Chess politics - Crossing Crossville

Author

Crossing Crossville

Chess One

2004-10-20, 9:45 am

I don't know if the Crossville decision makes any sense whatever based on
evidence of the mishmash of reports here.

On the face of it people seem to have made their decision in a hurry for no
apparent reason, informed by wildly conflicting reports of the 3 sites, and
without stating what goal is to be achieved by any move.

The property rate for TN seems very high for a 'rural' district. I am
comparing it with local rates for professional offices in my own town of
about the same size as Crossville, and which is also a non-metro area. You
can purchase two town houses, each of 2,000 square feet, for about $125k
each, which appears to discount the TN rate by 40%.

Our town has 3 interstate exits, 90 minutes from an international airport,
and 2 hrs from Logan/Boston, and is settled with various people who come
here for the arts and general amenities, which is also a reason cited by
business owners for relocation.

Spotted recently were Whoopi Goldberg, Saul Bellow, Misha Barysnikov and Ken
Burns. The Museum is currently hosting a Warhol festival from NY City [a
coup for the museum, the exhibit is a rare event anywhere], and every year
there is a literary festival drawing people from all over New England.

The population is 12,000 residents, grand list of 5,500, and with a day-time
population of almost 25,000.

Marlboro college has a graduate department for Internet studies, and there
are more cyber-people in town than shrinks! The World Learning Institute is
situated near Kipling's house, Naulakha, and can translate any of 57
languages. An outfit called VABEC runs PhD programs, and has the best
teleconferencing studio in the USA (much used by educators and medical
types).

There are 2,000,000 square feet of available wharehousing in the town, as
well as concommitant office spaces to serve it. Leasing better office space
of 4,000 sq ft might cost $40,000 per year. The entire town is designated as
America's first free-trade zone [any property can qualify] supported by the
chief government employee in the state and the governor.

Vermont as a desirable location always comes within the top 3 states in any
poll.

--------

But!

What I have not read here is a side-by-side comparison of sites that is not
contradicted by the decision-makers themselves!

(as if various people were voting from completely different sets of
information)

And which also addresses real needs of USCF, now and in a few years. I have
read happy abstractions, but as explanations for a strategic move of HQ they
are anodyne, and what is not at all clear is if the writers are writing-down
in public, or if what they have written constitutes their thinking entire.

A minimum set of items to address must be:-

i) How much work can be achieved by tele-commuting?
ii) What is the staffing need overall?
iii) What staff are identified to be absolutely necessary to USCF's office
/in situ/ and what work will they do?
iv) How much space needs be allocated to these staff? [Sam Sloan's question]
vi) In 5 years time, what are the identified spatial requirements for a USCF
office?
vii) What predicates metro versus rural location? [Larry Parr's question]

Phil Innes
Brattleboro, Vermont

StanB

2004-10-21, 12:45 am

"Chess One" <innes8@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:xQsdd.5795$Ug4.822@trndny01...

quote:

> The property rate for TN seems very high for a 'rural' district. I am
> comparing it with local rates for professional offices in my own town of
> about the same size as Crossville, and which is also a non-metro area. You
> can purchase two town houses, each of 2,000 square feet, for about $125k
> each, which appears to discount the TN rate by 40%.

Dubious in any place but the sticks. My house is 2400 sq ft and could bring
450k. That's what similar homes are bringing. 1,100 ft townhomes are
bringing in the high 200s around here.

My house is in the middle left of the pic, just above and right of the
upside down seven.

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.as...=11138&z=18&w=1

StanB

2004-10-21, 12:45 am

"Chess One" <innes8@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:xQsdd.5795$Ug4.822@trndny01...

quote:

> vii) What predicates metro versus rural location? [Larry Parr's question]

The subject of the predicate is often understood. Stop.

Mike Murray

2004-10-21, 12:45 am

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 18:01:18 -0400, "StanB" <stanbooz@comXXXcast.net>
wrote:

quote:

>My house is in the middle left of the pic, just above and right of the
>upside down seven.

quote:

>http://terraserver-usa.com/image.as...=11138&z=18&w=1

Your lawn needs mowing.

Chess One

2004-10-21, 9:45 am

"StanB" <stanbooz@comXXXcast.net> wrote in message
news:X7qdnZEyxfm3fevcRVn-3w@comcast.com...

quote:

>
> "Chess One" <innes8@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:xQsdd.5795$Ug4.822@trndny01...
>
>
> Dubious in any place but the sticks. My house is 2400 sq ft and could
> bring 450k. That's what similar homes are bringing. 1,100 ft townhomes are
> bringing in the high 200s around here.
>
> My house is in the middle left of the pic, just above and right of the
> upside down seven.
>
> http://terraserver-usa.com/image.as...=11138&z=18&w=1

Stan, I expected to see a nice pic of a shuttered duplex, kennel out back, a
few okay shrubs, and maybe a kid learning to ride a training wheel bike. But
you live in a zeppelin!

Away from metro areas costs are very much less. I even calculated that USCF
could almost pay a lease from the /interest/ of the building sale here.

But we have more expensive real estate too, and pre-governor Arnold bought a
lake-lot which cost several times more than your house. In the most
desirable areas general contractors sometimes remove the old house entirely,
even if it cost a million, and rebuild a new 'palace'. They call these
properties 'scrapers'.

Try an on-line realtor in Vermont and look at towns called Manchester,
Dorset or Norwich, where the lot price is likely to be 400k. House is extra.

Phil