This may or may not be timely, as sickness is keeping us out of the loop.
We're told that the Schmitt mattress warehouse at the foot of State Street turns out to be an old depot of potential historical significance. Mentioned in the same breath as "saving" the old depot is the Historic Landmarks Foundation, which supposedly is looking for grant money. Apparently there are some who feel that the building might serve as a restaurant, but it is slated for demolition as part of the Scribner Place project.
Please fill in the blanks on this one. Do we know why it took so long for this to come up? Have the newspapers already reported it?
News to me. I have a friend here at work who is a railroad freak. I'll see what I can find out. Did the Schmitts know of this with their property?
ReplyDeleteFrom a friend of a friend comes this:
ReplyDelete"That would have been the old Ohio & Madison depot site ... later the B&O. In the late 1860's, the Vigilantes Committee commandeered a train in Madison area and 200 or more armed men came into New Albany around 3 or 4 in the morning, marched up State St to Spring -- the sight of the old Floyd County Jail, then walled in -- here the Reno Brothers where jailed for various crimes in Seymour, Rockport, Brownstown areas including the 1st train robbery and several murders. The mob over took the jailers and hung the Reno's in the Jail. I saw the area they were hung from before they tore down the jail. I am not sure that the depot is the original or not but if it dates to 1860's it is. I'm thinking it might, but someone would need to verify that."
Asteosis: Agreed in the sense that not every historical structure can be saved, but to say that because a structure was used for something else it becomes disqualified as historical seems to me mistaken. That's the whole purpose of restoration.
ReplyDeleteConcerned NA Citizen: I walk past the fire station at 4th and Spring all the time, and there's activity there. What do you mean that "the current administration is not in the fire house yet?"
J Barthold: I believe the Vincennes station was the victim of arson/vandalism.
ConcernedNACitizen, your comment, “A big building with no one in it…. Wasted tax dollars.” is a slap in the face of the men and women that are firefighters stationed there!
ReplyDeleteYes, the Chief and his associates have not relocated there, but that doesn’t mean the building is an empty shell providing no services to the tax payer.
Rick Carmickle
Concerned, sorry I don’t know why the leaders have not moved just yet, could be due to the relocation of the dispatchers from the Judicial Center! AKA City-County Building.
ReplyDeleteI have invited the fire prevention officer to speak at the May meeting of the DNAMA,
But one would hope we could get an answer long before then, but then again this city is not known for its fast and thorough speed on the information highway! If you look at the cities website they still offer Halloween Black Cats at a bargain!
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