The following comments are being reprinted without the permission of the writers, one of whom I know.
First, Randy Smith of Destinations Booksellers, who has launched a second Blog (http://volunteerhoosier.blogspot.com/), explains the Blog's purpose. His query is answered by "Bluegill."
Randy Smith: Winter 2005: New Visions for Downtown New Albany
I'm creating this thread to facilitate comments for Destinations Booksellers' quarterly Public Affairs Seminar, tentatively scheduled for March 2, 2005. We will assemble a panel of local residents to discuss new visions for the future of downtown New Albany.
Over the next two months, I invite you to post your questions and comments to be raised at this moderated discussion.
To get the discussion off the ground, here is a topical question:What, if anything, should be done by our public officials to rejuvenate the downtown district?
"Bluegill" responds with a scathing indictment of New Albany's cherished backwardness:
"Bluegill": I'd suggest re-education camps for wayward real estate professionals.
My wife and I have been looking for residential property in the area lately and have spoken to several realtors and property owners. We're interested in both historic homes and/or the possibility of loft style live/work space. Save the local bookseller and neighborhood association, nary a soul has mentioned the possibility of further local development, the containment of urban sprawl, historic preservation, or the benefits of living in a diverse, walkable community. I've ended up doing more of a sales pitch than the people trying to sell me property, often getting incredulous looks and "well, maybe" in response.
Commercial property seems to be no better. Having lived in Denver as a member of the creative class and survived a portion of that city's momentous population growth, I can tell you that dropped ceilings and Berber carpet aren't what those folks are looking for. I worked for an internet company in a former warehouse with brick walls, high ceilings and the original wood floors. It was simply one big room and we required no remodeling other than updated electric and HVAC systems and a couple of restrooms.
Even a casual perusal of other successful economic revitalizations via "weirdness" throughout the past 50 years shows that it's the big, raw, multi-function spaces that appeal to creatives, not having somebody else's gelded idea of "attractive" forced upon them.
Most commercial property speculators in NA seem to be focused on spending a great a deal of money and effort on the ruination of those qualities. The result is that the property owner ends up with a huge investment in something that they've actively made less attractive to the very demographic most likely to be interested in the space. Why would a young company want to buy a building only to turn around and spend a third of the purchase price again to un-renovate it?
The point is that Garner and his bunch, as sad as they are, are merely representative of the general prevailing attitude. Government is a symptom, not the disease. When the real estate pros and government officials with the largest economic interest in downtown development live in bland suburban McMansions and shop at Wal-Mart, I don't think it wise to expect them to articulate or enthusiastically support a progressive plan for the area. They clearly don't get it. It's the equivalent of voting for a Republican or Democrat and expecting radical change.
You can bet, though, after others- such as the few commendable souls who organize, blog, and otherwise educate the ignorant and shame the stupid out of concern for the downtown area- do the dirty work, they'll swoop like the opportunistic vultures they are and claim as much profit and credit as possible.
When that day comes, and I believe it will, I just hope I live close enough to walk to the picket line at Starbucks.
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3 comments:
Kevin,
I certainly appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts and whatever efforts you've made to improve on downtown NA. I also agree with your points about public greenspaces, parking, and general curb appeal. However, the first part of your post does more to prove my point than I originally did.
I get the feeling you've worked on the problem and come away with that crispy, burnt out feeling.
However, I'm still interested in moving downtown.
Within walking distance:
All the people who created these blogs and neighborhood associations
Destinations
Carnegie Center
Library
Elementary Schools (although I'm admittedly attracted to the Montessori)
Ermin's
Main Street Grind
South Side
Federal Hill Italian
House of Bread
Little Chef
Tommy's
Culbertson Mansion and all of mansion row
Book and Music Exchange
Happy's
Antique malls and auction house
National Cemetery
Hess Gallery
Art Store
Prestons
Underground Railroad Sites
Loop Island Wetlands (a bit of a stretch but I own a bike)
Occasional river front concerts (Ralph Stanley played on my wedding night. I was torn.)
What could be walkable in the foreseeable future:
Greenway
YMCA
South of the Border/Continent Restaurant (old Seed Gallery)
Brew Pub (Helloooo Roger)
Whatever I can dream up and make happen
And you're wrong about that which I seek.
First, I am, in fact, having trouble finding the physical space that my wife and I want. We want space that could function both as a nice place to live and as an occasional third space for public attendance of art exhibitions, independent video showings, etc. The space would also need to have possibilities for office use in case I ever get my own business off the ground. The kicker is that our dog would divorce us if we don't have a yard. A small patch of green might also be nice for any offspring we eventually produce when we're not out walking around.
The obvious option is a storefront in a more residential area with a second floor big enough to serve as an apartment/house. Most that I've found are either completely falling in on themselves or have been converted to three or four crappy apartments. It's especially frustrating when those "apartment buildings" need $50-60K of rehab to restore them to their original configuration but the agent/owner thinks they're worth $120K because they produce income.
Second, the problem is not what's around the properties. It's the vision of what could be around them. I see an involved community. I see opportunities for random yet entertaining and enlightening conversations. I see hidden English gardens and wafts of smoke slithering out of hundred-year-old chimneys. But mostly, I just see creative, interesting people in the streets.
I've flown to Chicago just to see a band in a bar. I've traveled through 11 European countries in one trip by myself. I think that tennis, not English, is the international language. And I have no intentions of apologizing if you find that odd.
It goes without saying that I may be a fool. But, as long as I get to be a book reading, music listening, art looking, idea sharing, beer and coffee drinking, dog walking, bike riding fool, I'm generally happy and fairly productive.
Do you have a building that fits that?
The M.T Dearing building's up for grabs, for $450,000 or perhaps even less.
As elsewhere I asked: Even if you could snap your fingers and make it work, parking still would be a stumbling block. There are two bank lots behind it (with a possibility of negotiating evening usage rights with them), and the parking garage a block away; all that might be fine for one building renovation, but what if two or three went all at the same time? City government needs to strongly consider how the infrastructure is shaped to permit success.
MJ,
You're correct on all accounts. Roger too, of course, as he again points out the need for supporting infrastructure which is justifiably becoming an agreed upon mantra.
The interesting point to me, however, is the merging of the vision with the money. Your mention of Indy/Broadripple especially triggered some thoughts.
I have a chemical engineer friend who loves Broadripple. He would never equate BR with New Albany, though. In fact, he now lives on the fringe of northern NA and is planning on moving to avoid sending his son to NA schools. Whether I or anyone will ever be able to articulate the downtown vision well enough to attract someone like him is doubtful. I fear the cultural divide is too deep.
What we can articulate, though, is that the building and renovation of downtown will obviously create construction opportunities. He's in the concrete business and he and his company would stand to benefit, even if he never steps foot in NA again.
I, for one, need to keep that in mind when I'm evangelizing about the possiblities of downtown. Even those who seemingly don't fit and maybe wouldn't even appreciate the place that we envision could still be an ally in it's development.
As an engineer in the concrete business, my friend has been involved with parking construction all over the region. As such, he regularly speaks with local companies who build parking structures. If I can get him to relay the NA parking need to his contacts and they to theirs, eventually somebody who already does business with the city or a motivated salesperson might mention it to the people who need to hear it.
To help reach a deal, perhaps the city could consider a below market price on the construction as an in kind donation to DNA, thus making it tax deductible.
It's a long shot but, if I've learned anything from these blogs and the reading suggestions they contain, it's that the ability to make and maintain connections is what fuels creative enonomies.
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