New Haven Independent

Posted by: Walt | December 1, 2008 9:57 AM

For old timers the featured property looks like the old Bullard Bldg.; the factory seems to be either the old Griest/Mite factory or the old Geometric Tool Co spot in Westville.

Is the Palace the old Roger Sherman theater or the former Loew's College Theater?

Just questions re long- ago well-known names, more familiar to some of us than those you use.

Didn't Matthews also make apartments out of the old "Chamber of Commerce " Bldg at 152 Temple St. which was originally the YMCA ? The original Y pool was bridged, with Junior Achievement offices in the pool itself and the Chamber offices on the once newly=added floor above.

Anyone else know or care?

Posted by: Your Tax Dollars at Work | December 1, 2008 10:52 AM

Bob Matthews (wherever he is) is definitely not complaining.

He made a ton on the old Telephone Co "Green Monster" -- looks like $27,000,000 on the flip. Bought 98 Elm for $4 million & walked away from a mortgage of over $8 million plus the cash-flow from the building over almost 2 decades. Also made out fine on Seamless and Westville. One might imagine he's got cash stored in a place where it cannot be reached.

With state money and tax abatements, without sophisticated oversight, the taxpayers were screwed.

Posted by: bon temps, adieu | December 1, 2008 11:17 AM

Matthews should be rapped, but can we be fair? 300 George was a killer flip, but my understanding is he paid for serious environmental abatement, converted phone company infrastructure for use by tenant telecommunications, and repartitioned the space. On Blake Street in Westville, the New Haven Manufacturing Company was, in my understanding, in reasonably healthy operation after, if not before, his acquisition. It declined in the last ten years like so many other CT industrials (Ives, Winchester) and may have been bought for its real estate value, but was far, far from "abandoned". So Paul, can you tighten up your facts please, on an otherwise interesting story.... Readers, let's have a rundown on the well known tenant names in this building...

Posted by: Name Withheld | December 1, 2008 11:29 AM

Don't kid yourself. Matthews didn't get all $27 million on the SNET/300 George insider deal. He must have had a half a dozen silent partners, if not more. I mean one doesn't just get given a 500,000 square foot building at $1.00/sqft!

...Folks should note that when John [Rowland]'s first wife threw him out, it was Matthews' couch that he landed on.

The picture I wish Bass had put up was the one of Bob Matthews and Bill Clinton. Matthews held a Nantucket fundraiser for the Big Dog in 1996.

Finally, if people really want to be pissed off, they should note that while ordinary folks are getting whopping property tax increases, the bill at 59 Elm Street has actually gone a little...

PS-- The Liberty at 152 Temple Street was neither a Matthews nor a Nyberg project. It was Mel Weintraub, who went to jail for illegal asbestos removal.

Posted by: Hood Rebel | December 1, 2008 12:11 PM

The rich gets richer..knowing how to play and beat the system... with no affect on credit nor reputation and the rest of us get______. Use anyone word fill in the blank!

Posted by: embarrassed | December 1, 2008 12:59 PM

Just another puff piece from Mr Paul "I hate capitalism" Bass...filled with half truths and inuendo.

Wouldn't it be nice to here a story about someone who took a business rick, made an investment and created sucess which resulted in jobs and extra tax revenue for the area? Paul - does this exsist? In reality, its more likely that the next story posted will detail how the policies of Hugo Chavez have saved the Western hemisphere.....

Posted by: Paul Bass | December 1, 2008 1:16 PM

They haven't?

Posted by: robn | December 1, 2008 1:50 PM

Firstly I'd like to congratulate PAULB on the large quantity of humor that he can frugally deliver with two words...two words which will undoubtedly unleash a Niagra Falls of right wing mouth froth.

Secondly, to WALT, I care, but I don't know....keep the historical factoids coming.

Thirdly, on the subject of taxes, the recent property Reval showed a reduction in the Commercial portion of the grand list by about 1%, Personal Property by about 4%, Motor Vehicle by about 3%...and an increase in the residential portion of the grand list by about 8% (the sum of the others).

Certainly the change has lot of this has to do with the overheated residential market which peaked at the time of the reval, but its difficult for me to determine how much of this might be the result of a change in the quantity of commercial property.

Ultimately though, the Residential burden of the pot of @$210M in taxes was increased by about $8M which formerly would have been paid by Commercial. Commercial propoerty on the rocks is not good for the new Haven taxpayer.

Posted by: Walt | December 1, 2008 2:14 PM

Name withheld

Thanks for the correction. As I worked out of that bldg for 30 years, I should have remembered.

The asbestos you mention was primarily in the Junior Achievement area, and hopefully did not hurt the J.A. kids when they were there.

The Chamber of Commerce itself was indeed at 152 Temple St. for many years, but the "Chamber of Commerce Bldg" was really at 185 Church St. until it was demolished,I believe, to allow construction of the New Haven Savings Bank Bldg at 195 Church Street, where, surprisingly, none other than the Chamber of Commerce was among the first tenants.

Posted by: Peter | December 1, 2008 5:03 PM

WAVZ had their offices at 152 Temple Street

Posted by: Esteban | December 1, 2008 7:57 PM

Gosh Paul! Walked away from his mortgage did he? Left us taxpayers holding the bag? That really is low.

Hmmm...but wait, didn't YOU do that a few years ago?

Really Paul, you've got to stop writing these editorials. Keep your jealousies to yourself. We expect hard news here.