Legal Niches

Worst Development Project Overview Ever

By pete_gallagher

If you were to propose a multi-million dollar, 46-acre development project, which included a new mass transit system and hydrogen energy plant, you probably wouldn't use an image from Sim City for illustration purposes in your master plan, would you?

That's exactly what Duane Faust, of ESNA Corporate Realty, did however, according to MLive.com.  The would-be developer used a Sim City image to illustrate a planned hydrogen energy plant in his 27-page proposal (PDF), which is part of a sweeping redevelopment plan for Grand Rapids, Michigan.

MLive.com also notes that Faust's plan lifted an image used to illustrate a proposed hydrogen-powered subway system from hydrail.org, a 'program designed to promote hydrogen-powered rail systems created by Appalachian State University.'

City Planning Director Suzanne Schulz called the project 'a long shot,' adding, 'It could be anything from an April Fool's joke to testing the waters to see if it's a legitimate project.'

Mayor George Heartwell labeled the proposed subway system 'absurd.'

Members of the UrbanPlanet community have been picking the project apart, even going so far as to compare Faust with Simpsons character Lyle Lanly, who duped Springfield residents into paying for their own monorail system.

It was also reported that, "Faust could not be reached for comment. Telephone numbers connected to him and his firms in Atlanta and California have been disconnected."

Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on March 03, 2010 (boomark / email).