Wednesday, Mar. 10, 2010

Lightner building falls into limbo

A public safety center project that sharply divided city officials and residents for weeks won't be built soon.

After tangling over the scope, design and price of the proposed $205 million Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center, the Raleigh City Council deadlocked 4-4 last week in a vote over whether to start construction.

The building, which would be home to the city's fire, police, emergency communication and information technology departments, was shelved indefinitely. No more money will be spent on it.

Already, the city has spent $22 million on plans and the purchase and renovation of two buildings for police to move into during construction.

The decision on the 17-story glass tower was a blow to Mayor Charles Meeker. The mayor had offered a compromise to lower the amount of an accompanying task increase needed to help pay for the building. Plans for $705,000 in public art were downsized.

That couldn't overcome the opposition of council members Thomas Crowder, Bonner Gaylord, John Odom and Russ Stephenson.

Odom opposed the building because of the proposed tax increase. The others took issue with the tower's design, which they said was too costly and could put the city's emergency responders in an unsafe facility that might be prone to terrorist attack.

In addition to Meeker, council members Nancy McFarlane, Mary-Ann Baldwin and James West backed the center.

Meeker said he sees three scenarios that might revitalize the project:

The council could figure out a way to pay for it without a tax increase.

One of the opposed council members could have a change of heart.

A new council could take the project up, a scenario at least two years away.