The city-owned Baptist Tabernacle had its roof blown off by last September's hurricane-force winds, and now local officials are trying to decide what to do next. For the story on the insurance settlement ...
New Albany ponders options for building; 1 report in hand, another awaited, by Grace Schneider (formerly One Great Newspaper).
I'd like to see the historic buildings already on that block preserved, reused, and woven together with a contemporary architectural design, the result being a governmental campus of the sort mentioned in the article.
Yes, it will cost money. It also would link the past and the present and address future needs for a government that probably will endure in spite of Grover Norquist's best anarchistic efforts.
Everything costs money. It's time to concede this, move forward and get something done.
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16 comments:
I propose an open air carriage house and stables for the new mounted patrol.
Daniel, we still have an old city stable needing TLC on Main St.
Roger, I have to disagree with you, not as per the larger goal of saving historic buildings, but in this particular instance. The city should ASAP sell the building to anyone, or give it to them, who can start right now to restore that building. The city at this point is probably the worst org. to be in charge of anything. They can't pick up trash or clean streets or enforce building codes. AT some point we all have to say STOP. Cut our loses, and find something, anything the city can actually function efficiently at, then rebuild city government from there. This machine we call city government has been busted for so long it's as dysfunctional as the ghetto it spawns. I cringe when someone proposes some progressive mission for this local govt. Has a century of utter failure not convinced anyone but me that nothing but a complete shut-down of govt, and a reinvention, will do it. I'd rather the city pocket the insurance money and see if they can put that toward some enforcement of codes.
No real argument, Gina. I intended the comment more in the ideal sense, as what I'd like to see, rather than what I suspect will happen.
I think we have to acknowledge, though, that the City has actually made some good strides in the past few years.
The YMCA is built and creating more traffic than anyone actually hoped for.
The Greenway is coming along nicely. The portion that's finished is great.
We've seen more road repair in the past couple years than we have in several, if not a decade.
While neither finished nor perfect, the sewer system is in better shape than it has been arguably since they first started ignoring it. And oddly, going through that strain when we did has put us ahead of neighboring cities who are just now getting busted by the EPA and facing the same type of massive overhaul we did.
What is as far as I know the first ever market analysis is nearing completion.
The Urban Enterprise Association, created by the City, is getting more active and making a positive difference.
Getting out of the current City-County building has made financial sense for a long time. At least we're seeing a first step toward making it happen. If done correctly as Roger suggests, it could serve as a precedent for decades.
There are some important next steps, code enforcement and getting the EDIT money out of the sewers prominent among them, but those positive things, coupled with other private efforts, have me more hopeful than I've been since moving to New Albany.
"If done correctly as Roger suggests, it could serve as a precedent for decades." bluegill
Rhetorically - yes, but who here believes this city government can do it "correctly". Anyone? The city didn't produce the YMCA. The city didn't produce the Greenway... yikes!
Did you get "another" new car, Bluegill?
If you don't think the City produced the YMCA, you don't understand how things work. City staff guided the whole project from beginning to end, making it happen.
They're doing the same thing with our portion of the Greenway as well.
They're obviously not doing it for the personal credit because they rarely get any, as evidenced here.
Do I think the Tabernacle would make the best choice for city government offices, no, by a long shot.
But I have to agree with Bluegill here, there has been progress. There has not been to much regression, but the big ticket items (code enforcement, redistricting, etc) have remained stagnant, which IS better than getting worse.
We need to realize there is still a lot of good in this sleepy little down, and celebrate that a little more than constantly concentrating on whats wrong.
Perhaps City government would be more inclined to push harder for positive change if they were exposed to the unheard of idea of positive feedback from the community.
Jeff and Roger, are you opposed to the bridge over the creek for the Greenway project? Just wondering, thought I heard that somewhere along the way.
Daniel,
Yes, I was opposed to the NEW, extremely expensive, and completely unnecessary bridge over the mouth of Silver Creek.
Luckily, the plans have been changed to include the wetlands and make use of a preexisting bridge.
I agree, what ever good is done by people in city govt is always over-shadowed by the circus made of govt by the city govt and mayors office. Obviously I support those like John gonder, and there are many, who do should up mindfully and with good intentions. But for EVER,the other half of town undermines them, whoever they are in this incarnation. I just keep thinking there's something "systemic" here we aren't seeing and it's perpetually in the way of progress.
Again, I have to echo what bluegill says.
Adding a new bridge and roadway along the edge of the Ohio would damage some prime real estate for shorebirds, waterfowl, etc and at least one juvenile bald eagle who has been seen in the area on several occasions.
There is the railroad bridge just inside the loop island property, with the "road foundation" in the form of the lay of the former railroad tracks in place.
This would provide a route for the tie in to clarksvilles riverfront with minimum disruption to the progress made in creating a viable habitat for dozens of species of birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals!
Ditto what Chris said.
I am always willing to use existing buildings for new purposes but do we have a report from a structural engineer saying that this structure is safe?
I truly would like to see that building restored, but I do not know if the costs are worth it for the city government. I would have to get bids on the repair and renovation costs and compare them with the insurance settlement receieved because the city doesn't have the additional funds necessary to do much.
The state really slit the throat of local government in terms of funding (the new property tax laws).
FYI, I think the updated Greenway plan has pedestrians and bikes using the railroad bridge and cars routed to Spring.
The web site has a fairly new interactive map that a friend and former student help put together.
http://www.ohiorivergreenway.org/project_map.html
It's pretty groovy. Use the bookmarks to check out points of interest.
"Baptist Tabernacle? Think big."
(1.) Turn the building over to The Carnegie Center for Art & History and let Sally Newkirk and the gang run with it and make it another hidden treasure for this community.
(2.) Small cinema for films.
(3.) National Hispanic Center for the Midwest. www.nationalhispaniccenter.org
(4.) True German Beer Hall for the Greater Louisville area
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