Review Committee for the stimulus money that was awarded to the city for the Central High and Stephens historic neighborhoods (NSP2) - helping to insure that all housing was well designed and appropriate for the neighborhoods, insuring that property values rise in the future, also contributing to our city's tax base, which we so desperately need. We are just as frustrated with lack of services - it's hard to push for preservation when people don't feel safe in their neighborhoods. I've sat in neighborhood meetings where the only answer property owners feel they have to problem, derelict historic houses is to have the city knock them down - and the city seems content with this answer. The only thing going good here is that they (the city) don't even have the money to raze houses in a timely manner and sometimes we can help save a few that if someone is standing buy to purchase one and an owner can be found that is willing to sell at a price that allows a new owner to be able to rehab it. There is a house at 2301 Summit that is on the demolition list and the next door neighbor would like to purchase it, no owner can be found, we've been using our contacts with the Land Commissioner, Land Bank (slow), City Directors, to find an answer to allow the house to be saved, but like everything else, it is slow and frustrating. That's some of what the Quapaw Quarter Association does...

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