7. Adaptive reuse and a Biomarkt on Obere Königstrasse.

Our lodging is located on a narrow side street that runs past the Fässla Brewery, which is running full tilt and contributing wonderful aromas to the neighborhood, and into Obere Königstrasse. Spezial's brewery and restaurant face Fässla's across Obere Königstrasse, and both have been there for a few hundred years. I'd guess that these are the oldest buildings on the east side of the Main-Donau Canal.

When we came here in 2007, there was a huge hole in the ground just off the corner of Obere Königstrasse and Luitpoldstrasse, which leads from the train station toward the Altstadt. The 19th-centurybuilding on the corner still stood and was being incorportated into the building that eventually would rise from the hole. It still wasn't finished a year ago, but now is: A sleek, modern Best Western hotel that still fits into the historic architecture of the area. The ground floor of the Best Western is a sleek, Buck Rogers-style Biomarkt, sort of a Whole Foods kind of place dedicated to organic foods.

What's interesting about this to me is that even though you might not notice, I've been coming here long enough to grasp that the section of Obere Königstrasse running past the new hotel and the old breweries has been in transition. A very high level of transition compared to New Albany, but flux nonetheless. Formerly there were established businesses (an apothecary, retail shops) that have now gone. The ghost signage gives them away. They were beginning to be replaced by kebap stabds and Chinese trinket shops, and these newcomers remain, but now there are two "natural" juice and tea bars, as well as a recent organic bakery.

I'm not sure if the Biomarkt's arrival spurred their establishment, or if their presence encouraged the Biomark's capitalists to set up shop. It is encouraging to note that the ancient breweries fit perfectly even if we can't vouch for the origins of the voluminous pork dishes on their daily menus. Their beer is fresh and brewed on the spot - 'nuff said.

We tend to come to these places and imagine that nothing has changed, but it doesn't take long to see that it's patently untrue. The key is: Do they encourage and manage the inevitable change? I think so, and quite well.