Pretzel logic from the PDC
We all know that no for-profit business in its right mind is going to pay outlandishly premium rents for office space in the new super-green "sustainability center" that's supposed to be built down by Portland State. So far, it's seemed that only government agencies would actually occupy the place.
Well, here's a cute twist: Maybe the construction company that's going to build the thing would agree to sign a lease for part of it! Oh, I get it -- you overpay for the construction of the building, and they pay the overcharges back to you over time as rent. Voila! A private tenant.
You see what they did there? Hey, it's a "sustainability center" -- you're gonna have a lot of recycling.
| Posted at 11:43 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (9)
Expect that after the construction profits are sufficiently hidden away, they will find a way to get out of the long-term lease through bankruptcy and leave taxpayers holding the bag.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Posted by John Rettig | August 12, 2011 12:04 PM
The expression "sustainable" is so ill defined and frought with political baggage that it has really become just a place holder for actual communication. It is something like the wide spread abuse of the word "ecology" and its myriad spinoffs of eco this and that. The fact that we will have a Sustainability Center that real businesses could not afford to occupy is proof of the oymoronic nature of the name. This is almost as embarrasing as ___________ (reader selection here).
Posted by dean | August 12, 2011 12:53 PM
What could possibly go wrong?
Posted by Garage Wine | August 12, 2011 12:53 PM
I'll gladly rent space there for a 125% subsidy of what it might cost my company.
Posted by DANEgerus | August 12, 2011 1:10 PM
Skanska probably thinks that for paying over-priced rent on a small place, then they can get some of that Walsh business.
Posted by Steve | August 12, 2011 2:35 PM
Jack has discovered the secret to "sustainability." A mobius strip shaped like a pretzel that can function as long as there is a continues injection of taxpayers money making it appear like perpetual motion.
Posted by dman | August 12, 2011 2:40 PM
There's nothing sustainable about fleecing taxpayers to enrich private corporations or investors. But the progressives only seem to mind when the beneficiaries are defense contractors, investment banks, and oil companies.
Posted by Mister Tee | August 12, 2011 3:16 PM
Mister Tee - I'd be careful about lumping all "progressives" into one neatly fitting box because you'd be all so wrong. As wrong as me quoting this famous song lyric... "Just as every cop is a criminal. And all the sinners saints." ... as the gospel truth. Just sayin'
Posted by LucsAdvo | August 12, 2011 3:51 PM
Mister Tee - I'd be careful about lumping all "progressives" into one neatly fitting box because you'd be all so wrong.
We'd all be so much clearer on the "lumping" problem if 'some' progressives bothered to condemn the behaviors/actions of 'some' other progressives...
...before they're "lumped".
You've done that, so why the pique?
Just sayin'.
Posted by cc | August 12, 2011 8:53 PM