Local governments Wilson Borough and Wilson Area School District have been falling all over themselves to help the for-profit private equity firm (Skyline Investment Group) build both luxury apartments and a high-end hotel in Wilson Borough. In addition to seeking a $29 million tax break to redevelop the vacant Dixie Cup factory, it already has received $838,257 in state grants. At Thursday night's meeting, Northampton County Council endorsed another $500,000 in state RACP grants. Skyline still another $9 million from the state. Without the local tax break known as a TIF, which amounts to about $29 million, it is seeking $124,338.257 in the form of outright grants or tax credits.
Skyline principal Brian Bartee was introduced by DCED Director Tina Smith, who told Council that the Zrinski administration supports this project. But what exactly is the project?
We all know that Skyline wants a $29 million TIF to turn Wilson Borough's vacant Dixie Cup factory, into luxury apartments that few can afford. That proposal failed last year. But with a new County Council, Bartee plans to get the county to join the borough and school district in awarding his project a TIF and apparently plans to seek county approval again sometime next month.
But does County Council even know there's much more? There was little discussion during the meeting as Council members told each other they were merely voting on a "pass through" grant. It's still the public's money, but Council member Lori Vargo Heffner was the sole NO vote.
Here's what County Council does not know but could have discovered if they looked at the actual application. It includes more than the Dixie Cup. It also includes what Skyline calls its "New Life," project, a plan to convert the 3-acre former LA Fitness site into a "premier hotel" known as The Wilson. According to Skyline, "130 hotel suites with 250 multifamily residences are planned that will feature 1920s-inspired art elegantly paired with modern amenities and exceptional service. Along with the introduction of approximately 163 permanent jobs, The Wilson will feature EV charging stations, a high staff-to-room ratio, and a suite of premium services.
Guests will enjoy the personalized attention of a dedicated butler, doorman, concierge, chauffeur, and
valet parking, all provided by a team of highly trained professionals committed to the highest standards of hospitality".
Do you think it's wise to spend public tax dollars for luxury apartments and a premier hotel that includes butlers and chauffeurs?
The grant application describes the site as a "brownfield," but that is completely untrue of the LA Fitness site.
Skyline has already been awarded $500,000 from an RACP application in 2024. It also received $163,257 from a DCED Multimodal Transportation Funding Grant and a $175,000 Greenways, Trails and Recreational Program grant. It is seeking even more grant money from PennDOT, DCED Mixed Use Housing Development, another DCED Greenways grant, another DCED multimodal transportation grant, and Pa Historic tax credits
It also wants $28.5 million in federal tax equity credits.
People wanted to give Tara the benefit of the doubt after McClure(Trump of the LV) left but the fact she has signed on to this outrage of insider politics reeks. No surprise that Warren supports it. He smells a hefty campaign contribution down the road. he is also known as a pretty slimy guy. I thought he was a Democrat, yet he is bloviating about the housing needs in the area. His solution is the old Republican solution of give more money to th rich or in this case the bullshitter who will build things most people don't need or can afford. The false Reaganomomic ideas that it will cause the supply of housing and existing apartments and houses costs to go down. What a crock. Sadly, this new council is clueless and will follow Warren, Kraft and koko Keegan anywhere. At least Boulette asked question and quoted the wiseass developer stating he would build it whether he got the county handout or not. The developer reversed himself and hemmed and hawed and answer with nonsense. The guy is a real piece of work he acts like he is doing everyone a favor or, the new Mother Theresa of the world.
ReplyDeleteThese are not real democrats the old republicans were more in line with democratic values then these possers.
Maybe that fraud Warren will be given a party suite at the new hotel with an unlimited bar tab. His stupid speech was vomit inducing. I as a Democrat, will vote for whomever runs against him. Shameful!!
PS, I have an old outhouse in the field if I build an apartment next to it can I get a tax incentive?
Um you have no intention of giving Zrinski a chance.
DeleteWhat a scam. Traffic in that area is bad enough already. There are probably campaign contributions involved.
ReplyDeleteThey're naming a hotel for the most vicious racists to ever occupy the White House. It's perfect.
ReplyDeleteWhy are we helping those who can help themselves? They have earning potential, Why not put that money into Gracedale? The elderly have no earning potential.
ReplyDeleteThis would be comical - if it was happening in another state.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, why doesn’t the township, school district and county just build the project, have the taxpayers pay for it all, and then give a Brinks truck full of cash to Skyline? That’s what it already seems like.
Where are the tax breaks for other developers or for residents improving THEIR properties? Don’t THEY deserve the same treatment, or are tax freebies and grants only reserved for those who can later grease the hands of supportive politicians behind the scenes?
I also find it incredibly ironic that the NorCo administration (run by Democrats for over a decade) and NorCo council (now dominated by a majority of democrat politicians) have been falling all over themselves to help a fat-cat developer siphon even more money from the taxpayers, now including a project that will provide chauffeur and valet services at a luxury hotel for other fat cats.
The politicians supporting and approving this at the county are the same phonies who will always tell you at election time that they’re the ones who support and protect the “little guy”.
I learned a long time ago that actions speak louder than words. NorCo politicians are showing us who they are and what they think of us. I hope they are appropriately rewarded for their lies in the next election.
Fools errand
ReplyDeleteSurely this grant will not be approved by our Pennsylvania-focused Governor, and he will take NorCo politicians to task for supporting such a frivolous proposal.
ReplyDeleteBecause HIS administration would never support such an egregious giveaway and misuse of our tax dollars.
Because HE truly cares about our money and is willing to stand up for the taxpayers even when it means going against members of his own party, right?
Oh, wait…
I hope the electeds responsible for reviewing this series of funding requests review the developer’s prior projects to determine how well they integrated into their communities, actual impact to community development including jobs created, tax revenue returned to municipalities, etc. If the success of prior projects supports the requests to Wilson Borough and Northampton County, I hope they vote to approve.
ReplyDeleteWhat prior jobs ? This is the first development…..ever!
DeleteWilson council, school board, and Northampton County council (and the Exec.) should all be put on an island for a game of Survivor, but with a twist. When someone gets voted off, they just get sent to another barren island so they can't return to the county and do any more damage. Maybe they can do something useful, for once, like find Amelia Earhart or maybe help Gilligan and the Skipper repair the Minnow.
ReplyDeleteYou always have a lot to say. I wonder when you will run for office and actually do something other than write your stupid BS here on a blog that only county employees and some elected officials read.
DeleteI don't agree with much of what this person says, but I support his right to say it. Not everyone is suited for public office, and you seem to forget that the highest office one can hold is that of citizen
DeleteHey I read and I’m not either lol.
DeleteYou expect any different results, when we have an incompetent executive and a rubber stamp Council?
DeleteThe apartments are a joke. The TIF is a joke. The hotel is a joke. And TZ is a joke. Giving more monies to an entity that has no credible experience, when you had a local guy ready to take this on. Nat Hyman. Council is and will continue to be a joke. As for TZ backing this?? she is a cluless job hopping buffoon, and is only doing what her handlers tell her to.
ReplyDeleteWhen the guy said Dixie would be done by the end of 2025, Hyman laughed and said it won’t even be started by the end of 2025. And he was right. They should give the project to him and he will get it done with NO TAX PAYER DOLLARS!
DeleteWhat is a Zrinski administration? I keep hoping I’ll wake up and that it didn’t really happen or it really doesn’t exist. Oh wait. - it may appear as though it exists but Tara is clearly clueless. It’s so scary watching her walk up the podium at council meetings, position herself as she swirls her new hair and color and hear Jeff Warren adoringly refer to as her Madam Executive. This too will pass when the reality of running Northampton County slaps her in the face.
ReplyDeleteI think the ordinary folks in Wilson and Palmer need places to live too, but few would have the ridiculous income to live in these apartments. It is their money that is proposed to be spent on this project. A loan with decent rate of interest with enough teeth in it to see it was repaid would be ok by me but certainly not a grant.
ReplyDeleteThis is legalized theft! What a bunch of idiots!
ReplyDeleteThis is the result of having too many incompetent so called "leaders" in Government; we've had Executives and many Council members who never had experience in the Private Sector balancing budgets or making payrolls. All the pigs end up at the trough!
ReplyDeleteThis developer is delusional. He envisions a NYCesque hotel shoved between two high schools. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone bothered to ask where this scam artist is getting the other $150m to build this? Maybe he will take our tax dollars and run !
ReplyDeleteVery good point. Has this developer shown anyone where his funding is coming from? That would seem only reasonable before we give him $29m
DeleteWe have to pony up seven million for gracedale and now they want to give this thief our money too!!!
ReplyDeleteAny council member who votes to give this guy a TIF will lose their reelection. Good for Heffner for being the lone vote of sanity
ReplyDeleteHefner is the wort on council
DeleteDisagree. Heffner got this right. The amounts of funding that is being utilized and the unaffordabiility of the final cost of living will once again be out of reach for many for these luxury living spaces. Read Bernie’s
DeleteLast paragraph, it is spot on.
Don’t always agree with Bernie but this BAD! He’s right as rain on this one.
ReplyDeleteBernie you are a phony your fake blog proves it you have all the right stuff to be a politician.
ReplyDeleteJust like Panto in Easton, Wilson and the County know that a lot of the current population is poor and dirty, and needs to be replaced to improve the area. You can listen to what they say. But watching what they do is far more instructive. Ref: McClure and the elderly at Gracedale.
ReplyDeleteBernie, when I was grants administrator for the City of Bethlehem I often remarked how government funding, usually in the form of grants, had replaced bank lending to accomplish economic development projects. People paying taxes on their hard earned incomes so that wealthier developers can receive a portion of that public funding to make even more money seemed wrong. It seldom made sense to me back then and I continue to question the involvement of public funding on these projects. Loans, yes. Outright grants not so much. I'm still opposed to the County joining the TIF because they'd be giving away tax revenue, yet potentially needing to raise taxes over the 20 year TIF term. That makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteWe need Ron Angle back on county council!
ReplyDelete