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City officials put the kibosh on a planned Festival of Lights display on Old Falls Street and have initiated legal action against downtown attorney John Bartolomei as a result of his plans.
Under the plan, concrete bollards--the cylindrical-shaped obstacles that litter the downtown area and rank high on the eyesore scale--were to be moved to the area and painted with figures of "Buckingham Palace Guards" and "Gargoyles." Posts were to be erected on the bollards and white lights strung canopy-style from the roof of the Falls Street Faire to the posts, creating a bright canopy that would affect the entire length of the walkway.
Concessionaires then would sell merchandise and snacks from beneath the canopy.
Additionally, Bartolomei's plans called for the wrapping of the trees along Old Falls Street with white lights to create what he called a "Tavern on the Green" effect, similar to that of New York City's famed restaurant located in Central Park.
"I had discussed this undertaking with former Mayor Galie and former City Administrator Anthony Restaino and they wholeheartedly supported and approved the placement and design of the bollards use," he said.
Bartolomei, who has a written agreement from the city authorizing use of the bollards as well as a signed lease for the 20 feet in front of the Falls Street Faire and running the entire length of the building, said he went so far as to arrange for heavy equipment to move the bollards into place and line up artists to handle the decoration.
But in a Nov. 1 letter to Festival organizer Geraldine Amendola, Bartolomei explained why he didn't carry out his plan.
"The city ... has now started a lawsuit to prevent me from ever utilizing the bollards or the leased property in front of the Falls Street Faire," he wrote. "It is a lawsuit which the city has absolutely no chance of winning, but one which was started for purely political and/or personal purposes."
Bartolomei apologized for not going forward.
"I'm sorry we couldn't do more," he wrote. "Due to the meritless actions of some of the small-minded people in the current administration, the city and its visitors will miss out on what would have been a nice feature of Old Falls Street."
In the letter, Bartolomei named Mayor Irene Elia, Community Development Attorney Richard Zucco and Corporation Counsel Ron Anton for halting the project, which he planned on developing entirely with his own money.
Using the humor that often is a hallmark of his correspondence, Bartolomei offered Amendola a succinct observation.
"In sum, Geri, I must say that this city sucks!" he wrote.