Sunday, March 03, 2013

Schenley SOLD

Many citizens gave great effort to save Schenley's building as an educational asset for city students. This was a noble fight. The public district used all its might and loads of misinformation to insure its eventual liquidation. 
Now, I fear, it is safe to say that the only things left to do is watch, wait, wag fingers and say, "We told you so." 
The deed to the building is almost gone from the clutches of its public trustees. 
Fingers wag at Mark Roosevelt, Patrick Dowd (former PPS board member who greased the pathway to closing the school) and all other politicians who did nothing, little or mowed down the grass-roots opposition.
Eventually the building will be filled with student housing.
Perhaps there will be a tweet or media story about the first resident to the Schenley Dorm who also uses some Pittsburgh Promise funds to pay for college. Perhaps the ownership of the building will flip from PMC. Perhaps historic tax credits will come too -- or a TIF like "development deal" tied to another project bundled with this rehab. Perhaps the union workers will get an elevator job and taxpayers get the shaft. 
Let's live to fight another day.
Sold! 
Wag on the ready.

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