Ganim: Smokestack Stay Or Go? What’s Your Opinion?

Development and Zoning20 Comments

The candy-striped smokestack, the dominant visage from the state’s last coal-burning plant, could be demolished following news the state has wired more than $20 million to revitalize the hulking PSEG property in the South End.

Mayor Joe Ganim, in his latest Facebook post, asks: should it be leveled or incorporated into a past-present tribute? A surprising number of responses argue to keep it.

 

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20 comments

  2. It is interesting that Governor Lamont has nothing to say about the BPT Ballot Stuffing scandal, even as he gifts PSEG and the Ganim Administration $22 million in “redevelopment” money that simply cosmetically improves the BPT skyline and absolves PSEG from part of their remediation obligations for the site… Governor Lamont is complicit in Bridgeport corruption by his indifference to it — as are our US Senators, Congressmen, and President Biden…

    The Smokestack is just an election-time SMOKESCREEN for the the Ganim Administration Ballot Scandal…

    Vote Lamond Davis for Mayor on November 7 — no Absentee Ballots in his Smokestack!

    Hit the RESET BUTTON for Bridgeport’s future. Vote Lamond Davis on November 7!!

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    1. 2 Things of Interest here
      The mayor’s administration has halted the commencement of the $400k PSEG planning and Reuse study that MetroCog is overseeing. The consultant was chosen after an extensive RFP process and has not begun because the Mayor’s office has pumped the brakes. The question is Why? Two years later, with money in hand, this very important project’s study has not commenced.

      2nd, The Governor shoved the $22.5 million onto the City’s Lap. Not the Mayor’s office, Not OPED. They technically didn’t have a clue except that the Governor came to them to explicitly submit a CIF Grant request for decommissioning the PSEG coal plant and I’ll “guarantee” funding for it. He was clear, do not send me any other Grants submittals for Bridgeport. It’s PSEG or Bust. Now the question is WHY so much interest by Governor in PSEG? I’ll add, the Governor was adamant that the Money Can not be used in any way shape or form for Aquisition or to eliminate PSEG from equation which is what OPED reported. Eminent Domain had to be off the table, per the Governor!!!!

      Finally, Bridgeport was part of a bigger state plan that just imploded on 10/13/2023. We were part of a consortium for $3.8 Billion Hydrogen Energy Hub and Bridgeport was going to play an essential role in this state plan in which complete takeover of our harbor by the CT port authority was also on the table. That is the “WHY?”, we were gifted the $22.5 million. We have been sitting on a gold man, squandered by leadership, bad zoning changes, etc that this was part of state’s takeover to introduce a hydrogen-based economy into our region.

      I’ll leave it there and finally say it’s time to support John Gomes for Mayor. I like Lamond. I have known Lamond. I’m disappointed in Lamond. If smart people like yourself can’t see that Lamond is simply being amplified by Ganim operatives to split votes. I don’t know what to tell you. People like Jim Koplick have made $1K contributions and Mary Mcbride Lee and Aidee Nieves are pushing his campaign on social media. Wake up. He’s being used as a pawn and is Ganim’s insurance police Nov 7th. Nothing more.

      Gomes has legit plans and experience to lead Bridgeport in a new direction and yes I plan on holding him accountable or otherwise we vote his ass out in 4 years. But he truly is our only chance to move on this election cycle and he has earned this opportunity by rising to the top when Lamond and Marylynn could not.

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  3. Kelvin, do you feel the Port’s prime waterfront land should be part of a bigger state plan for a hydrogen Energy Hub where the Port is going to play an essential role where the state takes a complete takeover of our harbor by the CT port authority?

    I am still saddened by the fact that PSEG was allowed to build the Gas plant on that track of waterfront property. Any plant should’ve been built by our other plant, RESCO on the West Side. JS

    I can’t speak on nuances of any development but regarding the demolishing, it’s phase one, no real need to spend money on a consultant, it is generally a waste of money. I am sure many have their eye on it. Besides, isn’t G2 bolstering tripling the Ports rainy day fund? A more practical question is HOW Will the development bolster the Port and its vision to be an entertainment/destination hub for people to visit?

    Jeff, I wouldn’t harp on a downtown skyline, when you drive downtown in Stamford even New Haven it seems sterile. The Port has a hometown political feel, though perhaps due to its cottage industry of AB participation. 🤣 However, it gotten so bitter the losing side, who plays the game the same way and who gets bested now goes snitching, running, and whing to the courts.

    Kelvin, to be fair to Moore, Gen Now threw her under the bus for Gomes, just like many of her former supporters. 🙃 Daniel assisted as well by staying out of the primary letting Gomes/Ricci and G2 head to head. WFP stiff-armed Gen Now After their plan failed to materialize and didn’t place Moore on their ballot. Gomes when running to the courts and Daniel knew he wasn’t going to win a primary so no real loss for him staying out, probably got a nice donation for it.

    At any rate, as I stated let’s see plays out and how pissed off the higher-ups are and how bad their fangs come out, cause know they’re more on those 20000 hours of footage than what has been leaked and addressed in the court’s civil case. In my opinion, shit going to get messy and splat all over the place, So bust out the fifth of your favorite and lawyer up. Shit, that’s the game right people? Good luck, Jesus is the root for you Port. JS

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61UvWz945Eo&list=RD61UvWz945Eo&start_radio=1

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    1. Kelvin, a circular spiral hotel/convention center with an observation deck and restaurants/bars resembling Port’s Iconic smokestack. Tell Joe to send that 400K check. I’ll throw in a new Port Log. We know how that consulting fee went. 🤣

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  6. This site needs an editing option — nobody caught my early-morning mistake on my post when I called Lamond Daniels, Lamond Davis… I just caught it in a re-read…

    Sorry Mr. DANIELS!

    Vote for Lamond Daniels on November 7 — no absentee ballots in his smokestack!

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  7. Robert: Somewhere out there in the Twilight Zone there is a Lamond Davis running for mayor in some “Bridgeport” in some non-quite-parallel universe! 🙂

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  8. I’m not sure what the Mayor’s smoking, but I would rather save the Airport, then save something that reminds me of how many people in Bridgeport and the surrounding towns suffered from this so called candy-striped smokestack blemish.

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  9. Someone wrote something interesting on the G2 Facebook page about it. Demolish it but rebuild a replace it so that people can go up to the top as a view tower. I would be interested to have a uniquely functional building in the shape of a smoke stack wite viewing level as a tourist attraction. 🙂

    The Port is looking to build a hotel/convention center right? What about Building a hotel/convention center in the shape of a stacked with restaurants and a viewing tower, towering over the Port skyline as people drive on 95, JS

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  12. Leave the stack alone. It is symbolic of our municipal approach. It merely stands in the way of 21st Century progress, right? Do you expect that we are going to make much progress towards any ultimate plan by using news from Ganim2’s Facebook page? The City Charter, Section 2, directs Mayor Ganim ( and preceding executives) by using the words “shall present an annual report showing the situation of government” in a variety of ways, based on the information received from “all administrative city officers and boards……before the fifteenth day of August in each year.”

    Was this year’s report information provided by City employees and members of Boards and Commissions? Where are the archives of such past annual reports? What happens when an important duty or responsibility is missed in Bridgeport, particularly relative to communications issues? Consequences? Penalties? Enforcement?

    Conditions requiring remediation, and the cost of such activity, require a plan. Where is an OPED report that is current and timely on such valuable City real estate? Is it true that you can whip up a plan within the community, without details, and receive State funds? What are the real outcomes expected by the granter of such funds?

    I like the red and white striped stack as a reminder of the 19th or 20th Century speed with which we seem to pursue progress in Bridgeport. It also reminds me of the perch occupied by a Bridgeport police officer, since retired, in years past as a “far seeing” observer of things illegal. His courage in ascending and descending the stack, back in the day, is a reminder of what investigators must still do to connect the facts and tell the story to provide for a safer community. A good read, Lennie. Perhaps another story coming soon? Time will tell.

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