City councilors gunned down proposals Tuesday to buy a house on Dutton Avenue and buildings behind City Hall owned by the Lepore family
But it remains possible the city will reconsider the purchase of the 15 Dutton Ave. house owned by the Bevivino family, though probably not for the $218,000 price set by a judge early in 2008.
Councilors said they would not have considered the purchase had they known of an appraisal that set the house’s value $43,000 below the judicial decree’s figure, a document disclosed recently by The Bristol Press.
“We’re not going to pay $218,000,” city Councilor Cliff Block said, since the appraisal set the value at $175,000.
Councilors sent the Dutton Avenue issue back to committee to figure out what, if anything, the city should do next.
The proposed purchase of the Lepore property, which councilors backed several years ago, was unanimously rejected this time.
“We are not interested in purchasing it,” said city Councilor Frank Nicastro, who heads the Real Estate Committee.
Independent mayoral candidate Gary Lawton was among those urging the city to keep its hands off the Dutton Avenue property, which is embroiled in a family dispute.
“Why are we getting in the middle of a family squabble?” Lawton asked. “We really need to let that house alone.”
Michael Dudko, a member of the Bugryn family who fought unsuccessfully to prevent the city from seizing land for an industrial park, said the city “does take advantage of family situations” to get property it desires.
He said the house on Dutton Avenue is “not important” for neighboring Rockwell Park and should be allowed to remain in private hands.
City Councilor Ken Cockayne said the city “can’t afford” to pursue the house until better times. He was the only councilor to vote to kill the proposal outright. The rest agreed to send it back to the three-person real estate panel.
Nicastro said councilors have tried hard to avoid becoming embroiled in the family’s disagreement that was spurred by the desire of one of four siblings to buy the house. She offered $175,000 to her brothers and sisters last week, but it was apparently rejected.
Jan Bevivino, who wants to buy the house, urged the city to abandon any thought of buying the place.
“Why don’t you just back out now?” she yelled from the audience as councilors discussed the issue.
Nicastro expressed disappointment that the rest of her family or their attorney were not present to join the debate.
He said it would be fine with him if the family opted to sell the house to Jan Bevivino.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
25 comments:
I notice that Rimkoski is mum on the issue. he's doing that dance called the flip. i guess nicastro is doing it too.
Jan Bevivino for Mayor.
Where was Mary?
Mary who?
Mrs. Bevivino has gotten the mortgage she was asked, yes it was late but given the economic climate she still got it , she made an offer to her other parties and they refused they see only dollar signs from what i seeing. Yes i have only heard from Jan but still she wants to stay in the family house and we as a city should let her. I mean we are trying to attract families to move and live here if they see what is happening would they still be so inclined, also it is property taxes being paid and we could really use the income however small. I firmly believe that the city is being used as leverage here and that we should tell all concerned that until we can deal with a single person on this property we will have to take a pass, oh and by the way Jan has said she would sign an agreement giving the city first chance at the property or even at some later date donating it are we really in that much of a rush to get this . Lets just let it go for now and worry about bigger issues
Uh, thanks Gary. Looks we've already got it covered.
Good luck Jan.
Congratulations on your mortgage. I wish you well with your siblings and hope you can stay in your home.
BTW - Ken is right, now is not the time to buy properties, not when we are asking for concessions.
This may be a sound personal decision at the present time for Mrs. Bevivino, but time will tell whether it was a sound (real estate) business decision. One only has to look up and down Park Street and through the greater west end of Bristol to see the encroachment of deteriorating value systems, buildings, houses and property values. Unfortunately, no one in Mrs. Bevivino inner circle i.e. her children, attorneys, financial advisors, etc can see that the only entity which will place any real value on this property, especially in this decling market, is the city of Bristol for park expansion. This property, which borders a very loud and chaotic skate board park and park parking lot is a negative to any individual buyers or investors. Again, I understand the personal attachment to the house, but it is a sinking ship in a harbor of already dead and sunk ships. In five years I bet she will wish she had a do-over on this decision.
Where was Artie?
Another vacation?
He arrived at the end of the meeting. He had been in Farmington for some kind of ceremony to honor police involved in chasing down a bank robber or two earlier this year.
When the tough get going ART is gone.
Guess he didn't want to face the issues.
More show than substance!
I disagree with poster 12:18. Now IS the time because real estate prices are at an all-time low. This property is clearly something we don't want to buy since we're looking at spending more than it's worth, but we should not avoid buying a property because of the economy especially if it'll benefit the city later, but it should be done thoughtfully. By the way, the city is in the real estate business. We own lots of properties so when people make that comment, they're not thinking about what they're saying. Every town buys and sells property. It's part of doing business as a town.
"When the tough get going ART is gone."
FAIL!
Absolutely NO ladership from the Mayor's Office!
"Absolutely NO ladership from the Mayor's Office!"
...and you know what happens to a town without "ladership"...they never climb to the top...hahahahaha!
Seriously 8:47. find something else to whine about.
8:47 - L-"E"-adership - "D-U-N-C-E"
Another issue the Republican Town Committee blew!
They are about as useless and clueless as Art is.
Fitting that Frank ran the meeting: he is running the city any way.
Or is that ruining the city?
Run Bill, run!!
Rimkowski is mr flip flop. Block is no better.
Please!
We seem not to have any party system in Bristol, let alone a two party system.
Why is that?
8:12 - seems obvious that anyone reading the negativity on this path of self-destruction has decided not to waste their time registering as a member of the Bristol Republican Party. Too bad that naysayers run the local gop show.
Some Republicans have the attitude of "Win the Battle, lose the War".
All because of their little egos.
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