Downtown Johnson City: The Transformation Begins (Bristol: leasing, loft, condo)

[jabogitlu]

Re: the mention in the article of the JCDA's supbar website... and on downtown in general... has anyone seen the new (?) Blue Plum website? It looks horrible. The links on the left don't even work and aren't cohesive or even coherent. The logo looks like it was made by an amateur crafter to be embroidered on a pillow, for God's sake.

The Blue Plum Festival - Home

I think the festival is fun, especially the cycling, animation festival and jazz stage, but that website has to go.

[NorthernLights]

The article Sarah linked stated this;

"Though he borrowed several hundred thousand dollars against the building’s appraised value, Jones didn’t complete restoration of the depot, which made the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Last summer, the mortgage holder repossessed the depot after an unsuccessful auction on the Washington County Courthouse steps in Jonesborough."

So who loaned it and where did that money, and Dorian Jones, go? I'm new here so what's the back story? Or don't we talk about that?

[jabogitlu]

I'm not sure of the full story, someone else may be. I do seem to remember that the city made it especially difficult for Mr. Jones to get the appropriate clearances/licenses/inspections or whatever... typical downtown Johnson Cityness happened. They may whine and begrudge themselves but I'm sure that the JCDA wanted to end up with this depot.

[NorthernLights]

I was curious since some of the older archived articles I read made it sound like Mr. Jones was greeted as the savior of the station and it seems like he was able to get the building for nothing or close to it and then it says he obtained several hundred thousand dollars of loans against the property which apparently his creditors received the train station back with little visible improvements other than some paint removed and a blue tarp over the roof. Seemed like there must be more to the story than just saying the downtown development people and the permit folks made it too hard on him. I'm sure, as in most stories, it was six of one, half dozen of the other as they say and I've never met the man but read some other stories about him bumping heads with the powers at be over his dog biting a policeman or something. A person I asked about him who had some experience with him once describe him as marching to the beat of a different drummer. I was curious what became of him and the reported large loans he obtained against the property.

[SarahSal]

Originally Posted by NorthernLights

I was curious since some of the older archived articles I read made it sound like Mr. Jones was greeted as the savior of the station and it seems like he was able to get the building for nothing or close to it and then it says he obtained several hundred thousand dollars of loans against the property which apparently his creditors received the train station back with little visible improvements other than some paint removed and a blue tarp over the roof. Seemed like there must be more to the story than just saying the downtown development people and the permit folks made it too hard on him. I'm sure, as in most stories, it was six of one, half dozen of the other as they say and I've never met the man but read some other stories about him bumping heads with the powers at be over his dog biting a policeman or something. A person I asked about him who had some experience with him once describe him as marching to the beat of a different drummer. I was curious what became of him and the reported large loans he obtained against the property.

All the above is essentially correct - although I have no idea what happened to him after the foreclosure. He did run for the state senate under his 'real name' - not his stage name.. He, apparently, was once an actor and a model. When he came to JC and bought - about a year after we did, there was a great deal of grass roots enthusiasm about what was happening and could happen with the downtown. He DID march to the beat of a different drummer although he seemed dedicated to downtown and its progress - while occasionally annoying the powers that be, although probably about half was warranted and the other half...???
This gentleman did appear to be good shape financially and was *methodical* and exacting about any work he did on his original bldgs - which is why it's hard to see any tangible evidence of what he did on the depot.. As far as the $$ goes, maybe he just got in financial trouble and had to pull out..

But I also think he had had it with Johnson City after years of fighting the powers that be. It was very, very frustrating to get the city to *really listen* to downtown people. They gave us lip service but it always felt like they didn't care much for all these outsiders who had come downtown and wanted to change things. (Heck, we were the ones who owned the buildings so naturally we wanted to see more than lip service) Perhaps he was a little more aggressive in his requests and expectations.

As far as the amount he received and the amount the lender lost, I can't remember all my real estate law but I believe the lender can come after the original borrower for any loan balance owed after a foreclosure - if they can find him/her. (Perhaps one of our current RE posters can enlighten us about that!)

This downtown tale (one of many), with all its twists and turns, would make a heck of a novel!

[rccrain]

After foreclosure, they usually can pursue the debt if the property does not bring the amount of the loan. After bankruptcy, the lender usually has no recourse. In this case, the lender usually loses anyway, because after foreclosure the debt becomes unsecured.

[NorthernLights]

I was curious since I didn't know Mr. Jones or whatever his real name was. I'd heard he had been a model at one time,etc. I was curious if anyone could share their views on, as Paul Harvey would say "the rest of the story." You read the "who struck John" accounts in the JC Press and read the JCDA and city bashing comments from other folks and at my age I can't help but suspect, as my Great-Grandmother used to say, "There's three sides to every story. His side, her side...and the truth."
It sounded like the last comment I saw Mr. Jones quoted on in the paper stated that he was interested in trying his luck down in Asheville.
Either way, I hope someone will continue refurbishing the old CC&O station. It really is a neat building and will be quite a focal piece. It's restoration would certainly add much to the Johnson City downtown feel of this old railroad town and provide much flavor to the city as it trips and stumbles towards redevelopment.

[SarahSal]

Another sign of good times? One hopes so as discussion - and signs of action -on the Chamber's General Mills property moves along.. Has anyone ever been inside this 'historic' bldg? Unless I missed something it doesn't appear on the outside as particularly outstanding, historically, anyway. There are other bldgs in that area far more note-worthy like the former Picassso prop and the bldg across the street from it. Of course, it's probably more the very large, well-situated piece of property that drew the Chamber in the first place!

Jeff Keeling
Press Business Editor
jkeeling@johnsoncitypress.com

Investors are leaving the sidelines, finally, and that may prove great news for the stalled Chamber of Commerce project at the former General Mills site — and possibly for preservationists who want to see the structure renovated. Over the next week or two, several suitors interested in developing the Chamber-owned, 5-acre site will make their cases, Chamber CEO Gary Mabrey said Wednesday.
JohnsonCityPress.com - Local News - Johnson City, TN

[jabogitlu]

I wonder what kind of proposals will be put forth. If something good happens here, combined with University Edge, the new baseball stadium, a restored train depot and the new civic campus (near City Hall), then this corridor could start to become interesting again.

[SarahSal]

And the proposed greenway and bike/walking trail, too, connecting them all... Yes, at last I can see real tangible hope for the future..