Another delay on Di Rimini: Time for a demolition order?

February 20, 2013
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Di Rimini IndyThe owner of the unfinished 31-unit apartment building at 733 N. Capitol Ave. now hopes to sell the property instead of investing more than $1.5 million to bring it into code compliance. The land-use attorney for Stock Yards Bank & Trust told the Metropolitan Development Commission of the bank's intent at a meeting today, said Department of Metropolitan Development spokesman John Bartholomew. The bank requested a delay of a public hearing on the project until April 17. Stock Yards took over the property from a developer who put up a vastly different building than the one the city approved and had been working with city planners in a bid to salvage the project and the $2.8 million it lent the developer. "The MDC has expressed frustration this issue has not yet been resolved," Bartholomew wrote in an email. "The DMD will not sign off on any outside building change until code enforcement deems it safe." The city ordered construction stopped in 2010 after code enforcement and planning officials discovered Jeff Sparks was building a different structure than approved, including serious safety flaws. Despite the order, the owners began moving tenants into the building, leading the state's fire marshal to issue an emergency order barring occupancy. If the bank is no longer willing to take a loss and clean up the mess, maybe it's time for demolition.

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  • Demo
    rwhFebruary 21, 2013 8:39 AM
    The revised exterior still is unacceptable. The building does not fit in with the downtown. Its an embarassment to the City. Indianapolis has to do better. There is no way this should have been approved even if it was built per the original design. The building needs to be demolished or let the fire department burn the building for training.
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    • Agreed, Demo
      pjFebruary 21, 2013 9:13 AM
      I agree, let's demolish this property and get something new here. Sorry for the bank, but they made the mistake of not doing their due diligence, their problem, their loss.
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    • What a joke
      IndyFebruary 21, 2013 10:39 AM
      It is a complete joke that this building has not been demolished yet. Its sad, but knowing Indy's lack of guts, it will not being demolished.
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    • Good Question.
      PyroFebruary 21, 2013 11:14 AM
      Why do arsonists torch quality projects like the Cosmo or 16Park and ignore abortions like this?
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    • DEMO
      CommentaryFebruary 21, 2013 11:47 AM
      Take this project off life support.
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    • Tear it down...
      Downtown TJFebruary 21, 2013 11:48 AM
      I'm not adding anything new, but..... TEAR IT DOWN!!!
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    • Eyesore
      ReedFebruary 21, 2013 12:04 PM
      It is an eyesore!! Out of compliance; disobeyed order not to occupy? Require torn down .. Land value is greater than cheap built horrible designed building.
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • Gingerbread House
      Dave in IndyFebruary 21, 2013 12:10 PM
      Looks like a 10 year old's attempts at stacking Gingerbread single wide, mobile homes on top of each other at different lengths. My comments are insulting - to 10 year olds everywhere.
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    • Tear it down!!
      MariaFebruary 21, 2013 1:22 PM
      Mr Ballard, tear down this eyesore!!!
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    • Demolish
      Robert KennedyFebruary 21, 2013 1:31 PM
      This should have come down months ago. We should not get any further entangled in dispute between the lender and the developer. We have an obligation to abide by Regional Center Ordinance. If we don't we might as well trash it.
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    • Awful
      brguyFebruary 21, 2013 2:22 PM
      This mess is an embarassment to the city and detracts from the immediate neighborhood. How it got this far should be investigated...something smells about how it passed periodic inspections...that is, if there were those inspections. It should be leveled as soon as possible.
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    • RE Robert Kennedy
      DTFebruary 21, 2013 5:10 PM
      I agree Robert Kennedy with your comments about the Regional Center Guidelines. Unfortunately, though, they are already in the trash. Just look at the DISGUSTING parking garage being built next to the One America building. What a disgrace.
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    • all agreed
      NickFebruary 27, 2013 12:06 PM
      I think we have universal agreement that the fraud of the builder should be punished by tearing down his building. The bank can go after their loss hopefully through secured land. The owner and builder made a deal with the city (not a good one at that) and the city has the right to code enforce its terms. This should have been done three years ago. The city should expedite any due process or course of law and put dishonest people in their place. Sitting on this matter for three years suggests city officials have tentacles to people involved in this project or their lawyers. It's time the liars are put in their place.
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    • Bring it down
      Eric RowlandFebruary 28, 2013 2:28 PM
      Terrible aesthetics aside, I can't imagine that it would even be economically feasible to keep it up given the extent of the code violations and difficulty to correct them. It is my understanding that there aren't even any drawings of the foundations, and given that they didn't follow any of the other approved plans, who would trust that it even has a good foundation?
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    • Agreed
      Cara LMarch 26, 2013 1:16 PM
      I agree, I drive by this building daily and it is so awful to look at!
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment

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