Where'd THIS come from?? RUN!!! Zombies!!!!!

I think a better way to stimulate the economy would be to knock it down, pave it over, and give Bad Brad's more parking space. Ever tried to park there on a Friday or Saturday night....

I'm all for a community center. But, not a cost of 450,000, and in such an undesireable location.

Why isn't billnewbie here defending her?

Wow! She's been a busy little bee since I left town ;)

I've been following the foreclosures on the Sheriff's website and don't see her listed through the end of August which is as far as they have listed currently. http://www.co.rock.wi.us/Dept/Sheriff/ci...

LOL - thanks, but I know her history very, very personally. I was just confused because I can't find the foreclosure anymore and didn't want either of you to get in trouble for saying it was in forclosure if it is not. Can you post a link to the website?

It is sad because the Case building was unique and it would have been a great building to save - 20 years ago. Like the Hays block building on Milwaukee St. - great building! But I don't think the city saved that one. I believe, but could be wrong, that it is privately owned. I wish the Janesville Historically Society was more involved with historic building preservation, pressuring the city BEFORE the buildings are falling down, getting local companies to donate time and services, etc.

banyan - she has a history of milking the system to benefit herself, and not needy others. She is a socialist at heart, and others have described her intent almost spot on. She wants attention, and she will get it most likely. If you look at this weeks court info, she is back in foreclosure.......I am sure she knows that system well, and is exploiting every loophole.

Back to the core issue. If the building was so significant, where was the interest when it was on its decline? Now that it faces the bulldozer, EVERYBODY is concerned about it. How many of us have drove by that dump in the last 30 years and watch it decay with no interest in its future? I don't get it. Raze the joint, and let Dinosaur Valley move forward....

hannah and localboy - careful, her house was in foreclosure, past tense. Trust me, I was looking to buy it. Amazing how the Obama plan said it was only for owner occupied homes but all three of her properties were suddenly refinanced just days before being auctioned off. I guess she must occupy three homes, or we would need to assume she was dishonest on her application and we would never assume that ;)

I would personally contribute a few $$ to hire a bulldozer to demolish this eyesore.

greengina8, you said "too many cooks spoil ......."

What if someone with only a lot of crazy ideas became mayor. How would he or she be controlled?

And how would he or she become mayor? You complained that the current councilmembers "won by popular vote, not because they were best suited for the job."

What exactly would your plan be to get Janesville proper leadership?

How about the city makes her pay back all the wasted money from the shack fiasco and then they can use that money to restore the Case Building? LOL, I crack myself up.

At any rate, if this is such a great idea, where is the funding from the private sector? Like I've said before, if you really want to save the building, you need to find intrested parties with deep pockets and skilled friends to donate time and services (and funds) then ask the city to fill the gap with any funds you're lacking. You don't just walk up to the city with your hand out. However, great way to be the victim - yet again! Classic Karen!

Tear it down and build something new for the area. I was in it when it was Case feed. It was in bad shape then. If someone would have put some effort into it at that time, It would have been salvagble (sp). The east wall is about to fall in. Just the right wind would take it out. It is too far gone to be restored.

Badgerlvr- What a great idea! HA HA! ;)

HankJanes-??? I read all the time. That's all I've done for the last solid five years of my life. What do you mean by mind candy? I began reading before kindergarten and don't plan to stop any time soon. Checks and balances you say? I'll look into it just for you...

Maybe Jim Halbauk (sp) and Andrea could open up a disco and call it "Sceeming Andrea's"

greengina8, you should read, or try to read more. Read good stuff. Read about how governments work and how democracy works. Put special focus on checks and balances.

Don't read mind-candy.

I never said I was a Briarmoon supporter. I don't know her or care to know her for that matter. HJ-We are all individuals and you assumed you were the same as her; I did not say that. As for the whole mayoral thing, I am a believer that too many cooks spoil the pot and 1 person in charge is better than 8, that's all. I also don't believe everyone on the council is qualified to be there; they won by popular vote, not because they were best suited for the job. And this is an opinion based on my personal experiences, just like yours is based on your life. We are the same that way.

Great post, jansvillean. The building is doomed. That's why she's attached herself to the issue. She wants to create the impression that the city is on a rampage bulldozing buildings -it is not. She wants to create the impression that the city is picking on her -it is not.

She was a realtor during one of the greatest upward boom markets in the history of real estate. Yet her own financial problems pre-date the big crash. Too bad, because maybe she'd be in a better position to "save" the Case Feed Store.

greengina8, because none of us is perfect that means we are all the same as her?!!! Lose the relativism; it's a deadend to discourse.

She caused the shack fiasco. She's the one who cost the taxpayers all that money. If the city would have let her have her way it would have set a precedent that would have allowed Janesville to become a shanty town.

And please educate us on how the mayoral system would improve things in Janesville.

greengina8, one really can't go into specifics here because of the little warnings at the bottom of the page, but just remember that some of us have formed our opinions of Ms. Prochaska McGuire Briarmoon not by Gazette coverage but by close dealings and have, alas, learned not to trust her any farther than we can throw her. We may even agree on key issues, but for her, conflict is validating, and consensus is threatening. She picks causes like this one not because she thinks she can finally persuade everyone to go her way, but instead precisely because she will feel vindicated by rejection or failure. She inserts herself beyond her professional role because it always has to be 100% about her.

Thanks, almeg. :)

The issue is that they (B'moon and/or the buyer) are asking the CDA for funding for this building.First $450,000 then $35,000. If they have "all their ducks in a row" and use their own money, then yes, they can do whatever they want with it, within city code and zoning ordinances of course.

True. So doesn't the owner of the building have a say in the fate of the building? It sounds like the prospective buyer has their ducks in a row. So if their is a prospective buyer, what is the issue?

Has everone out there always done everything above the board? I doubt it. I don't share views with Ms. Briarmoon on most subjects. She should abide by the law, just like everyone else. That whole carraige house thing was a huge fiasco, and a waste of taxpayer money. Also, to say Bill Truman is virtually the mayor means virtually nothing.

wesconsi: I realize we do have alot of resale shops but in this economy they are needed. Maybe you can go to the mall or big stores to buy your things, but we as a people here in janesville are being taxed to death by the city, the state, and the government! Those places are real popular now because you can get good clothes & furniture at decent prices! Don't begrudge someone for trying to help and make a living, it may be all they have.

greengina8- Yes, we need to keep city government honest, but we also need to keep the citizens honest too. You can't ignore and refuse to abide by the laws, rules, and city ordinances just because you don't agree with them.

greengina8, please keep a running record on this site as to what it's like working with her on the matter of the Case Feed store. She needs your help and you seem ready and willing to give it.

Also, is it productive to have a dishonest person working against "dishonest" people?

And by the way, no one ever said that someone else is not entitled to their opinion. We are only stating ours.

We have the right to disagree, but not to be harassing. Ms. Briarmoon has been a bit excentric, I'll agree, but she is entitled to her opinion. It would seem she is very passionate about the city and it's historic buildings. We need passionate, driven people to keep the city government honest, because without them, most of the historic buildings (among other things) in this town would have been bulldozed long ago. Janesville is not a terrible place and I don't believe Ms. Briarmoon feels negatively about the city in general. I believe her gripe is with how things have been historically run in this town, you know, the "good old boy" way. We need changes to happen to help us move forward. I don't agree with a city council running any city. I would prefer to have a mayor. But that isn't what this is about. It's about tearing down a beautiful historic building to put in a parking lot. The city should be actively seeking out the purchase of the building. It would make a great community center.

Well I see the Gazette went from the GMGazette
to the BriarmoonGazette.

I agree with people here that no government money should be given toward this. At the very least, the owner should have to prove citizen interest by establishing an organization that raises a significant amount of cash through benefits, donations, etc. There are also grants out there to be had.

I have never even been in that building but would really like to see it restored and used for some kind of viable business since it is one of the oldest buildings in town and many people seem to have some sort of memory of it. Janesville has lost so much it seems a shame to let another part of its history go if there is any way to save it. Although I agree that if Briarmoom were not involved it would probably go more smoothly but at least her antics have kept it in the news and that makes people aware that the building is in real jeopardy of being demolished.

The Fourth Ward is nicely represented by Bill Truman who as president of the city council is virtually the mayor of Janesville.

Don't get Bill started on what he thinks of Andreah.

This sounds to me more like an avenue of approach for her to unload the building on the city by diverting their attention in order to farm for interested city officials. All she needs to do is prove that Abraham Lincoln bought groceries there, and it's a lock. THEN the coffee-clutch gang would push for it to be preserved for sure and find the money. But, sadly, Abe got capped in 1865....years before it was built. Maybe Grant bought some bread there???
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I grew up around that building, and my family bought bird seed there for years, but I'm on the wall as far as it being preserved. The last time I looked at it, the wall facing Centerway looked like it was buckling.

I love this building!! Hopefully it's not too late to save it. Andrea's name attached to it is the "kiss of death" though.

almeg, those are very good questions, but I suppose they only apply if the parties involved object to her acting as more than an agent.
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It is a shame, because I would like to see the structure saved to anchor a mini commercial district (once the economy recovers), but she is basically leveraging this for her pet scheme of getting a community center. She's the only one who thinks one is necessary (there are plenty of schools and churches in the area to hold meetings, and all the beneficial activities are things she could start right now without a center), and she only wants it so she can be the (paid) queen of the community center.
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A legitimate agent would be exploring all options (bar, restaurant, spaceport), so that the project would have more chance of success. If her community center daydream had backing, there would be private seed money available to show some viability. Even non-profits need to have a business plan.

Andreah, are you reading these posts? This is what Janesville really thinks of you and your shenanigans. This is not a government plot. This how the populace really thinks.

Learn to actually work with people. You can't bypass the give-and-take required to attain leadership. You have to earn it by actually working with people. You are incapable of working with people.

You are disconnected. Snap out of it!

She needs to save her own home which is in foreclosure before she worries about some old rickity building. I smell something stinky here when she is trying to get tax payer money to pay for some scheme she is involved in. The taxpayers might end up helping her pay her house payment. Wouldn't that be nice? I wouldn't trust anything she has got her fingers in...

lol lussonee! Yes every time her name is mentioned it's like a trainwreck, you don't really want to know but you just can't turn away. What's hilarious is that she's been trying to sell that building for years. One time I looked at it and it was literally rotting on the inside. No body wants to fix the building, so she scoured the laws to find yet another way to profit off the government. If she thinks this town needs a community center so bad, she should turn her "galleria" that was once upon a time a business downstairs with apts upstairs into a center that provides computers for kids, daycare and put lawnmowers to rent on the very spot the "carriage barn" used to stand. Then maybe the city's population wouldn't think she was so kooky if she was contributing to society in a positive way.

The city should buy the property next door and have it paved over for a parking lot. That way a developer could renovate the old Case Feed building and lease it out to yet ANOTHER resale/year-round rummage sale/ "antique" shop....
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Yawn.
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I think Janesville should have in place some sort of licensing apparatus to keep the number of dime-a-dozen resale shops in check. If anyone were to ask me (and yes, I realize no one did), I would answer that I viewed all of those consignment stores as urban blight.

It would be easier to get people involved if Briermoon's name was'nt attached to it. If she truely cared about projects like this, she would cloak herself in darkness and work behind the scenes. Every time Andrea shows up in the media i get a bad feeling about her motives.

Why don't we use that building as a think tank to discover new and better ways to bring business and jobs to Janesville, to preserve the historical districts that are here now, and to find a way to get rid of Briarmoon's realty license??? I'd put up cash for that. Also I think her property with the carriage barn fiasco on court st would make a fine community center!

And they wouldn't have to pay the city back for securing the building, if they would have taken care of it themselves when the city issued the order.

Sounds like Briarmoon is more that just the realtor in this...is she a partner of some kind in this deal? Why is she applying for grants? Wouldn't the buyer do this?

i totaly agree with mskari. the Brialoon saga is getting quite old. If janesville is such a terrible place, why don't you move to Milwaukee or maybee Rockford, where things are a little more relaxed?

Andrea why don't you just move someplace else and be a pain in the side of another community. Janesville is very tired of your antics. I know you must realize everybody just laughs at you and your strange antics. Aren't you embarassed ?

There are so many possibilities for that building. If we keep tearing down our historic buildings all we will have left from our past are the rundown rentals in the old 4th ward.

ge rid of it. use the money for something else.