Time frame troubles plague the newest phase of the North Barstow Redevelopment project, essentially ending a deal between John Mogensen (a man who's no stranger to time frame controversy) and the city’s Redevelopment Authority.

According to the L-T, the Mogie-deal (which has been in the works since spring) has taken its last breath, due to disagreements over when the project would conclude. It would appear that the RDA is unwilling to wait an additional two years – which would bring the total time to six years – to see the end product.

Mogensen’s proposal – which included plans for both commercial space and apartment buildings – required a considerable amount of time and flexibility. He had asked for six years.

Unaware of this redevelopment venture? Here’s the deal: when the original Phoenix Park developers pulled out of the project's later phases, the city started working with a group of other companies to complete three buildings in the North Barstow District. Mogensen’s proposal – which included plans for both commercial space and apartment buildings on the block between Galloway and Wisconsin streets, west of Barstow – required a considerable amount of time and flexibility.

Time and flexibility the RDA simply does not have. Their fears, it seems, are that the project would drag on and on and … you get the picture.

Mogensen, who has pretty much washed his hands of the project, will not consider submitting a new proposal (although he is eligible), bluntly stating (to the L-T): “They had a good deal on the table, now they can look for something else.”

And that’s exactly what the RDA is going to do. They are now searching for new proposals for the land, which they will review mid-October.

And now, fellow locals and North Barstow frequenters, we wait. For how long? Considering that John Mogensen is at the top of a very short list of local individuals possessing the means and experience to do something truly cool with downtown Eau Claire property, it could be a while.