Rose Furniture

http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6417&PID=47768

whistlersmom wrote: Douglas Adkins posted this on Jan. 20, 2017 at 8:56 am under “Manchester Inn sold” “Rose Furniture will be rebuilt as part of the Goetz Tower project with retail first floor and upper level apartments. Took a long time but it will get done.” John, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Rose Furniture to be completed. The now deteriorated condition of the structure is obvious. Just stand by a window on the sidewalk and look up inside – you will see the sky due to the roof having fallen to street level. In 2013, Robinette was given (free and clear) Rose Furniture plus $300,000 to fix the roof. Nothing has been done. How much has the delay added to the cost of rebuilding? Why didn’t (shouldn’t) the city have a contract requiring start and completion dates? No urgency here! Wonder what Robinette did with the $300k for the roof!!? Has Robinette run out of money? Is that the reason the city had to lease the first floor of the Goetz Tower? What else can we give him to support his lifestyle? Oh yeah, Liberty Spirits. After the Rose Furniture debacle, why does the city continue to favor Robinette over any others who might want to make a real contribution to their revitalization plans?

But Bob, Robinette isn't a typical investor. A typical investor sees and opportunity and uses/risks THEIR OWN MONEY to finance the endeavor. Robinette, a former city employee I believe, takes the CITY TAXPAYER'S MONEY GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS CITY PALS, and uses other people's money to do business. Vast difference in investment techniques.

It does not take guts to risk other people's money with no consequences if the transaction fails. Anyone can do that.

It does take guts to invest your own money though.

Robinette, as I have heard in the past, has no money of his own to risk so he gets it from his buddies in the city building.......on multiple occasions I believe.

And what is the history of the Robinette city money give-away to date?

We have the Rose Building----a bust so far

We have the Goetz Tower incident----has this produced anything worth noting so far? Anyone?

And, we have the brewery place where the last I heard some brewery tanks were installed but is it functional as yet? Haven't heard. Anyone?

Do these examples of dealing with Robinette seem like a worthy endeavor to you Bob? If the answer is no, then why does the city keep giving him money if he doesn't produce viable results? The guy is a snake oil salesman and the city leaders are actually buying into his bs.

IMO, public taxpayer money should NEVER be used to stimulate development, especially in the downtown area. It should have been private money from day one down there. Let the investor take the hit if a failure, not the taxpayer who has no sayso as to how their money is being used. If the downtown can't be developed using private money, then let it die on the vine. They have spent millions for over a decade down there and look at the pathetic results we see to date. Ridiculous waste of time and money IMO. Downtown speculation building purchases, using taxpayer money, is as wrong as it gets. Let these business people who believe in their downtown take the risk. I hope they are all successful but don't help them out using other people's money. Just flat out wrong.

Hell, the east end is more active with more viable shopping than the dam downtown ever was and it was all done with private monies.

The downtown died in 1958 when the Middletown Shopping Center and I-75 were built. The downtown migration to the east side of town started then. We older residents remember the location transition well.

VietVet wrote: IMO, public taxpayer money should NEVER be used to stimulate development, especially in the downtown area. It should have been private money from day one down there. Let the investor take the hit if a failure, not the taxpayer who has no sayso as to how their money is being used. If the downtown can't be developed using private money, then let it die on the vine. They have spent millions for over a decade down there and look at the pathetic results we see to date. Ridiculous waste of time and money IMO. Downtown speculation building purchases, using taxpayer money, is as wrong as it gets. Let these business people who believe in their downtown take the risk. I hope they are all successful but don't help them out using other people's money. Just flat out wrong.