The cost is unlikely the case. In my dealing with HP and the city I've learned loads...like for instance: You knock a building down and rebuild now you have to deal with new code: sight triangles, setbacks, right of way, revocables, the list goes on. All having to be approved by the UDC (if they decide to let you knock down the historic overlay site) BEFORE the city can even look at it for a SPUD. It's easier (not cheaper) to gut and rebuild.
In my situation at the pump. There's no way HP would let me raze that piece of junk from 1929 and build it back to look exactly like it was, using the same metal panels even. It's a non starter, even though it would be a better building. Instead I have to furr out walls to insulate it, replace lentels, re-pour the finished floor, build additions, even tint new concrete to look 70+ yrs old(which is needed to shore up a man made lake of water held by poorly engineered concrete). The masonry is so poor, as it sits now I can see daylight through many of the joints.
I might be venting a bit, I'm not mad, but I'm in the same boat as landrun. The money spent in building cost less than the time to make a change. Every time you run into that needs to pass through committee, it takes 30-60 days.
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