I wondered when the Dispatch would get around to this story. There has been work going on at the Santa Fe Depot for a while now.
I took an interest in this years ago when Mike Hardin tried to scam the City out of a big chunk of money to make them “possible partners” for the bargain price of “between $80,000 and $100,000”. Here is a link to THAT blog piece I did over three years ago:
Looks Like The Word Is Out That City Council Is An Easy Mark – Free Cash For ALL!!
Turns out Mike and his “family member” (his cousin, Peter Grant) tried to grab money before that, too! Back in 2009. I wrote another piece about that one:
Didya Know? Back In 2009, LEDC Actually Considered Sticking Wind Turbines On Downtown Buildings
But now, he is rewriting history again with this latest Dispatch puff piece. The latest article makes ZERO mention of the hare-brained windmill scheme in 2009. It makes ZERO mention of how Hardin tried to grab about $100,000 from the City in 2019 with wild tales of “unidentified tenants”.
From today’s article:
“Right after I got possession of the depot, again not seeking that, I renovated it,” Hardin said. “I hired a family member that does high-end housing. We renovated it with no budget. I said let’s do it right, so it is a nice piece of property.”
Hold up, Mike! You are forgetting the part where you tried some crazy wind turbine scam in 2009 and then tried to grab $80,000 to $100,000 from the City in 2019. Why did you leave that part out??
Back in 2019, he said the following [page 5]:
“Several meetings ago, Council was briefed regarding the redevelopment of the Santa Fe Depot to a restaurant and possible brewery. Although the tenants have not been identified by the developer, he has proceeded with construction plans, specification and bidding. Mister Hardin has also discussed the possible partnership with the City to fund a portion of the right-of-way improvements including sidewalks and flatwork – which may be between $80,000 and $100,000.
Possible brewery?!? Watch out, buddy! Martin’s Rod and Custom is going to build a brewery, too! I do believe Talbert also has pipe dreams of a brewery in her her head over there in her $7.1 million Business Pork Project and Fire Hydrant Farm! We’ll be up to our assholes in breweries!!
Just kidding. We know that isn’t happening either.
The article continues…
Hardin is no stranger to renovations of historical buildings, having completed similar projects in New Mexico and Colorado. He believes the original depot building has the potential to be used as a special event site for wedding receptions or big parties.
A special site for wedding receptions and big parties? Kind of like the Hostess House? The Hostess House upon which the City is currently wasting $1.879 million dollars to “freshen up”? I guess in addition to the 2 or 3 microbreweries the town needs, we will be getting several wedding venues. I’m sure there will be endless demand for all of this, of course!
But notice how Hardin made it sound like he had tenants three years ago? He wouldn’t identify these mystery tenants, of course. I called bullshit on that back then as well, saying “I doubt there are any”.
Hardin is singing a completely different tune now. NOW, it is a “show-me deal”. According to today’s article:
Hardin highlighted the uniqueness of the depot project compared to ongoing construction in Austin. He does not plan to show the property to potential users until it is completed.
“In Austin, when I get a property, I don’t have to fix it up for the user. The user will spend more money on the building and the rehab than I will have spent on the real estate,” Hardin said. “Here, it is a ‘show-me’ deal. I will have to have the facility done.”
Hardin is unsure what the depot property will develop into or whether it will have multiple users. However, he has high hopes for a special outdoor dining experience that currently is not offered in Lampasas.
Ah. So there are no tenants, after all! You’re going to put your own money at risk building something and then hope to fill it. That’s how it should be. I’ve got no beef with that.
My beef is with the previous two times you tried to grab tax dollars to fund your little idea.
City council take note: see what happens when you say “NO” to some fucker asking for $100,000 of City money? He went ahead and built it eventually anyways – and the City is $100,000 better off.
If you had told Deorald Finney to go fuck himself when he asked for (and then got) $72,000 in free electrical hookups for his houses, the exact same thing would have happened: he would have built them anyways.
You think Monroe, Williamson and Kuehne will learn from this? Probably not.