“Finally, even if you were to believe everything stated was true by Agha, he suffered no damages,” Swartz said. “When anyone donates money to a political campaign, there can be no expectation of recovery of anything in return.”
What? Doubt that Agha is truthful? Remember the lawsuit over the fake antique clock?
And cries when pressed.
If this $10K contribution check ever existed there would be a canceled check to prove it, right?
Today, Agha stands by his story, and he contends the FPPC failed to pursue the case “because of monetary constraints.” He said he has hired a Sacramento attorney to try to convince the agency to reopen the investigation.
“It’s all there if they did their job correctly,” he said.
Potter said, “For me it’s ancient history. I have been exonerated, and I’m not spending time worrying about it.”
As for Agha’s pursuit of the matter, Potter said Agha appears to believe “the more money he spends the more he will get his way.”
Sounds good on paper. A Walgreen store would not step on to many blessed businesses that oppose anything that would compete (Grove Market, Fandango, Pollacci Liquor & Date, etc). But if Nadir is in the mix, I predict failure.
The first floor of the Holman building in downtown Pacific Grove could become home to a Walgreens pharmacy — a large retailer that could bring a boost to local business, according to the city’s chamber of commerce.
Agha’s plan for a 300-room hotel, which the developer has pursued for years, would still be possible even if the building’s first floor is leased to a retailer. Currently, the 60,000-square foot-space is occupied by antique dealers, a bank and a restaurant.
Bennett, Garcia, Huitt – yay. The rest of the elected officials, tar & feathers.
Kampe thinks the new agreement on the marketing feasibility study will spell out the specifics of Agha’s proposal and allow both parties to move forward. “We need some way to fundamentally break an impasse in terms of action on the site,” he says.
But the vote was a tight 4-3. Councilwoman Lisa Bennett, who joined Mayor Carmelita Garcia and Councilman Robert Huitt in opposition, says the agreement is premature.
While the city’s tentative support encouraged Agha to take the building off the market, he’s disappointed the agreement didn’t get unanimous backing. “Anyone who has the best interests of Pacific Grove in mind will go out of his way to support any healthy project,” he says. “Economically, this project is going to be the best thing ever to happen to Pacific Grove.”
He really means the best thing ever to happen to Nader Agha.
A rumor was going around town that the building and adjacent property were for sale, based on a multiple listing that remained on the books after Agha, frustrated with what he felt was foot-dragging by the city over his proposed downtown hotel project, put it up for sale a year ago.
Agha acquired the property at auction in 1995 with an eye toward razing the building and constructing a high-end hotel and conference center on the site at 542 Lighthouse Ave.
He’ll likely sell it if he gets the permits. Hope he loses.
About time the users of the high paid city workers pay the price. Of course, developers like Nadir Agha are against anything that deprives them of an extra nickel.
On Wednesday, the City Council adopted recommendations made by city planning staff to require that the city recover 50 percent of costs for all architectural review permits, design changes and administrative approvals effective March 1, rising to 75 percent on Jan. 1, 2011.
The city currently recovers about 35 percent of the cost of processing the applications, said chief city planner Lynn Burgess.
Owner of the dilapidated old red house by the post office once said the same thing. Wish I could drill my own well and not pay Cal Am. What about the sewer system, has that been addressed?
On Wednesday, he described the existing store building as “an old building at the end of its economic life.”
The structure Agha is proposing, they said, would provide 250 to 420 rooms, a restaurant and conference center, a basement parking garage, and a multi-story parking garage in the lot behind the Lighthouse Cinema movie theater on Lighthouse Avenue.
He is proposing to drill a well on the site and install a desalination system to provide water for the hotel and low-cost housing for employees.
Hundreds more shower heads, flushing toilets, traffic and tourists.
Agha Declares Holman Building All Used Up, Gets OK From Council
They all sound corrupt to me. Why would Nader support Potter when he is in cahoots with Goldbeck to get his gargantuan Holman Hotel approved?
Monterey real estate developer Nader Agha says he gave a $10,000 check more than five years ago to county Supervisor Dave Potter’s election campaign that was never reported by the campaign as required by state law.
Potter said Tuesday, “I have no idea what Nader is talking about. If he had given me $10,000, I would have reported it.”
Agha said Potter called him in January 2004 saying he needed financial help because his campaign was short of money. Potter was facing a formidable primary challenge that year in his bid for a third term from two challengers — Salinas Valley agribusinessman Stephen Collins and then-Pacific Grove City Councilwoman Susan Goldbeck.
Just when you thought Nader Agha would take his phony antiques, coins and sell the Holman Building he comes back again with another hotel pitch.
Armed with architects’ drawings of concepts for the property, Agha said he has reconsidered his idea of abandoning the project in the face of overwhelming support expressed to him for the project.
In December, Agha listed the 84-year-old, 120,000-square-foot Holman Building and the 1.35-acre lot it sits on, as well as four other lots on Fountain Avenue being used for parking and a building across the street at 549 Lighthouse Ave., on the real estate market.
At the time he said he was fed up with nearly 14 years of delays in his attempt to build a luxury hotel on the site.
Hundreds more showerheads, flushing toilets, traffic and tourists.
Don’t know if he is telling the truth or not.
Saying he’s fed up with nearly 14 years of delays in his attempt to build a luxury hotel in downtown Pacific Grove, developer Nader Agha has put the landmark Holman Building on the market.
The sale price of $17.95 million includes the 84-year-old, 120,000-square-foot Holman Building and the 1.35-acre lot it sits on, as well as four other lots on Fountain Avenue being used for parking and a building across the street at 549 Lighthouse, Agha said.
Nader’s Hotel Proposal, also championed by Losin’ Susan:
Nader blames the changes in city leaders, but other business people have been successful in deals with the city. Old Bathhouse. Lighthouse Cinema. Maybe a big (ugly) hotel is not what we need.