The board (of public works) awarded a bid to Knight Concrete to build sidewalks and curbs in small sections along Bank Street — near the Bank Street Brewhouse — and State Street — near the old Speakeasy and home of Wick’s Pizza. The cost for both jobs is $16,177.
Freedom to Screech already has weighed in, with predictably anonymous and forgettable results, among them the suggestion that the length in years of one's taxpaying be the determining factor as to whether improvements are made.
It's the usual, palpable nonsense. Consider the former occupants of our building, who sold bakery products for 30 years without a trace of work on the sidewalk outside the front door, a sad patch probably last addressed during the 1950's. By FOS's embittered reckoning, Rainbow's request for work would have been legitimate -- perhaps because they sold all-American white bread products made from leftover school paste and not craft beer consumed by "them" people.
So, let it be known: I (and the property owner) asked whether the city would like to partner with us in improving our section of the street, and the city agreed. Consequently, we'll be spending a few thousand dollars of our own to outfit a streetside seating area. People will come into New Albany and spend both time and money, in our establishment and others. Some of them may like it here and decide to stay.
More importantly, we'd have done the same whether Doug England or Randy Hubbard was mayor, because that's the way life and business works. Professor Erika disagrees, and you may, too, in which case I'd be glad to devote this space to a mask-free discussion among responsible adults -- unless New Albany has an ordinance against it.
But Roger, if you give up a couple of spaces directly in front of your door, where ever shall you, as one of the business owners, park?
ReplyDeleteNew Albany, and not just the patrons of those establishments, will get much more out of this deal than do the respective business owners.
ReplyDeleteThat amounts to responsible economic development, on a shoestring no less.
Incidentally, any money made available to New Albanian Brewing through the Horseshoe Foundation is likewise available to any other Floyd County business wishing to apply for it. (until the allocated funds dry up)The fund was established to do just what it has done-build/expand local business. Surely no one sees anything wrong with that.
Wow. Orgasmic innuendo. Who'd have thunk it?
ReplyDeletePerhaps the good professor would like to tap into some of those available funds to procure an expansion to her lovely university and expand the courses offered in anonymity and plagiarism?
ReplyDeleteWho cares if its the sidewalk outside of the brewery, could have been any chunk of any sidewalk outside of any business.
The point is, it IS in fact a section of improved sidewalk, which will potentially lead to increased commerce and contribute to a more successful macro economy in the downtown area.
I for one am glad to hear you guys went for it, and got it!
Poor FOS. Wants their sidewalks repaired. Just proves that the establishment is out to get them.
ReplyDeleteWait a minute, I don't even HAVE sidewalks!
Hmm.
I would take FOS’s post serious if and only if FOS could demonstrate that there was another business that was unfairly denied similar treatment from either the city or Horseshoe. I believe both the loan pool and basic infrastructure improvements (like sidewalks) are available to any and all who locate their businesses here. If FOS has evidence of bias, FOS should provide it. Without such evidence, I will assume that FOS’s motives have more to do with a personal grievance against Mr. Baylor and the Mayor than anything else.
ReplyDeleteOK, I have to admit that I have only viewed the FOS blog a time or two. Is this person really a college prof? The grammar is so misguided that I am not sure how she would grade papers. Add that to what I have heard about chronic anonymous postings, her tendency to borrow material from other sources without citation and it looks like a third grade class project.
ReplyDeleteWas I just punked?
So you make a major investment downtown and the city takes an interest in helping to improve the area? Makes sense to me.
ReplyDelete