Design details are lacking in News and Tribune and Courier coverage thus far but I was struck by the inclusion of one particular name: Larry Timperman. Timperman is one the usual suspect architects hired for seemingly every public job in the area, including advising the County on the potential reuses of the annex building. End result? A proposal to make money for his own LLC.
Sound familiar? Sound like River View? Sound like every day in the open air museum?
It's time for the super self-interested to be identified as such rather than treated as allies to the public interest.
Candidates, are you listening?
Two submit proposals for New Albany's North Annex, by Chris Morris (News and Tribune).
Family Scholar House and Community Park Developers LLC both want to acquire all or part of the 18 acres surrounding the North Annex along Grant Line Road, which currently houses the Floyd County Youth Shelter.
It will be up to the Floyd County Commissioners and Floyd County Council to make the final decision.
Floyd County Planner Don Lopp presented the two proposals to the commissioners Tuesday evening. No action was taken and Mark Seabrook, president of the commissioners, said there would be public meetings before a decision was made.
If the city/council intends to sell this valuable parcel of 18 acres, I'm curious what the price is, or might be?
ReplyDeleteUsing a comparable from the area, is that piece in the $20-40 million ballpark?
Somebody is going to walk-away with a tax-payer financed bit of commercial welfare...
Roger, to your post's point, yes, it's odd we only have public housing or strip mall options in New Albany. Just like it's still the 1970s. Have the people in govt here outlasted their "fresh-by" dates? About 30 years ago and yet they hang on like barnacles.
ReplyDeleteStrip mall or public housing? Hummm....which does New Albany need most?
It's amazing what has to be taken care of "right now," just before an election. There's no time to plan. The land needs to be taken right now, for it's "highest and best use."
ReplyDeleteActually, the county owns this land, not the city.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the County is still "planning" on doing the general maintenance the annex has needed for a generation or two or if maybe they don't have the money "right now".
ReplyDeleteShould we be putting our bids in for Pine View now or just wait until it deteriorates so we can buy it cheaper under crisis pricing later?
We may have to hire an architect to tell us. Anybody know one with experience in such matters?
Somehow, the phrase "stop digging" comes to mind.