Monday, April 28, 2008

Tressie's Excellent Hilltop Adventure

Went for a walk on the sultry Sunday afternoon......started out with my camera to take some pics of the Hotel but decided to walk over to S. J St, to find the place where my vintage pattern

came from. Uh, the hood.
I took tons of pics on my walk. I was a contractor for about 20 years and then a landscaper and I owned an organic farm. A published writer and a practicing artist.
I love to look at Model Homes. My sister Pat was active in the a builder's group in California in the 60s and 70s, and she was married to a builder. I used to build playhouses, dog houses & bird houses from scraps as a child in the trailer park.
Call it House Envy. Or A Machine for Living. Or A Basic Human Right.
(I blame Jesus for that un-capitalistic bias).



As I walked closer towards the Gintz Group 27th Street Station condos, I took more pics.
Here's your new neighborhood!


Strangely vaguely white/black people..you know the kind that aren't scary.


If you knew who I was I doubt you'd let me in your "gated community".

Into the Mouth of the Beast.

Pretty. Shiny. People. View inside from the kitchen.

I scrunched down a bit to take a picture from the dining area.....and looked right at the toilet. Ummm YUMMMY !!!
Since I have a background in building and living in houses, I am an expert at critique.
I've seen it all. Kitchens with 5 doorways. Must have been designed by college-educated morons who have never actually worked in a kitchen trying to get 3 full meals on the table with toddlers hungry at your feet!


I can't believe someone actually has a job at Gintz Group and designed this stupidity!
You're sitting at the dining table eating your Maine lobster pancakes with pea shoot salad and ginger-carrot emulsion...washed down with your Napa Valley Opus One....and you glance up to see the Toilet.
Now this low-class design flaw could have been remedied for about 250. american with a short wall ..a cubbyhole for storage....So I suggest to the renters who the Yuppie Landlord will allow to live in their investment, to buy a Shoji screen ...like at Target.
But I really think that in all the Self-Congratulatory Circle Jerk that is the hallmark of Developers That Are Saving Tacoma....this is what the poor get.
I will lay bets right now that these will all be rentals.



Your view. It's very nice. Seriously.
Lets go meet your neighbors.






“We won’t make a killing,” Gintz said. “But we like taking ugly properties and making them nice.”
Um, yes, I think a profit of about $30,000 per unit (87 units), in my world, is A killing. Roughly that's about $2,500,000. or so, after taxes and selling expenses. And the self-delusional cavalier attitude continues:
“27th Street Station will set the tone for gentrification of this neighborhood.”
“We got panned on one of the local blog sites because of the gentrification and forcing people out of the neighborhood,” Gintz said. “But those people were going to get forced out anyway as rents go up.”

Nobody needs to get forced out as rents go up. that is PURELY a landowner's greed that moves the rent upwards. And could you at least, Gintz Group, practice a little bit of Bullshit Humility
....like at least give me a jar of vaseline before you try to um, you know.

And what of the people that are evicted? What of the people who will be evicted when the other landlords get your Style of Greedy?
I know you don't give a Flying.....
But I challenge you to a little soul-redemption........
How's about you make a BIG Contribution to a Charity in Tacoma that deals with Domestic Abuse....or Low Income Housing?
I suggest A Million Bucks. You have it.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Well, at least your ego does.
Yes this is personal. You are a Grinch. You are not doing affordable housing. So stop Patting Yourself on the BACK before you break your arm !
You're Dickensian. You are Scrooge.
And I also know I am wasting my time.....You will just blow this off because you actually believe you're a Great Person Doing Great Work. Helping out the poor black people. And the rich white yuppies who will buy them.
Your project is just a vehicle to make the rich even richer.
Just calling Bullshit on Bullshit.

If you cared at all, you might do this:
Say: "I know this will cause disruption in the lives of the tenants I will have to evict. I am giving them each $2000. in moving assistance and I am asking the City Council to pass laws that are favorable to renters since I realize that renters are at the mercy of developers. Housing is a basic human right, and folks like me also have a right to make money. "